Back pain cost billions of dollars yearly. Three out of four Americans experience needless back pain or radiated leg pain than can be corrected. Research has proven that 94 percent of back pain sufferers can lead a vastly improved life using proper exercise on proper equipment. The problem is, most treatments treat the symptoms of back pain and not the cause, granted 2 percent of the pain sufferers require surgery, leaving 98 percent of back pain sufferers with other options.
The leading cause of back pain problems is de-conditioning, which means weak abdominal, oblique and lumbar muscles of the core. As we grow older, we slip into a state of muscular disuse, which leads to imbalances and weaknesses. The human spine is fairly flexible over its entire length but is incapable of supporting weight on its own. This is where musculature comes into play.
You see, the spine is sort of like the smokestacks in The Old Mill District. If one were to remove or over tighten one side of the guide cables, the smokestacks would become unstable. Your back is very similar. If muscles in your back become loose and weak, or one side becomes overly strong or tight, you will have problems; creating a muscular imbalance primed for disaster. The back must be supported equally, balanced from all sides. When one’s back finally gives then people look for the ‘quick fix’, not what’s causing the problem. People tend to treat the symptoms, not the cause.
Medical studies prove that back and radiating leg pain sufferers can vastly improve their daily life through proper strength training using the proper equipment. These statements are not from companies or individuals looking to doctored-up studies to prove they’re right. We are talking about independent university and medical research projects that are truly looking to help people. Let’s talk about what these studies have proven.
About 94 percent of back pain sufferers can expect substantial relief from pain using a proper strength-training program using a specific type of equipment. Even a large number of individuals who were told they needed surgery were able to improve their lives.
Not only were the muscles involved strengthened but also bone density increased. Lack of motion leads to stiffness, cartilage degeneration, and muscular atrophy, making pain worse.
We’ve talked about proper exercise for back and radiating leg pain. The question is…what is proper exercise?
All the studies show that conventional exercise is completely ineffective at strengthening key core stabilizer muscles. Traditional equipment is effective at strengthening the pelvis extensors, hamstrings and glutes, but not the stabilizer muscles of the spine. In order to work the core muscles, the pelvis must be totally immobilized, meaning the hips must not be able to move.
When looking for a proper spinal conditioning facility, make sure the equipment locks the pelvis firmly. This means the hips cannot more at all! If the hips can move, you’re not effectively training the desired muscle to relieve your pain. The resistance should be concentric, static, and eccentric with no more than 1 percent drag. There are all sorts of companies twisting the studies to suit themselves, but unless the regiment they’re using supplies requirement, they do little for the core muscles.
Tom Sliney III of C.O.R.E can be reached at 389-6595
By Tom Sliney III of CORE
Cascade Business News
Healthcare/ July 7, 2004
Page 31 |
WELLNESS 