Daily laborer or weekend warrior…how to do get ready
for spine-demanding chores? What do you do when you have to move a weighty box? Reach
for the back brace or brace yourself? The “brace yourself” option
may be the better approach! Johnson Chiropractic proposes
back braces for back pain patients who may benefit from
their support. We also propose self-controlled activities
to Richmond back pain sufferers to protect the spine
when its use is demanded (hefting boxes, digging
holes, vacuuming, etc.)
BACK BRACES FOR BACK PAIN PREVENTION:
Not All It Seems
Asymptomatic workers were told to wear back belts at work with the aim of lessening
low back pain or injury. 1380 published medical studies were reviewed.
Reviewers uncovered no consistent evidence for back belt
use to avoid low back pain or occupational back pain in
workers. Absenteeism was not decreased with back
belt utilization either. (1) Mind you, this review was of back
brace wearing by asymptomatic workers. In this situation,
the back belt is not for everyone. Now for Richmond back pain sufferers, the back belt offers
benefits. Non-rigid lumbar support belts are reported to help
non-specific low back pain sufferers with their pain and disability. (3)
The decision of belt use is where
your Richmond back pain specialist at Johnson Chiropractic comes in to determine what is best for each back pain sufferer. Each Richmond
back pain sufferer – office worker, factory worker, family manager, etc. - is distinctive
and must be considered individually. Putting a back brace on all workers in an attempt to decrease back pain for a few does not
work as this paper demonstrates that a back brace may benefit some but not all.
ABDOMINAL BRACING MAY WORK BETTER
Abdominal bracing is a self-regulated,
pre-activity motion, a voluntary way of enhancing
spine stiffness to restrict spine displacement before
doing a spine-demanding task. It appears to
work according to researchers! Abdominal bracing is personally
controlled. In a new study, abdominal bracing significantly lessened
sagittal plane motion from the lower thoracic spine (T12) through
the lower lumbar spine (L4L5): by 45% at L4L5, by 94% at L1L2, and 50% at L5S1.
Such self-bracing stimulated all abdominal and back
muscles. Flexion motion was restricted at the majority
of lumbar spine levels when sudden trunk flexion
demands are encountered with abdominal bracing. (2) It is
worth knowing how to do! Johnson Chiropractic is prepared to demonstrate
you how to do this worthy movement as part of your Richmond
chiropractic treatment plan!
SPINAL MANIPULATION WORKS FOR BACK
PAIN
Johnson Chiropractic uses
a comprehensive chiropractic treatment plan for those times
when the back pain just will not stop. When work duties
or chores result in your spine - cervical, thoracic or lumbar -
hurting, The Cox® Technic System of
Spinal Pain Management mixes gentle, relieving spinal
manipulation with specific exercise and nutritional advice to get
you back to life.
CONTACT Johnson Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Jenna Kloor on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes the significance
of helping a patient be able to do something like walking to help herself as she
recovered from her back pain episode with The Cox®
Technic System of Spinal Pain Management and even enable her to
shovel snow!
Schedule your Richmond chiropractic
visit soon. We help our Richmond workers and
weekend warriors avert and recover from spine
pain.