The spine is maintained by many
muscles. Back pain and degenerative spine disorders affect
those muscles. Chiropractors like yours at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka deal with
both the degenerative spinal pain condition and the associated
degenerated spine muscles. Sitka chiropractic back pain treatment
plans incorporate pain-relieving approaches for
both the spine and its musculature.
BACK PAIN AND MUSCLES’ RESPONSES
Back pain affects back muscles.
Different Sitka back pain conditions involve
different Sitka back muscles, too. Paraspinal muscles exhibit
varied responses to spinal degenerative conditions. Changes
in the lumbar spine paraspinal muscles of low back pain patients have been explained.
Wasting of the multifidus muscles in patients with back pain,
lumbar radiculopathy, and lumbar degenerative kyphosis are specifically
noted. Increased fat infiltration of the
multifidus muscle is also present in patients with lumbar
radiculopathy and lumbar degenerative kyphosis. (1) In a study of
78 patients with either degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis or degenerative
lumbar kyphosis, researchers documented these degenerative
muscle patterns. The multifidus muscle is described as the
stabilizer of the lumbar spine segments while the erector spinae muscles tend to be seen as the stabilizers of spinal
sagittal balance. Multifidus muscle degeneration was more significant in the degenerative lumbar
spondylolisthesis patients. Erector spinae degeneration was more
significant in the degenerative lumbar kyphosis patients as well as more closely
correlated with the severity of spinal kyphosis curvature.
(2) Continuous chronic low back pain patients as compared to non-continuous and recurrent low back pain sufferers were found
to have greater EMG activity in erector spinae and multifidus
muscles in extension. (3) Your Sitka chiropractor at
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka takes great care in addressing
these variations.
BACK PAIN AND BACK MUSCLES: STABILITY
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka also notes back pain and muscle response on spinal stability. Researchers explained that chronic low back
pain weakens spinal stability of its sufferers. In examining
the activation patterns of the latissimus dorsi, gluteus maximus, and upward
scapular rotation muscles of chronic LBP patients, researchers discovered
a significant rise in upward scapular rotation in all shoulder
abduction positions on both sides. The left side was more significant
than the right. Further, they found greater latissimus dorsi
muscle activities and decreased gluteus maximus activities in
chronic low back pain. (4) Spinal manipulation is explained as eliciting
transient physiological responses of which paraspinal muscle activity and muscle
spindle responses are included. (5) Your Sitka
chiropractor will keep these in mind when
treating your spine as well as in setting exercises to address
weaknesses.
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Paulette Hugulet on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson. She discusses
her implementation of spinal manipulation, namely the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management, for a 77-year-old patient to reduce pain and better
her muscle strength and function.
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the
DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by
Dr. James M. Cox I."