April 2022 Healthy News from Aurora Chiropractic Center Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important
“Why do you ask me so many questions, doc?”
Our Juneau chiropractic patients are the core of our practice. Aurora Chiropractic Center wants to understand each you and your pain experience well, treat you well, and be sure you are satisfied with your care and outcome. That is why we have you to describe your pain to us, sometimes several times and in several different ways! Words mean different things to different people: “discomfort” to one may mean “pain” to another while “stiffness” is “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 signified dull/tingling, stiffness was tight/restricted. (1) It's beneficial for us to know our patient’s experience with pain to better reach expectations and boost satisfaction with care. Patients who went to an integrated hospital for care of their musculoskeletal pain and depressive symptoms rated their pain as 5/10 (10 being greatest pain) and 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 pursue 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 valued consistency in care from a single caregiving chiropractor. (2) Aurora Chiropractic Center knows our patients appreciate - and can expect - these same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
Juneau 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 alongside the spine from the neck to the sacrum. These muscles aid movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted. (3) Lately, researchers suggested that the multifidi may be a potential source of back pain since they are described as being stiffer in low back pain sufferers. Low back pain is linked to lumbodorsal musculature (which includes the multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus well enough 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 is great news! Juneau 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 value of increasing muscle strength and function as part of back pain treatment via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Aurora Chiropractic Center
Make your next Juneau chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles will be directed in proper exercise to lessen and potentially avert back pain. Aurora Chiropractic Center will ask you questions, and you are welcome to ask Aurora Chiropractic Center questions, too!