September 2025 Healthy News from Satterwhite Chiropractic - Second Chances: How Flexion Distraction Therapy (and Even Gardening!) Rescue Patients from Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
From Surgical Disappointment to Healing Hope: The Cox® Technic Solution for Persistent Back Pain
When back surgery or neck surgery does not deliver the relief patients desperately hoped for, the resulting condition—failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS)—can leave them feeling stuck between ongoing pain and fear of additional procedures. But new research illuminates both why some surgeries fall short and how patients can find genuine relief through innovative chiropractic care. Hajilo and colleagues' enlightening 2024 study exposes the troubling reality that doctors currently lack reliable ways to predict which patients will experience FBSS after posterior spine surgery, while their broad analysis links crucial risk factors that could transform patient outcomes. (1) New 2025 research by Kruse, White, Rogers, Klamson, and Gudavalli demonstrates that Cox® Technic flexion distraction—a gentle, non-invasive chiropractic approach—offers new hope for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome patients who previously believed they had exhausted all treatment options. This particular technique works by gently decompressing and mobilizing the spine, delivering a welcome alternative to more invasive interventions. (2) Together, these revealing studies show that while post-surgical pain may be complex and multifaceted, patients are not powerless—efficacious, conservative treatments and even some lifestyle changes exist that can restore quality of life without the risks and recovery time of another surgery.
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox, developer of Cox® Technic, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson describe in his own words the benefit of treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for Oxford failed back surgical syndrome back pain sufferers.
TIP OF THE MONTH: “Grow” Your Way Past Back Pain
Speaking of lifestyle influences on post-surgical FBSS, fresh research is offering renewed hope for back pain sufferers after surgery, and the solutions might be easier than expected. A major healthcare study exposed that patients with failed back surgery syndrome often share adaptable lifestyle factors – smoking, excess weight, and mood disorders – suggesting that attending to these areas could significantly boost outcomes. Even more encouraging is research on therapeutic gardening, where two-thirds of chronic back pain patients thought gardening could help their symptoms, and they were proven right. Participants reported improved spine flexibility and reduced anxiety through structured horticultural activities. The gentle movements of nurturing plants, combined with nature's stress-relieving benefits, created an unexpected path to healing. These studies suggest that recovery might flourish not just in medical offices, but through lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, handling weight, dealing with issues of mental health, and literally getting back to our roots in the garden. (3,4)
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