Therapy

Core Stability

Introduction

The aim of core stability training is to effectively recruit the trunk musculature and then learn to control the position of the lumbar spine during dynamic movements. The information presented on this page is based on an article written by Raphael Brandon which was first published in the Sports Injury Bulletin.
The Muscles

The deep trunk muscles, Transversus Abdominis (TA), multifidus (MF), Internal Oblique (IO), paraspinal, pelvic floor, are key to the active support of the lumbar spine. The co-contraction of these muscles produce forces via the "theracolumbar fascia" (TLF) and the "intra-abdominal pressure" (IAP) mechanism which stabilise the lumbar spine, and the paraspinal and MF muscles act directly to resist the forces acting on the lumbar spine.

Physical Therapy

Who provides physical therapy? Physical therapy services are provided by a physical therapist. A physical therapist is specially trained and educated at a college and must be licensed in the state in which he or she practices. A physical therapist may specialize in certain kinds of problems. Physical therapists may work with very ill people, or with top athletes. They may work with babies or with older people. Physical therapists work in hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, medical offices, nursing homes, and athletic facilities. They may travel to the home or workplace of a patient.

What kinds of patients and problems does physical therapy treat? Physical therapy deals problems in the muscles, joints, brain, nerves, heart, lungs, and the skin surface. The problems may be due to injuries, diseases, or conditions. Physical therapy deals with all stages of recovery. It can be used for one brief visit to prevent a problem. It can also be used for years to treat a long-term problem. People with muscle and joint problems often have a lot of pain. Their muscles have often become weak and tight. These people can have a decrease in their energy level. Often their posture and joints are not aligned correctly. All of this contributes to a loss in performing daily work, recreation, and home activities. People with brain and nerve problems struggle with feeling and controlling the body. These are the primary roles of the brain and nerves. These people may also have muscle and joint problems. That's because the brain and nerves control the muscles and joints. These people may also have trouble controlling muscles that overcontract or resist contracting. People with head injuries or problems may have difficulty with speaking, understanding, remembering, learning, and other thinking skills. They may have trouble knowing where their body parts are, knowing when they are moving, controlling movement, or keeping muscles and joints from freezing into one position. They may have severe weakness or paralysis. People with heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have problems with endurance and general strength. They often have trouble getting enough air to breathe. That's because the heart and lungs, which get oxygen to the body, are not working properly. Skin surface problems may be due to wounds or burns. These people often have a lot of pain because the skin has many nerve endings. They may also have trouble with their muscles and joints.

Acupuncture for Back Pain

Q: My doctor has recently suggested acupuncture. Is acupuncture safe and will it really help?
A: Acupuncture is one of the most time-tested treatments known to mankind. If the value of a treatment were based solely on how long it has been around, and how long people have thought that it was helpful, then acupuncture would probably be the most effective treatment known to humankind. Nonetheless, we still do not know why acupuncture works, how it works best, and for whom it is best used.

Many patients advocate acupuncture as a very effective treatment for many different symptoms. These symptoms include pain from a variety of causes, as well as many other conditions including nausea, smoking cessation, problems with addiction, inflammatory conditions, possibly even anxiety and depression, to name just a few.

Radiofrequency for Back Pain

Q: I have had back pain for the past two years and have tried everything for the pain. My doctor now wants me to try a procedure called "radiofrequency lesioning." Will it help my back pain to the point that I can go back to work?
A: Back pain is very common and there are many different techniques used by pain specialists to treat it. The term "radio frequency" essentially means utilizing electricity to manage pain, typically to produce heat in the affected area. Radiofrequency lesioning utilizes radiofrequency electricity to produce heat in order to melt away nerves or other tissues.

Radiofrequency is used to treat several areas of the back causing back pain, such as diseased or injured facet joints or the spinal discs. The facet joints prevent us from being able to lean and bend as far backward as we are able to bend forward. These joints can become diseased and cause significant amounts of pain in the back. The radiofrequency lesioning procedure can be used to melt away nerves that cause pain within these facet joints of the back.

Back Pain and Physical Therapy

Q: How does physical therapy relieve chronic back pain?
A: There is no easy answer to this question because there is no single type of physical therapy (PT). While some studies indicate that PT is not a miracle cure for acute low back pain, it can offer a world of benefits for those with chronic back pain. It also can prevent problems before they arise. Overall, PT seeks to increase function and improve quality of life for someone with back pain.

Rather than promising yet another "cure" that may fail, PT for chronic low back pain teaches patients how to manage their own pain. It offers ways to cope with pain, as well as techniques for patients to minimize the impact of pain on their lives. I believe that patients do best when they take control of their own condition and avoid over-focusing on a possible miracle cure or medical salvation.

Why stretches help an aching back

Why stretches help an aching back
Last Updated Tue, 03 May 2005 21:04:25 EDT
CBC News

EDMONTON - For many people, lower back pain is a part of life. Now a new Canadian study suggests the best treatment may be exercise.

Lying around while suffering is probably the worst thing to do for a sore back, according to an exhaustive review on the benefits of exercise for chronic back pain that persists for months.
Individually-tailored, supervised exercise therapy works best to reduce chronic low back pain.

The inactivity is more likely to prolong the suffering compared to stretching and strengthening exercises, which reduce pain and help to get people moving faster.

Treating Low Back Pain: Surgery, Rehab Equal?

Surgery May Not Provide a Significant Advantage, Says Study

By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Monday, May 23, 2005
More From WebMD

Suffering From Back Pain? Find Your Treatment Options

Surgery Often Won't Cure Back Pain

Get the Latest Pain News Delivered to Your Inbox

May 23, 2005 -- Living with chronic low back pain? A British study says surgery and intensive rehabilitation may be equally good options.

"Patients with low back pain who are considered by surgeons to be candidates for spinal fusion may obtain similar benefits from an intensive rehabilitation program as they do from surgery," says the study.

Rehab Equals Surgery for Low Back Pain

HealthDay News -- British researchers have found no clear evidence that spinal fusion surgery for chronic low back pain is better than intensive rehabilitation in relieving discomfort.

What's more, these surgeries may not be as cost-effective as other interventions, the researchers added.

Published online May 23 in the British Medical Journal, the study included 349 people with chronic low back pain, defined as pain lasting more than a year. Patients were divided into two groups: 176 underwent spinal fusion surgery and 173 were enrolled in an intensive rehabilitation program that involved daily exercises and cognitive (mental) behavior therapy.

Efficacy of Ergonomics

Historically, Ergonomics was another name for Human Factors. Today, Ergonomics commonly refers to designing work environments for maximizing safety and efficiency. Biometrics and Anthropometrics play a key role in this use of the word Ergonomics. Engineering Psychology often has a specialty dealing with Workplace or Occupational Ergonomics.

Companies once thought that there was a bottom-line tradeoff between safety and efficiency. Now they embrace ergonomics because they have learned that designing a safe work environment can also result in greater efficiency and productivity. Recently, U.S. laws requiring a safe work environment have stimulated great interest in Workplace Ergonomics - from ergonomic furniture to ergonomic training. But it is in the design of the workplace as a whole where the greatest impact can be seen for both safety and efficiency.

Core Stability

Although the world's top golfers rely on an indefinable combination of concentration, physical endurance, skill and consistency to remain at the top of their game, the application of strength and conditioning know-how in the area of core stability is beginning to make an impact in the sport...

The functional result of good core stability is that when an athlete is performing sporting movement or technique, they are able to maintain the correct posture and alignment, particularly in the lumber spine and pelvic area - key areas in any golf swing.

By maintaining correct posture and alignment, the athlete should have better technique. In a sport like diving, or gymnastics which is dependent to an extent on aesthetics, an athlete would look more controlled. In a running event, enhanced core stability would mean that an athlete would be able to apply force more efficiently, while also helping to reduce the risk of any injury.