Daily laborer or weekend warrior…how to do prepare
for spine-demanding tasks? What do you do when you must move a heavy box? Reach
for the back brace or brace yourself? The “brace yourself” option
may be the better approach! Satterwhite Chiropractic recommends
back braces for back pain patients who may be helped by
their support. We also propose self-controlled activities
to Oxford back pain sufferers to safeguard the spine
when its use is required (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 decreasing
low back pain or injury. 1380 published medical studies were considered.
Reviewers found no consistent evidence for back belt
use to avoid low back pain or occupational back pain in
workers. Absenteeism wasn’t decreased with back
belt use either. (1) Mind you, this review was of back
brace use by asymptomatic workers. In this situation,
the back belt is not for everyone. Now for Oxford back pain sufferers, the back belt offers
advantages. 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 Oxford back pain specialist at Satterwhite Chiropractic comes in to determine what is best for each back pain sufferer. Each Oxford
back pain sufferer – office worker, factory worker, family manager, etc. - is unique
and must be considered individually. Putting a back brace on all workers in an effort to decrease back pain for a few doesn’t
work as this paper shows that a back brace may work
for some but not all.
ABDOMINAL BRACING MAY WORK BETTER
Abdominal bracing is a self-controlled,
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 reduced
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 initiated all abdominal and back
muscles. Flexion motion was limited at the majority
of lumbar spine levels when sudden trunk flexion
demands are met with abdominal bracing. (2) It’s
worth knowing how to do! Satterwhite Chiropractic is prepared to show
you how to do this worthy step as part of your Oxford
chiropractic treatment plan!
SPINAL MANIPULATION WORKS FOR BACK
PAIN
Satterwhite Chiropractic uses
a comprehensive chiropractic treatment plan for those occasions
when the back pain just won’t stop. When work duties
or chores result in your spine - cervical, thoracic or lumbar -
hurting, The Cox® Technic System of
Spinal Pain Management combines gentle, relieving spinal
manipulation with specific exercise and nutritional advice to return
you back to life.
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Jenna Kloor on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes the importance
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 be able to
shovel snow!
Schedule your Oxford chiropractic
appointment soon. We help our Oxford workers and
weekend warriors avert and recover from spine
pain.