Georgetown Spine Stability Helped by Breathing and Diaphragm Training
Spinal stability is the basis for spine movement. Spinal stability safeguards the structures of the nervous system, the spinal cord, and spinal nerve roots. Dr. Butwell assesses spinal stability in all our Georgetown back pain patients as part of our chiropractic service. Spinal stability depends on strong, stable musculature to perform its job. New research is pointing to the role of the diaphragm and breathing in supporting spinal stability.
SPINAL STABILITY
All the assorted parts of the spine play a part in spinal stability, even the smallest spinal motion segment’s vertebra (the bony part of the spine). Bones, discs, and ligaments in the spine contribute to all sorts of coupled motions of the spine and transfer proprioceptive impulses to the central nervous system which aligns muscle tone, movement, and reflexes. If any of the spinal structures are injured or otherwise at risk – like a degenerated disc – spinal instability is feasible. (1) That is where your Georgetown chiropractor comes onto the scene with chiropractic spinal manipulation and an effective treatment plan including exercise.
BREATHING TRAINING IN SPINAL STABILITY
Chiropractic care at Dr. Butwell addresses spinal stability with some typical exercise recommendations and looks at the use of innovative exercise approaches like breathing that are showing some promise. Maximal abdominal contraction maneuver compared with maximal expiration exercise resulted in better increased spinal stability. As a breathing exercise to increase spinal joint stability, it had a beneficial effect on improving co-contraction and spine stability as shown by significantly larger muscle thickness of the transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis. (2) Forced breathing exercise therapy enhanced trunk stability and activities of daily living in chronic low back pain patients. (3) Georgetown back pain patients will appreciate how something they do every day – performed with just a bit more thought - may help them with their back pain!
DIAPHRAGM TRAINING IN SPINAL STABILITY
Certainly, breathing and the diaphragm are intimately intertwined, and both offer some hope in addressing spinal stability issues. Dr. Butwell found some new studies on how diaphragm training addresses spinal stability. In a study of the rehabilitation of athletes with nonspecific low back pain, adding diaphragm training (breathing) to electrical stimulation therapy was helped improve function, stability, pain, and balance. (4) Diaphragm training significantly reduced the severity of pain and also influenced the thickness of active stabilizers - transversus abdominis, lumbar multifidus muscle - in the lumbar spine. (5) Strong, thick spinal stabilizers are helpful in combatting Georgetown back pain.
CONTACT Dr. Butwell
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Lee Hazen and Cheri Hazen RN, ICHC, FNLP, LE, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as they describe their combined treatment approach of breathing training and the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management helped a patient find back pain relief.
Set up your Georgetown chiropractic appointment now. Breathing and diaphragm training go a long way towards helping keep the spine stable, easing Georgetown back pain, and keeping the foundation of spinal movement intact.
