Johnson Chiropractic Makes Non-Specific Low Back Pain More Specific for Relief

Non-specific low back pain. Really? That’s not what a back pain patient wants to hear! Well, your Richmond chiropractor at Johnson Chiropractic knows some specific qualities of back pain like yours and particular ways to help control and ease its pain with chiropractic care.

NSLBP CHARACTERISTICS

What renders non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) so non-specific? A recent review of research detailed  121 movement and 150 muscular activity biomarkers to distinguish non-specific low back pain sufferers from asymptomatic others. (1) That information is valuable for diagnosing and treating non-specific low back pain. Researchers listed these issues as being contributory to non-specific low back pain: short hip flexors, low muscle activity of the gluteus maximus, and elevated erector spinae activity during hip extension in addition to weak endurance of the lumbar extensor muscles and irregular movement of the lumbar spine to compensate for the weak muscles. (2) Researchers have specifically investigated how reduced hamstring flexibility may contribute to low back pain development by way of 4 tests for flexibility and 5 for stiffness when evaluating low back pain patients. (3) Further, they also noted significantly poorer back extensor muscle endurance in non-specific chronic low back pain patients. (4) Limited lateral flexion of the lumbar spine, limited hamstring range of motion, and decreased lumbar lordosis were linked to greater odds of acquiring low back pain. (5) A simple, easy test called Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test measures lower extremity muscle strength, balance, function, and pain in chronic non-specific low back pain patients. (6) (It is not a bad exercise to do regularly either to improve all of these problems! Try them out after we examine you.)

HELP FOR RESTRICTED MOVEMENT

Johnson Chiropractic uses a multi-pronged approach to helping NSLBP patients with their movement. The gentle, non-radicular treatment protocols of Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction Decompression are intended to elicit and reestablish normal ranges of spinal motion.  (7) A lumbar support brace may be suggested. Using a lumbar support belt enjoys a thorny reputation of being useful and not being useful depending on the source. Interesting! In a recent study, healthy persons vs non-specific low back pain patients showed that two types of lumbar belts – extensible and non-extensible - had a beneficial effect on motor control in patients with nonspecific low back pain, suggesting they may be helpful in sit-to-stand motion that is important in everyday living for nonspecific low back pain patients. (8) Exercises to make the extensor muscles stronger and spinal nutrition supplements may also be recommended to support your effort to ease and control your non-specific low back pain.

CONTACT Johnson Chiropractic

Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Joseph Beissel on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with chronic low back pain.       

Schedule your next Richmond chiropractic appointment with Johnson Chiropractic. We work to make specific what we can of your low back pain’s origin as well as its relief.