DGG

Degenerative disc disease refers to any condition where the spinal discs are degenerating or degrading, often causing back pain. This interactive video provides information on spinal anatomy and how degenerative disc disease affects the vertebrae and spinal discs. It also gives an in-depth overview of symptoms associated with degenerative disc disease.

http://www.spine-health.com/video/degenerative-disc-disease-interactive-video

Hamstring Muscles - Video!

Strong hamstring muscles can reduce the strain on the structures in the spine and lessen pain in the lower back.

http://www.spine-health.com/video/hamstring-exercises-low-back-pain-relief-video

Exercise and Chiropractic Therapy

Cardiovascular and strengthening exercises combined with chiropractic care are important in the management of low back pain

If a patient has a history of heart problems, it is important for the patient to consult with not only the doctor of chiropractic but their primary care physician to be certain that they can tolerate cardiovascular fitness-promoting activities. Specific instructions are given by the chiropractor with respect to proper exercise for the patient's condition before beginning any exercise program.

In general, a reasonable amount of exercise performed daily and utilizing enjoyable activities is recommended for patients undergoing chiropractic treatment.

Exercise Benefits

Many studies have reported the importance of exercises in managing acute and chronic low back pain, strengthening the low back, preventing and keeping back patients working, and to improve quality of life. The strength of the abdominal muscles was also found to be able to differentiate between those with vs. without chronic LBP.

Overall and when combined with chiropractic care, aerobic exercise helps promote proper digestion, keeps the muscles in proper tone and promotes better circulation. Walking briskly around the block at least once or twice is a convenient and popular activity.
Also, many forms of work and/or household tasks can function as an exercise program. The important point is to exercise!

Types of Exercises

There are many applicable back exercises that are available for patients also undergoing chiropractic care for lower back pain. One can classify the chiropractic patient into a flexion or extension biased category to determine the variety that is best for that patient. For example:

- If a patient feels best when bending over (flexion biased), exercises that promote low back flexion such as pulling the knees to the chest, posterior pelvic tilts, bending forward from a sitting position and others are usually helpful.

- If a patient is least symptomatic in extension, especially if leg pain centralizes or diminishes (extension biased), prone press- up type exercises usually yield the best results.

Other exercises that can help reduce lower back pain include:

-Strengthening of the pelvic (trunk) stabilizing muscles

-Stretching of the hamstrings, adductors, and other overly short or tight postural muscles

-Proprioceptive or balance promoting.

Benefits of Back and Abdominal Exercise

Weak and/or overly tight supporting muscles can have painful spasms and suffer injuries themselves,
which then prevent them from supporting the spine as needed. Compromised muscles can also lead to problems with bone structure of the spine due to poor posture from the weak muscles, thereby creating an increased risk of back pain/ injury.

Consequently, developing combined strength in stomach muscles and back muscles can:

- Reduce the likelihood of back pain episodes

- Reduce the severity of back pain

- Protect against injury by responding efficiently to stresses

- Help avoid back surgery in some cases

- Facilitate healing from a back problem or after spine surgery

- Improve posture.

Reported Efficacy of Exercise in Chiropractic Care

According to the Scientific Commission of the Council on Chiropractic Guidelines and Practice Parameters (CCGPP):

- Strong evidence supports exercise as being at least as effective as other non-surgical treatments for chronic low back pain

- Moderate evidence supports use of a graded-activity exercise program in occupational settings for subacute lower back pain

- Some evidence shows that exercises are no more effective than other nonsurgical treatments for acute lower back pain.

As with any chiropractic treatment, it is important for chiropractors to perform a focused reevaluation of an exercise program following its initial therapeutic trial to determine its effectiveness. Using spinal range of motion as a measurement of the effectiveness of exercise is just one way in which chiropractors can make such determinations.

Learn more about exercise and back pain. Visit http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/back-exercises

Exercise and Chiro

Exercise and chiropractic care go hand in hand as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to back or neck recovery.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/exercise-and-chiropractic-therapy

Decrease Sitting Time & Feel Healthier

Decrease your sitting time by 66 minutes per day and feel healthier. In a recent study 87% of people reported feeling more comfortable and energized when they were alternating between standing and sitting. Read more below:

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/one-hour-ease-your-back-ache-and-boost-your-mood

How are You Sleeping? 11 Tips to Stay Regular with Sleep

How are you sleeping these days? Check out these 11 tips on how to get to sleep and stay asleep. Consult your chiropractor for additional tips!

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/11-unconventional-sleep-tips-how-get-sleep-and-stay-asleep

What's the Best Pillow to Use?

Patients with neck pain often ask "which is the best pillow to use?" and the truth is there’s no one pillow that works for everybody. This video reviews the advantages and disadvantages of different types of pillows.

http://www.spine-health.com/video/best-pillows-neck-pain-or-back-pain-video

Insomnia and Back Pain

Without sufficient sleep, aches and pains become more prominent. And many chronic pains can make it more difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep. This loop can make recovery more difficult unless sleep issues are addressed as part of a treatment program.

http://www.spine-health.com/video/insomnia-and-back-pain

Battling Heat & Back Pain

Sometimes battling the heat with back pain can be tough. Check out these tips.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/battling-heat-and-back-pain

Exercise in Chiropractic

Exercise and chiropractic care go hand in hand as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to back or neck recovery.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/exercise-and-chiropractic-therapy

Biking - It's Good For You!

Biking is a popular form of aerobic exercise, and is often a favored form of exercise by people with low back pain conditions. Biking may be a good exercise option for many reasons:

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sports-and-spine-injuries/bicycling-and-back-pain

Golf is great, but you have to stretch and exercise for it!

For the millions of people who have chronic, long-standing low back pain, golf can still be an enjoyable sport. However, a regular routine of stretching and low-impact exercise is critical to maintain the ability to play golf.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sports-and-spine-injuries/playing-golf-low-back-pain

Choosing the Best Mattress for Lower Back Pain

Sleeping on the wrong mattress can cause or worsen lower back pain. Lack of support from a mattress reinforces poor sleeping posture, strains muscles and does not help keep the spine in alignment, all of which contribute to low back pain.
Sleep comfort is also sacrificed if a mattress does not match one's individual preferences. A mattress that provides both comfort and back support helps reduce low back pain, allowing the structures in the spine to really rest and rejuvenate during the night.

Choosing the right mattress can be difficult. The following practical guidelines are designed to help patients with low back pain choose the best mattress for both back support and sleep comfort:

1. Personal preference should ultimately determine what mattress is best. There is no single mattress style or type that works for all people with low back pain. Any mattress that helps someone sleep without pain and stiffness is the best mattress for that individual. Patients with low back pain should choose the mattress that meets their standards for comfort and support and allows them to get a good night's sleep.

2. Understand and inquire about the physical components of the mattress. The coils or inner springs of a mattress provide the support. Different mattresses vary in their number and arrangement of coils. Padding on top of the mattress comes in many different thicknesses. Mattress depths typically range anywhere from 7 to 18 inches deep. Choosing the number of coils, type of padding and mattress depth should be determined by individual preferences.

3. Find a mattress with back support. A good mattress should provide support for the natural curves and alignment of the spine. The right amount of back support also helps the patient avoid muscle soreness in the morning. While there is not much clinical data about mattresses, one study found that medium-firm mattresses usually provide more back pain relief than firm mattresses.

4. Achieve a balance between back support and comfort. Overall comfort while sleeping on the mattress is equally important as sufficient back support. Sleeping on a mattress that is too firm can cause aches and pains on pressure points. A medium-firm mattress may be more comfortable because it allows the shoulder and hips to sink in slightly. Patients who want a firmer mattress for back support can get one with thicker padding for greater comfort.

5.  Know when it's time to get a new mattress. If an old mattress sags visibly in the middle or is no longer comfortable, it is probably time to purchase a new one. Putting boards under a sagging mattress to keep it from sagging in the middle is only a short-term fix for the sagging; a new mattress is still needed.

Some Considerations

Shop for the best value and quality of the mattress, not price. Mattresses with more coils and thicker padding tend to be higher quality and also more expensive; however, a higher price does not guarantee that the mattress is more comfortable or more supportive. Mattress stores often have sales and promotions, so it is a good idea to comparison-shop for the best price after finding the right mattress.

Be aware of mattress advertising gimmicks. Claims that a mattress is 'orthopedic' or 'medically-approved' should be viewed skeptically. There has not been extensive medical research or controlled clinical trials on the topic of mattresses and low back pain. The individual must determine whether or not extra features on a mattress make it more comfortable or supportive.

Give the mattress a test-run before buying. To sample mattresses, people can try sleeping on different makes and models in hotels or at other people's homes before going to a mattress store. When shopping at the store, shoppers should lie on the mattress for several minutes to decide if it is a good fit. If two people will be sleeping on the mattress, both should test it at the same time to make sure they have enough space and are both comfortable on the same style of mattress.

Purchase mattresses from stores and companies that are trustworthy. Consider the customer service offered by the mattress store, such as delivery options, warranty, and removal of old mattresses and the store's return policy. Look for mattress stores where customers can return a mattress if they are not satisfied with the quality or comfort after sleeping on it for a significant amount of time (i.e. a couple of weeks to a month).

To help preserve the quality of a new mattress, it should be repositioned every six months to ensure that the mattress is evenly worn. This includes rotating 180 degrees and flipping the mattress lengthwise on a regular basis. The Better Sleep Council advises against putting a mattress on a box spring/foundation that is not made to go with the mattress, as this may decrease the life of the new mattress.

Learn more about evaluating mattresses. Visit http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/sleep/how-evaluate-a-mattress

Exercise Equipment at Home

Home exercise equipment can make it easier to start and maintain an aerobic exercise program.  Learn which exercise equipment is recommend for low impact aerobic exercise?

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/home-exercise-equipment-low-impact-aerobic-exercise

Getting Enough Sleep?

Without sufficient sleep, aches and pains become more prominent. And many chronic pains can make it more difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep. This loop can make recovery more difficult unless sleep issues are addressed as part of a treatment program.

http://www.spine-health.com/video/insomnia-and-back-pain

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise increases the blood flow in the body, which helps speed up healing, but high-impact exercises may cause additional stress or trauma to the structures of the spine.

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/low-impact-aerobic-exercise

Should You See a Doctor for Your Back Pain?

Pain is our friendliest enemy- it keeps us out of trouble even though it often seems to actually be the problem. But how do you know if your pain will go away by itself or if you should see a doctor? In most cases, back pain will get better on its own within a few days. But what if it doesn't? Persistent back pain may mean it's time to consult a back specialist.

Featured Article:
Should I See a Doctor for Back Pain?

Can't Relax? Dislike Normal Adjustments? There's Gentler Chiropractic Options

If you cannot relax, dislike the cracking feeling/sound, or have other concerns, a gentle form of chiropractic adjustment may be utilized rather than the more traditional techniques.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/gentle-chiropractic-techniques-neck-pain

Sit Less and Start Feeling Healthier!

Decrease your sitting time by 66 minutes per day and feel healthier. In a recent study 87% of people reported feeling more comfortable and energized when they were alternating between standing and sitting. Read more below:

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/one-hour-ease-your-back-ache-and-boost-your-mood

M6-C Artificial Disk Trial

Featured Clincial Trial Neck or arm pain? Do you suffer from arm numbness, tingling and/or weakness? Are you considering an artificial cervical disc? Right now spine specialists around the United States are accepting patient's diagnosed with or who may have spinal stenosis for the M6-C Artificial Disc Trial. You may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Spinal Kinetics M6-C artificial cervical disc* compared to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). This study is for patients diagnosed with symptomatic degenerative cervical radiculopathy, with or without spinal cord compression, at one vertebral level. The sponsor of this new clinical study is Spinal Kinetics, Inc. Learn more about the M6-C Artificial Cervical Disc, the Clinical Study and find Study locations. * Note: the M6-C is limited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigational use at selected clinical trial sites only.