April 2022 Healthy News from Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important
“Why are you asking me all these questions, doctor?”
Our Augusta chiropractic patients are central to 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 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 denote “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 of this is the description of “feeling”: pain signified sharp/shooting, discomfort was dull/tingling, stiffness was tight/restricted. (1) It is beneficial for us 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 rated their pain as 5/10 (10 being greatest pain) and reported multiple pain locations (9 of 17 participants), low back pain (13 of 17), and neck pain (8 of 17). Those are very common of rationales patients pursue chiropractic care! In this setting, because patients trusted their main physician, patients were satisfied with the collaboration among the various healthcare team members. Patients appreciated consistency in care from a single caregiving chiropractor. (2) Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic knows our patients appreciate - and can expect - these same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
Augusta CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Standing Exercise for Multifidus Muscle Strengthening Works
Back pain. It is 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 cervical spine to the sacrum. These muscles assist movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted. (3) Lately, researchers suggested that the multifidi may be a possible 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 well enough which may prevent low back pain initiated 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! Augusta back pain sufferers can do easy, standing exercises like this anywhere! The multifidi benefit!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Paula Hugulet on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes the value of improving muscle strength and function as part of back pain care following the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic
Make your next Augusta chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles will be directed in proper exercise to lessen and potentially avert back pain. Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic will ask you questions, and you are encouraged to ask Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic questions, too!