Your Sitka chiropractor at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is
here to take care of you, your spine and your spinal discs. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
helps relieve back pain and related leg pain, and Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is quite
prepared to help prevent those painful conditions whenever possible! Certainly,
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka loves to see you, and we know you appreciate not having to see
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka professionally if it can be avoided! So let’s look at running
and bending and twisting and lifting as preventable pain producers.
So just why does running and bending and carrying cause low
back pain? At your Sitka chiropractic office, this question is
addressed every day, usually many times. Let’s look at some explanations.
First, we chiropractors know that increased loading weight on the
intervertebral disc of the low back will cause it to tear and allow herniation
of the disc to occur. That means that so simple a spine motion as bending
backwards can cause a disc to tear and herniate. (1) (Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka has lost
count of the number of Sitka back pain patients who came to us describing
such a motion and resultant pain!) Now, this was proven in spine specimens
exposed to both flexion and extension which showed significantly more disc
tearing and loss of height compared to those exposed to flexion alone. So this
means that while flexion alone can still cause the disc to herniate, the
effects are compounded when it is followed by a subsequent cycle of extension
or bending backward at the waist. Thus, movements which require both repetitive
bending forward and backward have the potential to produce more disc damage
than those which require merely flexion or bending forward. (1) Take for
example nurses and nursing assistants. They are at risk of musculoskeletal
trouble like low back pain due to bending and lifting overweight patients. (2)
Now, even patients who have back surgery and spine fusion - and even sometimes
show considerable relief of pain and disability - will still have decreased
trunk extension and flexion strength 3 months after back surgery. Therefore,
there is need for a proper, progressive strength training protocols to
normalize back function. (3) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is here to help. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
sees the need for symmetrical spine motion with strong spinal muscles to attain
and maintain spine health as the spine researchers point out. The effect of
applying compression loading to the spine makes the above facts even more
realistic and motions even more pain producing.
Therefore, Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka encourages activity.
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka often recommends walking. Interestingly, chronic low back pain
affects HOW we walk. Knee joint angle and trunk and lower limb motion is
altered when the back hurts (4), but our Sitka patients are
encouraged to walk. Some Sitka chiropractic patients choose to
run. More power to our Sitka runners! So Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka asks
Sitka back pain patients to consider that while moderate intensity
running is generally advocated for apparently healthy adults, running causes a
loss in stature that is thought to reflect spinal disc compression. MRI scans
and stature measurements were taken before and after 30 minutes of moderate
treadmill running. The height and volume of the discs in the low and middle
back were measured. It was found that moderate intensity running resulted in
reduced disc height and volume. (5) Our Sitka running patients
just need to know.
Finally, as understood at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka, progressive disc
damage occurs under simple and complex cyclic loading conditions. Such disc
damage is initiated at the back or posterior part of the disc and extends into
the depths of the disc. Such disc damage required both flexion and extension while
compression of the disc occurs. (6) Again, that coupled motion is key. When Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
treats your spine, the facts presented here are taken into account. Namely, Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
remains aware of the effects of bending forward and
backward at the waist and the compressive load being forced on the spine
during these motions. The type of actions such as running, bending and lifting
heavy objects, participating in sports, etc., are understood when treating your Sitka back pain. Your Sitka
chiropractor will educate you in how to avoid damaging your disc and how to potentially
stop disc degeneration - and even initiate disc regeneration through spinal
manipulation and nutritional support of the intervertebral disc.
So contact Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka today. Set up your first or
fiftieth Sitka chiropractic visit. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is here to take
care of you, your spine and your discs!