April 2022 Healthy News from Apple Country Chiropractic Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important
“Why do you ask me so many questions, doctor?”
Our Williamson chiropractic patients are the core of our practice. We want to understand each of our patients and your pain experience well, treat you well, and be sure you are satisfied with your care and outcome. That’s why we ask you to describe your pain to us, sometimes a few times and in several different ways! Words mean different things to different people: “discomfort” to one may signify “pain” to another while “stiffness” means “pain” or “discomfort” to a another. It is true! Researchers did a deep-dive into these different words and their meanings to patients. An example with regards to the description of “feeling”: pain was sharp/shooting, discomfort was dull/tingling, stiffness signified tight/restricted. (1) It is beneficial for Apple Country Chiropractic to know our patient’s experience with pain to better reach expectations and boost satisfaction with care. Patients who visited an integrated hospital for care of their musculoskeletal pain and depressive symptoms assessed their pain as 5/10 (10 being greatest pain) as well as indicated multiple pain locations (9 of 17 participants), low back pain (13 of 17), and neck pain (8 of 17). Those are quite typical of rationales patients seek chiropractic care! In this setting, because patients trusted their main physician, patients were satisfied with the collaboration among the various healthcare team members. Patients valued consistency in care from a single caregiving chiropractor. (2) Apple Country Chiropractic knows our patients value - and can expect - these same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
Williamson CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Strengthen Multifidus Muscles While Standing
Back pain. It’s a simple description that may stem from many factors including the muscles of the spine, those seen and unseen. The multifidus muscles are such unseen muscles, deep, smaller muscles that run beside the spine from the neck to the sacrum. These muscles aid movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted. (3) Recently, researchers proposed that the multifidi may be a possible source of back pain since they are described as being stiffer in low back pain sufferers. Low back pain is associated with lumbodorsal musculature (which includes the multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus sufficiently which may prevent low back pain caused by muscle fatigue. (4) “Superman” (on-the-floor) exercises are well known. Standing back extension and “superman” exercises are newly documented to be equally beneficial to strengthen these multifidus muscles. (5) That is great news! Williamson back pain sufferers can do easy, standing exercises like this anywhere! The multifidus muscles benefit!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Paula Hugulet on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she details the value of improving muscle strength and function as part of back pain treatment via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic
Make your next Williamson chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles will be directed in proper exercise to lessen and potentially avert back pain. Apple Country Chiropractic will ask you questions, and you are urged to ask Apple Country Chiropractic questions, also!