Dr. Butwell Makes Non-Specific Low Back Pain More Specific for Relief
Non-specific low back pain. Really? That’s not what a back pain patient wants to hear! Well, your Georgetown chiropractor at Dr. Butwell knows some specific characteristics of back pain like yours and particular ways to help contain and ease its pain with chiropractic care.
NSLBP CHARACTERISTICS
What renders non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) so non-specific? A newer review of research provided evidence of 121 movement and 150 muscular activity biomarkers to distinguish non-specific low back pain sufferers from asymptomatic people. (1) That information is key for diagnosing and treating non-specific low back pain. Researchers listed these issues as being contributory to non-specific low back pain: short hip flexors, low muscle activity of the gluteus maximus, and elevated erector spinae activity throughout hip extension in addition to weak endurance of the lumbar extensor muscles and irregular movement of the lumbar spine to compensate for the weak muscles. (2) Researchers have purposely explored how reduced hamstring flexibility may add to low back pain development via 4 tests for flexibility and 5 for stiffness when examining low back pain sufferers. (3) Further, they also noticed significantly poorer back extensor muscle endurance in non-specific chronic low back pain patients. (4) Restricted lumbar spine lateral flexion, limited range of motion of the hamstring muscle, and reduced lumbar lordosis were associated with a higher risk of developing low back pain. (5) A simple, easy test called Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test assesses lower extremity muscle strength, balance, function, and pain in chronic non-specific low back pain patients. (6) (It isn’t a bad exercise to do regularly either to enhance all of these problems! Try them out after we examine you.)
HELP FOR RESTRICTED MOVEMENT
Dr. Butwell uses a multi-pronged approach to helping NSLBP patients with their movement. The gentle, non-radicular treatment protocols of Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction Decompression are intended to provoke and reestablish normal ranges of motion to the spine. (7) A lumbar support brace may be proposed. Using a lumbar support belt enjoys a complicated reputation of being useful and not being useful depending on the study. Interesting! In a recent study, healthy persons vs non-specific low back pain patients showed that two kinds of lumbar belts – extensible and non-extensible - had a positive effect on motor control in patients with nonspecific low back pain and thereby may be beneficial in sit-to-stand motion that is essential in everyday living for nonspecific low back pain patients. (8) Exercises to strengthen the extensor muscles and spinal nutrition supplements may also be recommended to support your effort to ease and control your non-specific low back pain.
CONTACT Dr. Butwell
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Joseph Beissel on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares the effectiveness and gentleness of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with chronic low back pain.
Make your next Georgetown chiropractic appointment with Dr. Butwell. We work to make specific what we can of your low back pain’s cause as well as its relief.
