Hello again.
Here is an article related to back pain loss from KOMONEWS.com Please have a look
Bad backs are big business. Americans spend $86 billion a year on back treatments.
Chances are either you or someone you know has pulled their back, seen a doctor or spent some time in rehab. Eight out of 10 people have back pain at some point in their lives.
Your injury may be severe enough to warrant surgery, but there are many steps you can take along the way before you get to that point.
We've all experienced back pain at one time or another.
"I bent over to pick up the little girl, and my back just went out on me," said Audrey O'Gorman. "It was horrible. I had to call my neighbor from across the street to come over and take the children to her house."
Fortunately, most common back pain eases, no matter what you do. But Good Housekeeping says some treatments are more beneficial than others. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like naproxen and ibuprofen may help even with chronic pain.
Exercise can stretch and strengthen back muscles, which can bring relief from tightening and spasms.
"Yoga is one of the best exercises for back pain suffers because it emphasizes stretching and muscle conditioning, especially of the core," said Jennifer Cook, executive editor of Good Housekeeping.
Another possible option is spinal manipulation. Some people swear by chiropractic treatments.
"By going in and restoring the normal alignment of the spine, it takes that pressure off of the nerve and relieves back pain," said Dr. Nicholas Baiata, a chiropractor.
If your doctor suggests surgery, get a second opinion before taking the plunge. Experts say 95 percent of those with back pain don't need surgery. The problem will cure itself in about 6 months with proper treatment.
I like to offer a range of views. Something came back to me recently, I remember a client with back pain and I suggested they look at their posture. Just standing and sitting straight was a great help. If you feel this may contribute to back pain loss, give it a go.
Paul
Wednesday 28 October 2009
Tuesday 27 October 2009
Back Pain Loss, Prevention better than cure
From PR-USA.NET the cost of back pain is always rising. Is this an answer?
PREVENTION KEY AS NEW EU STUDY HIGHLIGHTS €240 BILLION ANNUAL COST OF BACK PAIN
A new EU-wide study by The Work Foundation (www.theworkfoundation.org) has found that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as back pain, neck pain and RSI-type conditions, account for nearly half (49%) of all absences from work and 60% of permanent work incapacity in the European Union.
The estimated cost to society in Europe is up to €240 billion every year, with 100 million European citizens suffering the misery of serious MSDs. Of course, these figures do not take into account the pain, misery and costs associated with the much larger number of people who suffer back pain and other ill-health without seeking treatment.
The research suggests that prevention and early intervention in MSDs ultimately reduces the burden on governments’ health and disability budgets, improves the lives of citizens, and improves employees’ performance. It suggests that governments consider more than simply the up-front costs of medical expenditure and incorporates wider socio-economic considerations - such as work productivity - into the financial and medical evaluations for preventing and treating MSDs.
Office back pain expert Dr Philip Worthington, inventor of PostureMinder, an award-winning posture correction and well-being software application, agrees: "This pan-European study reinforces previous national surveys that have highlighted the scale and cost of MSDs. It's a real wake-up call, and the message is clear: prevention and early intervention are key."
"It's simply not feasible to treat 100 million people for back pain and other MSDs every year. We have to start trying to get these numbers down by addressing the causes, before people reach the stage where it starts to affect their work or they need to seek expensive treatment."
In response to the study's findings the EU is launching a pan-European Fit For Work campaign which calls for coordinated action from policymakers, healthcare professionals, patients and employers.
Background-
PostureMinder:
PostureMinder is award-winning software developed to promote good posture and healthy working habits amongst computer users, both at home and work. Its key innovation is to use any low-cost webcam, such as those built in to most modern laptops or purchased for video conferencing, to automatically detect the user's posture. Whenever the computer user sits in a damaging posture for a prolonged period, a friendly on-screen reminder appears to encourage them to correct it. This helps directly reduce time spent in damaging postures, and gradually helps the user break their poor posture habits.
PostureMinder also includes comprehensive ergonomic training materials, reminders to take short breaks - or switch to non-computer-based tasks - at recommended intervals, plus video-guided stretch exercises and a hydration tool to encourage good hydration throughout the working day. PostureMinder is available for home, work or educational use, and won a 2007 British Safety Industry Federation Innovation Award. It can be used preventatively, or as a part of a rehabilitation programme for existing sufferers of back or neck pain, RSI and other computer-related health conditions.
Back pain and MSD statistics:
As more and more people move from manufacturing jobs to working in an office, many commentators expected the prevalence of MSDs to go down, but that's not been seen to be the case.
Long hours spent at a computer keyboard, both at work and home, combined with the more general problems of lack of exercise and obesity, have had the opposite effect.
Recent surveys by the British Chiropractic Association have shown an alarming increase in back pain amongst children, with 45% of 11-18 year olds reported to suffer back pain in the 2008 survey, a 55% increase in just 6 years on the 29% figure found in an identical survey in 2002. The most significant change during that period has been the growth in social networking websites, which has led to a large increase in computer use by children in recent years.
Previous studies have shown that 80% of Americans will seek treatment for back pain in their lifetimes.
The main preventative measure for office workers in the UK has been requirement to train computer-based staff under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. However, the Health and Safety Executive's 2007 report into the effectiveness of these regulations found that half of UK companies do not provide the required training, and that in any event such training had not significantly reduced the incidence of MSDs amongst UK office st
Hope this helps
Paul
PREVENTION KEY AS NEW EU STUDY HIGHLIGHTS €240 BILLION ANNUAL COST OF BACK PAIN
A new EU-wide study by The Work Foundation (www.theworkfoundation.org) has found that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as back pain, neck pain and RSI-type conditions, account for nearly half (49%) of all absences from work and 60% of permanent work incapacity in the European Union.
The estimated cost to society in Europe is up to €240 billion every year, with 100 million European citizens suffering the misery of serious MSDs. Of course, these figures do not take into account the pain, misery and costs associated with the much larger number of people who suffer back pain and other ill-health without seeking treatment.
The research suggests that prevention and early intervention in MSDs ultimately reduces the burden on governments’ health and disability budgets, improves the lives of citizens, and improves employees’ performance. It suggests that governments consider more than simply the up-front costs of medical expenditure and incorporates wider socio-economic considerations - such as work productivity - into the financial and medical evaluations for preventing and treating MSDs.
Office back pain expert Dr Philip Worthington, inventor of PostureMinder, an award-winning posture correction and well-being software application, agrees: "This pan-European study reinforces previous national surveys that have highlighted the scale and cost of MSDs. It's a real wake-up call, and the message is clear: prevention and early intervention are key."
"It's simply not feasible to treat 100 million people for back pain and other MSDs every year. We have to start trying to get these numbers down by addressing the causes, before people reach the stage where it starts to affect their work or they need to seek expensive treatment."
In response to the study's findings the EU is launching a pan-European Fit For Work campaign which calls for coordinated action from policymakers, healthcare professionals, patients and employers.
Background-
PostureMinder:
PostureMinder is award-winning software developed to promote good posture and healthy working habits amongst computer users, both at home and work. Its key innovation is to use any low-cost webcam, such as those built in to most modern laptops or purchased for video conferencing, to automatically detect the user's posture. Whenever the computer user sits in a damaging posture for a prolonged period, a friendly on-screen reminder appears to encourage them to correct it. This helps directly reduce time spent in damaging postures, and gradually helps the user break their poor posture habits.
PostureMinder also includes comprehensive ergonomic training materials, reminders to take short breaks - or switch to non-computer-based tasks - at recommended intervals, plus video-guided stretch exercises and a hydration tool to encourage good hydration throughout the working day. PostureMinder is available for home, work or educational use, and won a 2007 British Safety Industry Federation Innovation Award. It can be used preventatively, or as a part of a rehabilitation programme for existing sufferers of back or neck pain, RSI and other computer-related health conditions.
Back pain and MSD statistics:
As more and more people move from manufacturing jobs to working in an office, many commentators expected the prevalence of MSDs to go down, but that's not been seen to be the case.
Long hours spent at a computer keyboard, both at work and home, combined with the more general problems of lack of exercise and obesity, have had the opposite effect.
Recent surveys by the British Chiropractic Association have shown an alarming increase in back pain amongst children, with 45% of 11-18 year olds reported to suffer back pain in the 2008 survey, a 55% increase in just 6 years on the 29% figure found in an identical survey in 2002. The most significant change during that period has been the growth in social networking websites, which has led to a large increase in computer use by children in recent years.
Previous studies have shown that 80% of Americans will seek treatment for back pain in their lifetimes.
The main preventative measure for office workers in the UK has been requirement to train computer-based staff under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. However, the Health and Safety Executive's 2007 report into the effectiveness of these regulations found that half of UK companies do not provide the required training, and that in any event such training had not significantly reduced the incidence of MSDs amongst UK office st
Hope this helps
Paul
Causes and fixes for lower back pain
Again, something different, this time from an online source, VCSTAR.com. Please take sometime and read,
I am frequently asked to assist patients who suffer from chronic neck and low-back pain. Regardless of whether you have had successful treatment in the past or are currently managing your symptoms with medications, understanding the problem is the first step in managing your chronic pain.
In my experience, the second step is to integrate an active-care model of rehabilitation and self-care for sustainable, long-term management of your chronic pain.
For the most part, chronic neck and low-back problems arise from three factors: injuries and trauma; a combination of excess body weight and advanced arthritis; and a lack of postural awareness and poor body mechanics.
There is commonly a component of all these factors throughout a person’s lifetime that contribute to the pain.
The first factor is simple to understand. Trauma to the body, such as a car accident or a sports injury, is a large force over a short period of time that causes the tissues of the body to become damaged.
According to studies published by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics, in the event of an injury, the most important step one can take is to get evaluated right away and receive the best physical rehabilitation as soon as possible, even if you perceive the trauma to be relatively minimal.
Doing so will minimize the effect of the injury and prevent instability that can significantly increase the probability of chronic problems in the future.
The second factor is excess body weight and advanced arthritis.
Excess body weight simply adds more load to your skeletal system, accelerating the normal rate of degeneration and arthritis associated with aging.
If you are overweight, you are not alone and it is very important that you start looking for weight-loss solutions.
An effective place to start concerns your diet. Minimize all junk food, including anything with high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils (trans fats). Next, follow up with a doctor who specializes in weight loss and/or enlist the help of a nutritionist or a registered dietitian.
The third factor that can significantly increase the probability of chronic neck and low-back pain is lack of postural awareness and poor body mechanics, or body movement. The most common examples that lead to neck and back problems are sitting in prolonged slumped postures and bending at the lower back with daily activities and occupational tasks.
When combined with excess body weight, this small factor compounded over time can become a moderate force, contributing to chronic pain.
The active-care rehabilitation model, developed from sports rehab, encourages the client to learn and apply daily self-care techniques and restorative strength and flexibility exercises.
I’m biased, but I suggest working with a doctor of chiropractic or a physical therapist who specializes in sports rehab.
In my experience, active care is the key component to a beneficial treatment program and the most cost-effective solution to the management of chronic neck and low-back pain.
With consistent dedication and professional guidance, a person who suffers chronic pain can effectively manage his or her symptoms through active care. The key is to take action now.
— Sevak Khodabakhshian is a doctor of chiropractic with Thousand Oaks-based Omega Rehab & Sport, where a team of physical therapists, chiropractors and athletic trainers applies an active-care approach to healthcare. He can be reached for comments, questions or suggestions by e-mail, at Sevakk@omega-rehab.com.
I do hope this was of interest, if so, please look at www.backpainloss.com
Paul
I am frequently asked to assist patients who suffer from chronic neck and low-back pain. Regardless of whether you have had successful treatment in the past or are currently managing your symptoms with medications, understanding the problem is the first step in managing your chronic pain.
In my experience, the second step is to integrate an active-care model of rehabilitation and self-care for sustainable, long-term management of your chronic pain.
For the most part, chronic neck and low-back problems arise from three factors: injuries and trauma; a combination of excess body weight and advanced arthritis; and a lack of postural awareness and poor body mechanics.
There is commonly a component of all these factors throughout a person’s lifetime that contribute to the pain.
The first factor is simple to understand. Trauma to the body, such as a car accident or a sports injury, is a large force over a short period of time that causes the tissues of the body to become damaged.
According to studies published by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics, in the event of an injury, the most important step one can take is to get evaluated right away and receive the best physical rehabilitation as soon as possible, even if you perceive the trauma to be relatively minimal.
Doing so will minimize the effect of the injury and prevent instability that can significantly increase the probability of chronic problems in the future.
The second factor is excess body weight and advanced arthritis.
Excess body weight simply adds more load to your skeletal system, accelerating the normal rate of degeneration and arthritis associated with aging.
If you are overweight, you are not alone and it is very important that you start looking for weight-loss solutions.
An effective place to start concerns your diet. Minimize all junk food, including anything with high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils (trans fats). Next, follow up with a doctor who specializes in weight loss and/or enlist the help of a nutritionist or a registered dietitian.
The third factor that can significantly increase the probability of chronic neck and low-back pain is lack of postural awareness and poor body mechanics, or body movement. The most common examples that lead to neck and back problems are sitting in prolonged slumped postures and bending at the lower back with daily activities and occupational tasks.
When combined with excess body weight, this small factor compounded over time can become a moderate force, contributing to chronic pain.
The active-care rehabilitation model, developed from sports rehab, encourages the client to learn and apply daily self-care techniques and restorative strength and flexibility exercises.
I’m biased, but I suggest working with a doctor of chiropractic or a physical therapist who specializes in sports rehab.
In my experience, active care is the key component to a beneficial treatment program and the most cost-effective solution to the management of chronic neck and low-back pain.
With consistent dedication and professional guidance, a person who suffers chronic pain can effectively manage his or her symptoms through active care. The key is to take action now.
— Sevak Khodabakhshian is a doctor of chiropractic with Thousand Oaks-based Omega Rehab & Sport, where a team of physical therapists, chiropractors and athletic trainers applies an active-care approach to healthcare. He can be reached for comments, questions or suggestions by e-mail, at Sevakk@omega-rehab.com.
I do hope this was of interest, if so, please look at www.backpainloss.com
Paul
Medical Procedures for back pain loss
From the Jakarta Post, this is very interesting
Procedures to give you fast and effective relief from back pain
Dr. Bernard Lee | Wed, 09/30/2009 1:17 PM | Body & Soul
Persistent aches and pains in the lower back are among the most common sources of pain and disability and affect two-thirds of adults at some point in their lives.
In most cases the pain can be managed with simple treatments and over-the-counter medications. But for some patients, unfortunately, the pain persists due to a slipped disc.
The prospect of costly open-back surgery coupled with the possibility of paralysis should the operation fail would only make matters worse. But thanks to medical advancements, now there are two procedures available to remedy the problem - quickly and cheaply.
In recent years the popular trend in spinal surgery has been toward reduction and minimalization. Minimally invasive procedures are preferred by surgeons because they eliminate the destructive effect on bony structures and reduce scar formation.
Dr Bernard Lee, founder and director of Singapore Paincare Center, is one of the few pioneering pain specialists in Singapore who offers both procedures: nucleoplasty and epidural adhesiolysis.
"Both minimally invasive techniques can be completed in just one or two hours," says Dr. Lee.
"They are comparatively safe and there is very little down time. In fact, the patient could do the procedure today and be well enough to go dancing tomorrow!"
Nucleoplasty (which literally means removing the nucleus) is a minimally invasive therapeutic option that has been used for spinal procedures since July 2000. It is designed to decompress slipped discs. The procedure is done under fluoroscopic guidance.
Using a thin catheter to gain access to the bulging disc, a tiny radio transmitter is inserted into the disc nucleus through the catheter. This transmitter emits radio waves that break up the material in the nucleus, decreasing the amount of nucleus material putting pressure on the bulging disc wall.
"The patient will be sedated. A wand-like device is inserted into the center of the disc to relieve the pressure exerted by the disc on the nearby nerve root. When the pressure lifts, the pain will be reduced," explains Dr. Lee, who received his training in Sydney, Australia. Dr Lee is also a medical acupuncturist.
Compared with open back surgery, which can cost anywhere between S$10,000 and S$15,000, nucleoplasty is a safe and cheap option. With the cost between S$4,000 and S$6,000, patients are paying just half as much for a highly effective procedure.
The operation is extremely precise and average pain reduction is significant - about 55 to 60 percent. Patients' satisfaction is also high - around 90 percent - for several reasons: the simplicity of the procedure, the lack of trauma or painful downtime and the lack of the possible risks of failure of open surgery.
To boost the success of nucleoplasty, a diagnostic discography is normally performed to identify the exact disc or discs involved and the correct level of disc-generated pain. A test solution needs to be first injected into each suspected disc while the patient is conscious, to elicit a response when the troubled disc is breached.
"To put it simply, I need the patient to say *Ouch!' when I correctly identify the problem disc. The discomfort won't last too long and it's important we treat the right spot the first time around," says Dr Lee.
Despite its effectiveness and success rate, it is important to note that nucleoplasty is not for everyone.
"Where slipped discs are concerned, size really matters," Dr. Lee says. "How far they have slipped makes a difference in determining the type of procedure to use. For nucleoplasty, the disc must not have slipped more than 25 percent into the spinal canal."
For a more severe slipped disc condition - between 25 percent and 50 percent - nucleoplasty is not recommended. A second procedure called epidural adhesiolysis may be more useful.
"When a disc slips significantly, it will cause severe inflammation to the surrounding nerves. This in turn may lead to scarring of the nerves, which will harden and stick together. Such a scenario is especially likely if the slipped disc goes ignored for a month or two," says Dr Lee.
"The process is much like in angioplasty, where you balloon the blocked heart vessels. Here, we try to free the scarred nerves that are stuck down by opening up some space."
The epidural adhesiolysis procedure is done using a special catheter introduced through a needle in the patient's buttock. Patients suffering from chronic low back pain and who are unable to undergo open-back surgery can benefit from this procedure.
Like nucleoplasty, epidural adhesiolysis is a simple procedure; patients will be lightly sedated and able to perform daily routines within hours after the procedure. Nevertheless, Dr Lee cautions that neither procedure may be a lifetime solution.
"Patients need to do their part in recovery," he says. "The procedure acts to free up the stuck nerves, but the nerves, once freed, must stay free. To ensure this, the nerves must be regularly stretched and the patient will have to take up some form of exercise."
Exercise is an important tool for building a strong body. Muscular back pain can be prevented, or reduced, using a comprehensive program of specific back exercises.
"A lot of people these days are far too sedentary. They push paper around at work, lounge about at home, and rarely exercise. Then they go on holiday and suddenly carry a backpack or try to lift heavy luggage. Their backs are not conditioned to take the sudden stress and the result is either a pulled back muscle or a slipped disc," Dr. Lee says.
A slipped disc is the result of accidents and improper habits of lifting, bending, twisting and turning, causing direct or indirect pressure on the spinal cords.
It might come to a surprise to many but simple everyday activities such as carrying a flowerpot or lifting a heavy load off the floor could cause a slip and could be costly - both physically and financially.
"Studies have shown that eight out of every 10 people will experience back pain at least once in their lives. A lot of time at work is lost to back pain every day because people simply cannot function when even sitting down or standing up causes pain," says Dr Lee.
"Your body is designed to be flexible, but you have to constantly move the parts. Stretching daily and simple exercises will help keep back pain away."
cFlyFreeForHealth2009.
For more information, please goto www.backpainloss.com
Paul
Procedures to give you fast and effective relief from back pain
Dr. Bernard Lee | Wed, 09/30/2009 1:17 PM | Body & Soul
Persistent aches and pains in the lower back are among the most common sources of pain and disability and affect two-thirds of adults at some point in their lives.
In most cases the pain can be managed with simple treatments and over-the-counter medications. But for some patients, unfortunately, the pain persists due to a slipped disc.
The prospect of costly open-back surgery coupled with the possibility of paralysis should the operation fail would only make matters worse. But thanks to medical advancements, now there are two procedures available to remedy the problem - quickly and cheaply.
In recent years the popular trend in spinal surgery has been toward reduction and minimalization. Minimally invasive procedures are preferred by surgeons because they eliminate the destructive effect on bony structures and reduce scar formation.
Dr Bernard Lee, founder and director of Singapore Paincare Center, is one of the few pioneering pain specialists in Singapore who offers both procedures: nucleoplasty and epidural adhesiolysis.
"Both minimally invasive techniques can be completed in just one or two hours," says Dr. Lee.
"They are comparatively safe and there is very little down time. In fact, the patient could do the procedure today and be well enough to go dancing tomorrow!"
Nucleoplasty (which literally means removing the nucleus) is a minimally invasive therapeutic option that has been used for spinal procedures since July 2000. It is designed to decompress slipped discs. The procedure is done under fluoroscopic guidance.
Using a thin catheter to gain access to the bulging disc, a tiny radio transmitter is inserted into the disc nucleus through the catheter. This transmitter emits radio waves that break up the material in the nucleus, decreasing the amount of nucleus material putting pressure on the bulging disc wall.
"The patient will be sedated. A wand-like device is inserted into the center of the disc to relieve the pressure exerted by the disc on the nearby nerve root. When the pressure lifts, the pain will be reduced," explains Dr. Lee, who received his training in Sydney, Australia. Dr Lee is also a medical acupuncturist.
Compared with open back surgery, which can cost anywhere between S$10,000 and S$15,000, nucleoplasty is a safe and cheap option. With the cost between S$4,000 and S$6,000, patients are paying just half as much for a highly effective procedure.
The operation is extremely precise and average pain reduction is significant - about 55 to 60 percent. Patients' satisfaction is also high - around 90 percent - for several reasons: the simplicity of the procedure, the lack of trauma or painful downtime and the lack of the possible risks of failure of open surgery.
To boost the success of nucleoplasty, a diagnostic discography is normally performed to identify the exact disc or discs involved and the correct level of disc-generated pain. A test solution needs to be first injected into each suspected disc while the patient is conscious, to elicit a response when the troubled disc is breached.
"To put it simply, I need the patient to say *Ouch!' when I correctly identify the problem disc. The discomfort won't last too long and it's important we treat the right spot the first time around," says Dr Lee.
Despite its effectiveness and success rate, it is important to note that nucleoplasty is not for everyone.
"Where slipped discs are concerned, size really matters," Dr. Lee says. "How far they have slipped makes a difference in determining the type of procedure to use. For nucleoplasty, the disc must not have slipped more than 25 percent into the spinal canal."
For a more severe slipped disc condition - between 25 percent and 50 percent - nucleoplasty is not recommended. A second procedure called epidural adhesiolysis may be more useful.
"When a disc slips significantly, it will cause severe inflammation to the surrounding nerves. This in turn may lead to scarring of the nerves, which will harden and stick together. Such a scenario is especially likely if the slipped disc goes ignored for a month or two," says Dr Lee.
"The process is much like in angioplasty, where you balloon the blocked heart vessels. Here, we try to free the scarred nerves that are stuck down by opening up some space."
The epidural adhesiolysis procedure is done using a special catheter introduced through a needle in the patient's buttock. Patients suffering from chronic low back pain and who are unable to undergo open-back surgery can benefit from this procedure.
Like nucleoplasty, epidural adhesiolysis is a simple procedure; patients will be lightly sedated and able to perform daily routines within hours after the procedure. Nevertheless, Dr Lee cautions that neither procedure may be a lifetime solution.
"Patients need to do their part in recovery," he says. "The procedure acts to free up the stuck nerves, but the nerves, once freed, must stay free. To ensure this, the nerves must be regularly stretched and the patient will have to take up some form of exercise."
Exercise is an important tool for building a strong body. Muscular back pain can be prevented, or reduced, using a comprehensive program of specific back exercises.
"A lot of people these days are far too sedentary. They push paper around at work, lounge about at home, and rarely exercise. Then they go on holiday and suddenly carry a backpack or try to lift heavy luggage. Their backs are not conditioned to take the sudden stress and the result is either a pulled back muscle or a slipped disc," Dr. Lee says.
A slipped disc is the result of accidents and improper habits of lifting, bending, twisting and turning, causing direct or indirect pressure on the spinal cords.
It might come to a surprise to many but simple everyday activities such as carrying a flowerpot or lifting a heavy load off the floor could cause a slip and could be costly - both physically and financially.
"Studies have shown that eight out of every 10 people will experience back pain at least once in their lives. A lot of time at work is lost to back pain every day because people simply cannot function when even sitting down or standing up causes pain," says Dr Lee.
"Your body is designed to be flexible, but you have to constantly move the parts. Stretching daily and simple exercises will help keep back pain away."
cFlyFreeForHealth2009.
For more information, please goto www.backpainloss.com
Paul
Monday 26 October 2009
A Walking Cure and Back Pain Loss
From the Times Online
From The Times
September 26, 2009
Back pain: the walking cure
Almost half the British population suffers back pain. A new treatment promises to ease their suffering. Will it?
Simon Crompton
10 COMMENTS
RECOMMEND? (8)
My walk has never been subject to so much scrutiny. Frankly, it’s embarrassing. “Mmm, definitely hyperlaxic,” one physiotherapist mutters to another as they watch me march up and down the room, my steps measured by 14,000 pressure sensors on a beige carpet running down the centre of the gym. I pick up worrying words: “Bracing right side ... pronation ... arm not swinging,” but they urge me to ignore them. Everyone’s gait has peculiarities. Yeah, right.
It turns out to be a couple of the most revelatory hours I’ve spent — at least as far as my bones and joints are concerned. I’m trying out a new “breakthrough” analysis and treatment technique for lower back and knee pain being launched in the UK by Bupa. If it really works, and becomes widely available, it could revolutionise the treatment of these conditions — Bupa claims that there is evidence that it can eliminate the need for prescription pain relief in seven people out of ten suffering from back pain. Research by Bupa suggests that 45 per cent of British adults suffered back pain in the past year, and that 25 per cent suffered knee pain.
The system is called APOS — All Phases of Step Cycle — and combines a computerised assessment of the way you walk with a treatment consisting of wearing a specially tailored pair of shoes. The shoes treat you as you walk, realigning the body and making you slightly unstable so that your muscles find new ways of stabilising joints.
The principle is this. For many of us — whether because of injury or abnormality — the body gets into the habit of working asymmetrically, with some muscles braced and overworked, others underdeveloped. As a result, strains, aches and pains become established. That’s why a pain in the foot can result eventually in a pain in the back — it sets up a domino effect of pain-inducing imbalances as your body tries to compensate.
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Amit Mor, the doctor from Israel who jointly invented the APOS system with Dr Avi Elbaz, says that such imbalances underlie many chronic knee, back and hip conditions, including osteoarthritis.
“Conditions such as arthritis are a glimpse of a much bigger problem with neuromuscular control,” he says. APOS is about getting your body to relearn a more efficient way of moving, to prevent damage and pain setting in. Mor joins the physiotherapists to study my evidently intriguing walk. The computer read-outs, measuring my step length, walking speed, in/out-toeing, and time spent on each foot, confirm what Mor says he could tell from my posture as soon as he saw me: I have a problem with hyperlaxity.
It sounds like an accusation of laziness, but it means that, like 10 per cent of the population, I have loose joints with an unusually large range of motion. Because they move too freely, they don’t produce the forces that would normally result in muscle-building around them and so become more easily damaged. This probably accounts for the intermittent exercise-related pains I get in the ankles, hips and lower back, and my strange tendency to brace the right side of my body while walking.
It’s a fascinating insight for me, because it explains so much about the pains in hips and back I’ve been having for 25 years that doctors never adequately got to grips with.
Mor says that his analysis technique has similarly managed to put the finger on the problem of thousands of back and knee-pain sufferers in his clinic in Israel, and since January in the UK. He shows me some extremely impressive “before and after” videos of people first hobbling with long-term knee pain, and then walking freely after a few months’ treatment with specially tailored APOS Walkright shoes.
He explains that what his treatment is doing is getting the body back in alignment by inducing a sense of instability. This gives a jolt to the body’s biofeedback system (which tells us where we are in space) and demands that subconsciously we reassess old ways of standing and walking. The instability is administered through the Walkright shoes, which have two large rubber domes on the soles, specially balanced to the individual to change weight distribution too. Worn for periods of increasing duration for a three-month period, they provide therapy over thousands of repetitions during daily activities.
Mor admits that the Walkrights are not unlike MBTs and Fit-Flops, sold as “healthy shoes”, which also induce “natural instability”. The difference, he says, is that his shoes are tailored after a detailed assessment, and are worn in a controlled and supervised programme (APOS patients are invited back for regular reassessments).
So does it work? That’s a bit important since the full treatment costs an eye-watering £2,925 (£3,250 if spread over six months). APOS is available free to those with some types of Bupa health cover — but only if the source of their problem is the knee, not the back. If it’s your back, Bupa members pay for at least some of the cost.
The fact is that Bupa is showing a surprising act of faith in offering the treatment and publicising its benefits, particularly for back pain. APOS was first offered in 2005, in the Assaf Harofeh Medical Centre, Tel Aviv. Since then it has been immensely popular in Israel, with 12,000 people receiving treatment (mainly for knee problems), and four medical insurance companies covering it, but inevitably there has been little time for comprehensive, independent trials.
A small study conducted by Mor and published in the journal Spine in July showed that 19 patients with chronic low-back pain increased their step length, walked faster and became less asymmetrical after 12 weeks of using the tailored shoes. Another as yet unpublished study by Mor showed that of 57 people with knee osteoarthritis 69 per cent showed improved function after eight weeks of treatment, and 70 per cent experienced less pain.
Bupa admits that the research base behind the treatment is still developing, but says that it is part of its mission to offer innovative treatments to members. After its horizon-scanning group heard about APOS, a fact- finding team was sent to Israel.
“They’re getting exciting results,” said Peter Mace, the deputy medical director of Bupa. “Normally we would look with considerable care at the published research before offering a treatment, and it’s true that with this treatment we’ve looked more at anecdotal findings and the information provided by the APOS team in Israel, who have a lot of very impressive data on the efficacy of the treatment.” There was, he added, more evidence for the effectiveness of APOS in treating knees rather than backs. There were also indications that APOS could prevent the need for knee surgery in patients — which made its provision to this group more of a priority.
Did it work for this patient? It’s too early to say. I’m a month into wearing my wobbly Walkrights around the house — at the moment for an hour a day, but by the end of six weeks it’ll be 90 minutes, some of the time outside. Then I go back for a re-assessment to adjust my shoes and exercise prescription as necessary. It’s no great inconvenience wearing the shoes, although it’s no great fashion statement either, and you do get used to them.
Got to timesonline.co.uk/health to see how the APOS treatment worked out for me
For more on Back Pain goto backpainloss.com
From The Times
September 26, 2009
Back pain: the walking cure
Almost half the British population suffers back pain. A new treatment promises to ease their suffering. Will it?
Simon Crompton
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My walk has never been subject to so much scrutiny. Frankly, it’s embarrassing. “Mmm, definitely hyperlaxic,” one physiotherapist mutters to another as they watch me march up and down the room, my steps measured by 14,000 pressure sensors on a beige carpet running down the centre of the gym. I pick up worrying words: “Bracing right side ... pronation ... arm not swinging,” but they urge me to ignore them. Everyone’s gait has peculiarities. Yeah, right.
It turns out to be a couple of the most revelatory hours I’ve spent — at least as far as my bones and joints are concerned. I’m trying out a new “breakthrough” analysis and treatment technique for lower back and knee pain being launched in the UK by Bupa. If it really works, and becomes widely available, it could revolutionise the treatment of these conditions — Bupa claims that there is evidence that it can eliminate the need for prescription pain relief in seven people out of ten suffering from back pain. Research by Bupa suggests that 45 per cent of British adults suffered back pain in the past year, and that 25 per cent suffered knee pain.
The system is called APOS — All Phases of Step Cycle — and combines a computerised assessment of the way you walk with a treatment consisting of wearing a specially tailored pair of shoes. The shoes treat you as you walk, realigning the body and making you slightly unstable so that your muscles find new ways of stabilising joints.
The principle is this. For many of us — whether because of injury or abnormality — the body gets into the habit of working asymmetrically, with some muscles braced and overworked, others underdeveloped. As a result, strains, aches and pains become established. That’s why a pain in the foot can result eventually in a pain in the back — it sets up a domino effect of pain-inducing imbalances as your body tries to compensate.
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Amit Mor, the doctor from Israel who jointly invented the APOS system with Dr Avi Elbaz, says that such imbalances underlie many chronic knee, back and hip conditions, including osteoarthritis.
“Conditions such as arthritis are a glimpse of a much bigger problem with neuromuscular control,” he says. APOS is about getting your body to relearn a more efficient way of moving, to prevent damage and pain setting in. Mor joins the physiotherapists to study my evidently intriguing walk. The computer read-outs, measuring my step length, walking speed, in/out-toeing, and time spent on each foot, confirm what Mor says he could tell from my posture as soon as he saw me: I have a problem with hyperlaxity.
It sounds like an accusation of laziness, but it means that, like 10 per cent of the population, I have loose joints with an unusually large range of motion. Because they move too freely, they don’t produce the forces that would normally result in muscle-building around them and so become more easily damaged. This probably accounts for the intermittent exercise-related pains I get in the ankles, hips and lower back, and my strange tendency to brace the right side of my body while walking.
It’s a fascinating insight for me, because it explains so much about the pains in hips and back I’ve been having for 25 years that doctors never adequately got to grips with.
Mor says that his analysis technique has similarly managed to put the finger on the problem of thousands of back and knee-pain sufferers in his clinic in Israel, and since January in the UK. He shows me some extremely impressive “before and after” videos of people first hobbling with long-term knee pain, and then walking freely after a few months’ treatment with specially tailored APOS Walkright shoes.
He explains that what his treatment is doing is getting the body back in alignment by inducing a sense of instability. This gives a jolt to the body’s biofeedback system (which tells us where we are in space) and demands that subconsciously we reassess old ways of standing and walking. The instability is administered through the Walkright shoes, which have two large rubber domes on the soles, specially balanced to the individual to change weight distribution too. Worn for periods of increasing duration for a three-month period, they provide therapy over thousands of repetitions during daily activities.
Mor admits that the Walkrights are not unlike MBTs and Fit-Flops, sold as “healthy shoes”, which also induce “natural instability”. The difference, he says, is that his shoes are tailored after a detailed assessment, and are worn in a controlled and supervised programme (APOS patients are invited back for regular reassessments).
So does it work? That’s a bit important since the full treatment costs an eye-watering £2,925 (£3,250 if spread over six months). APOS is available free to those with some types of Bupa health cover — but only if the source of their problem is the knee, not the back. If it’s your back, Bupa members pay for at least some of the cost.
The fact is that Bupa is showing a surprising act of faith in offering the treatment and publicising its benefits, particularly for back pain. APOS was first offered in 2005, in the Assaf Harofeh Medical Centre, Tel Aviv. Since then it has been immensely popular in Israel, with 12,000 people receiving treatment (mainly for knee problems), and four medical insurance companies covering it, but inevitably there has been little time for comprehensive, independent trials.
A small study conducted by Mor and published in the journal Spine in July showed that 19 patients with chronic low-back pain increased their step length, walked faster and became less asymmetrical after 12 weeks of using the tailored shoes. Another as yet unpublished study by Mor showed that of 57 people with knee osteoarthritis 69 per cent showed improved function after eight weeks of treatment, and 70 per cent experienced less pain.
Bupa admits that the research base behind the treatment is still developing, but says that it is part of its mission to offer innovative treatments to members. After its horizon-scanning group heard about APOS, a fact- finding team was sent to Israel.
“They’re getting exciting results,” said Peter Mace, the deputy medical director of Bupa. “Normally we would look with considerable care at the published research before offering a treatment, and it’s true that with this treatment we’ve looked more at anecdotal findings and the information provided by the APOS team in Israel, who have a lot of very impressive data on the efficacy of the treatment.” There was, he added, more evidence for the effectiveness of APOS in treating knees rather than backs. There were also indications that APOS could prevent the need for knee surgery in patients — which made its provision to this group more of a priority.
Did it work for this patient? It’s too early to say. I’m a month into wearing my wobbly Walkrights around the house — at the moment for an hour a day, but by the end of six weeks it’ll be 90 minutes, some of the time outside. Then I go back for a re-assessment to adjust my shoes and exercise prescription as necessary. It’s no great inconvenience wearing the shoes, although it’s no great fashion statement either, and you do get used to them.
Got to timesonline.co.uk/health to see how the APOS treatment worked out for me
For more on Back Pain goto backpainloss.com
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