April 2022 Healthy News from Satterwhite Chiropractic Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important
“Why do you ask me so many questions, doctor?”
Our Oxford chiropractic patients are the core of our practice. We want to understand each you and your pain experience well, treat you well, and be sure you are satisfied with your care and outcome. That is why we ask you to describe your pain to us, sometimes several times and in several different ways! Words mean different things to different people: “discomfort” to one may mean “pain” to another while “stiffness” is “pain” or “discomfort” to a another. It’s 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 was 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 meet expectations and enhance 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) as well as indicated multiple pain locations (9 of 17 participants), low back pain (13 of 17), and neck pain (8 of 17). Those are very typical of reasons 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 valued consistency in care from one caregiving chiropractor. (2) Satterwhite Chiropractic knows our patients appreciate - and can expect - these same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
Oxford 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, smaller, deep muscles that run parallel to the spine from the neck to the sacrum. These muscles assist movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted. (3) Recently, researchers suggested that the multifidi may be a potential source of back pain since they are described as being stiffer in low back pain sufferers. Low back pain is linked to lumbodorsal musculature (which includes the multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus well enough which may prevent low back pain produced by muscle fatigue. (4) “Superman” (on-the-floor) exercises are well known. Standing back extension and “superman” exercises are newly documented to be equally beneficial to strengthen these multifidus muscles. (5) That is great news! Oxford 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 details the benefit of improving muscle strength and function as part of back pain treatment via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
Schedule your next Oxford chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles will be strengthened via proper exercise to lessen and potentially avert back pain. Satterwhite Chiropractic will ask you questions, and you are encouraged to ask Satterwhite Chiropractic questions, also!