Spinal stability is the basis for spine movement. Spinal stability protects the nervous system structures, the spinal cord, and spinal nerve roots. New Hampshire Spine and Sport evaluates spinal stability in all our Southern New Hampshire back pain patients as part of our chiropractic service. Spinal stability depends on strong, stable musculature to perform its job. New research is indicating that the role of the diaphragm and breathing is to support spinal stability.
SPINAL STABILITY
All the various parts of the spine play a part in spinal stability, even the slightest spinal motion segment’s vertebra (the bony part of the spine). Ligaments, bones, and discs in the spine contribute to all sorts of coupled motions of the spine and transmit proprioceptive impulses to the central nervous system which manages muscle tone, movement, and reflexes. If any of the spinal structures are injured or otherwise in peril – like a degenerated disc – spinal instability is feasible. (1) That’s where your Southern New Hampshire chiropractor comes into play with chiropractic spinal manipulation and a helpful treatment plan incorporating exercise.
BREATHING TRAINING IN SPINAL STABILITY
Chiropractic care at New Hampshire Spine and Sport addresses spinal stability with some typical exercise recommendations and looks at the use of innovative exercise approaches like breathing that appear promising. Maximal abdominal contraction maneuver compared with maximal expiration exercise resulted in better increased spinal stability. As a breathing exercise to increase spinal joint stability, it had a beneficial effect on increasing co-contraction and spine stability as demonstrated by significantly greater muscle thickness of the transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis. (2) Forced breathing exercise therapy enhanced trunk stability and activities of daily living in chronic low back pain patients. (3) Southern New Hampshire back pain patients will appreciate how something they do every day – done with just a little more purpose - may ease their back pain!
DIAPHRAGM TRAINING IN SPINAL STABILITY
Certainly, breathing and the diaphragm are intimately coupled, and both offer some hope in fixing spinal stability issues. New Hampshire Spine and Sport came across some new studies on how diaphragm training addresses spinal stability. In a study of the rehabilitation of athletes with nonspecific low back pain, inserting diaphragm training (breathing) to electrical stimulation therapy was beneficial in improving function, stability, pain, and balance. (4) Diaphragm training significantly reduced the severity of pain and also affected the thickness of active stabilizers - transversus abdominis, lumbar multifidus muscle - in the lumbar spine. (5) Strong, thick spinal stabilizers are helpful in combatting Southern New Hampshire back pain.
CONTACT New Hampshire Spine and Sport
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Lee Hazen and Cheri Hazen RN, ICHC, FNLP, LE, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as they describe their combined treatment approach of breathing training and the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management helped a patient realize back pain relief.
Schedule your Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment today. Breathing and diaphragm training go a long way towards keeping the spine stable, easing Southern New Hampshire back pain, and keeping the foundation of spinal movement well conditioned.