A Guide for Chiropractic Patients
Why Am I Having Low Back Pain?
There are many possible reasons for low back pain, but spinal strain and postural fatigue account for about 70 percent of cases not caused by more serious conditions. For example, lifting a heavy object improperly, or falling, may cause immediate back pain. Other reasons may not be so apparent and may take a long time to develop into a painful condition (such as poor sleeping, standing, or sitting posture).
What Can My Healthcare Professional Do To Help Me?
This will vary depending on the results of your exam and diagnosis. A basic management plan for low back pain emphasizes a return to normal function. Success depends on a four-stage treatment plan:
Stage 1: Reduction of Pain.
In the office, your healthcare professional may include pain-relieving treatments, ice/heat therapy, and activity restrictions. At home, you might pursue lifestyle changes, ice/heat applications, bed rest, and supports.
Stage 2: Recovery of Function.
This stage promotes the ability to preform basic daily activities with no increase in pain through recovery of normal muscle tone, join movement and flexibility, and promotion of nerve root healing. Care in the clinic can include spinal and extremity manipulation, with continued physiotherapy treatments. Home care might consist of low-level exercise and resumption of some daily activities.
Stage 3: Rehabilitation.
Key therapeutic approaches often include continued spinal adjustive manipulation, expanded exercise, postural retraining, and use of flexible, individually designed Stabilizing Orthotics.
Stage 4: Reinforcement.
Stage 4 is characterized by recovery of full, normal, unrestricted activities requiring a continuing prevention program and maintenance treatment visits.
How Would Stabilizing Orthotics Help My Back?
My Feet Don’t Hurt!
Your feet are the foundation of your body, and if your feet are not properly supported, you can have problems anywhere from your ankles on up through your neck. Stabilizing Orthotics provide a balanced foundation to keep your body stable as you stand, walk, or run. It’s like putting a shim under the leg of a wobbly table. The shim stops the entire table from moving. Stabilizing Orthotics keep your entire body in balance and that can help relieve your back pain.
Depending on a variety of factors (lifestyle, health, age, weight, sex), your healthcare professional will select the style of Stabilizing Orthotics that is best suited for you. Ask your healthcare professional for more information about Stabilizing Orthotics.
What Kind Of Exercise Should I Be Doing?
Your healthcare professional can best determine what rehabilitative exercise would be suitable for your condition. The goal of low back exercise therapy is to ultimately restore as much function and range of movement without pain as possible. One method your healthcare professional may prescribe is the Backsys Home Care Back System. Backsys is easy to use in the privacy of your home, sets up in seconds, and helps you regain low back strength and movement without pain.
Ask your healthcare professional if Stabilizing Orthotics or Backsys exercise system would help your low back condition.
Take The Test
1. Do you stand or walk on hard surfaces for more than four hours daily?
2. Do you participate regularly in any physical sport (basketball, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, etc.)?
3. Are you age 40 or over?
4. Have you had a prior injury to your knee, back, or neck?
5. Do your shoes wear unevenly?
6. Do you have joint pain while standing, walking, or running?
7. Is one of your legs shorter than the other?
8. Do you have knock-knees or bow legs?
9. Do you have obvious foot problems (bunions, corns, flat feet, etc.)?
10. Do your feet “toe out” when you’re walking?
If you have answered any of the above, talk to your healthcare professional about this blog and ask him or her how Foot Levelers’ individually designed Stabilizing Orthotics, Shoethotics, or Sandalthotics can help you.
Reference:
Foot Levelers INC ,2014
