The spine is maintained by many muscles. Back pain and degenerative spine disorders affect those muscles. Chiropractors like yours at New Hampshire Spine and Sport deal with both the degenerative spinal pain condition as well as the associated degenerated spine muscles. Southern New Hampshire chiropractic back pain treatment plans integrate pain-relieving methods for both the spine and its musculature.
BACK PAIN AND MUSCLES’ RESPONSES
Back pain affects back muscles. Different Southern New Hampshire back pain issues involve different Southern New Hampshire back muscles, too. Paraspinal muscles show varied responses to spinal degenerative conditions. Alterations in the lumbar spine paraspinal muscles of low back pain patients have been detailed. Atrophy of the multifidus muscles in patients with back pain, lumbar radiculopathy, and lumbar degenerative kyphosis are particularly noted. Intensified fat infiltration of the multifidus muscle is also present in patients with lumbar radiculopathy and lumbar degenerative kyphosis. (1) In a study of 78 patients with either degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis or degenerative lumbar kyphosis, researchers documented these degenerative muscle patterns. The multifidus muscle is seen as the stabilizer of the lumbar spine segments while the erector spinae muscles are usually referred to as the stabilizers of spinal sagittal balance. Multifidus muscle degeneration was more significant in the patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Erector spinae degeneration was more significant in the degenerative lumbar kyphosis patients as well as more directly linked to the severity of spinal kyphosis curvature. (2) Continuous chronic low back pain patients as contrasted with non-continuous and recurrent low back pain sufferers were documented to have higher EMG activity in erector spinae and multifidus muscles in extension. (3) Your Southern New Hampshire chiropractor at New Hampshire Spine and Sport takes great care in addressing these differences.
BACK PAIN AND BACK MUSCLES: STABILITY
New Hampshire Spine and Sport also notes back pain and muscle response on spinal stability. Researchers stated that chronic low back pain weakens spinal stability of its sufferers. In examining the activation patterns of the latissimus dorsi, gluteus maximus, and upward scapular rotation muscles of chronic LBP patients, researchers discovered a significant increase in upward scapular rotation in all shoulder abduction positions on both sides. The left side was more significant than the right. Further, they found greater latissimus dorsi muscle activities and reduced gluteus maximus activities in chronic low back pain. (4) Spinal manipulation is described as stimulating transient physiological responses of which paraspinal muscle activity and muscle spindle responses are added. (5) Your Southern New Hampshire chiropractor will keep these in mind when treating your spine as well as in designing exercises to address weaknesses.
CONTACT New Hampshire Spine and Sport
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Paulette Hugulet on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson. She describes her implementation of spinal manipulation, namely the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management, for a 77-year-old patient to reduce pain and better her muscle strength and function.