April 2022 Healthy News from Old Mill Chiropractic Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important
“Why do you ask me so many questions, doc?”
Our St Peters chiropractic patients are the center of our practice. We want to understand each you and your pain experience well, treat you well, and ensure that you are satisfied with your care and outcome. That’s why we have you to explain your pain to us, sometimes a few times and in several different ways! Words mean different things to different people: “discomfort” to one may mean “pain” to another while “stiffness” means “pain” or “discomfort” to a another. It’s true! Researchers studied just what these different words mean 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's important for Old Mill Chiropractic to know our patient’s experience with pain to better meet expectations and enhance satisfaction with care. Patients who went to 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 reported 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, patients were satisfied with the collaboration among the various healthcare team members due to the trust they had in their physician. Patients appreciated consistency in care from one caregiving chiropractor. (2) Old Mill Chiropractic knows our patients value - and can expect - these same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
St Peters CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Standing Exercise for Multifidus Muscle Strengthening Works
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 parallel to the spine from the cervical spine to the sacrum. These muscles aid movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted. (3) Lately, researchers proposed that the multifidi may be a potential source of back pain since they are found to be 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 produced by muscle fatigue. (4) “Superman” (on-the-floor) exercises are well known. Standing back extension and “superman” exercises are newly reported as equally beneficial to strengthen these multifidus muscles. (5) That’s great news! St Peters back pain sufferers can do simple, 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 describes the benefit of improving muscle strength and function as part of back pain treatment via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Old Mill Chiropractic
Schedule your next St Peters chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles will be directed in proper exercise to lessen and potentially avert back pain. Old Mill Chiropractic will ask you questions, and you are welcome to ask Old Mill Chiropractic questions, also!