Non-specific low back pain. Really? That’s not what a back pain patient wants to hear! Well, your Southern New Hampshire chiropractor at New Hampshire Spine and Sport knows some specific features of back pain like yours and specific ways to help control and ease its pain with chiropractic care.
NSLBP CHARACTERISTICS
What makes non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) so non-specific? A newer review of research documented 121 movement and 150 muscular activity biomarkers to differentiate non-specific low back pain sufferers from asymptomatic people. (1) That information is valuable for diagnosing and treating non-specific low back pain. Contributing issues to non-specific low back pain included: short hip flexors, low muscle activity of the gluteus maximus, and high erector spinae activity throughout hip extension in addition to weak endurance of the lumbar extensor muscles and irregular movement of the lumbar spine to compensate for the weak muscles. (2) Researchers have specifically explored how decreased hamstring flexibility may contribute to low back pain development via 4 tests for flexibility and 5 for stiffness when examining low back pain patients. (3) Further, they also recorded significantly worse back extensor muscle endurance in non-specific chronic low back pain patients. (4) Limited lumbar spine lateral flexion, limited range of motion of the hamstring muscle, and decreased lumbar lordosis were associated with greater odds of acquiring low back pain. (5) A simple, easy test called Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test measures lower extremity muscle strength, balance, function, and pain in chronic non-specific low back pain patients. (6) (It’s not a bad exercise to do regularly either to enhance all of these problems! Try them out after we examine you.)
HELP FOR RESTRICTED MOVEMENT
New Hampshire Spine and Sport uses a multi-faceted approach to helping NSLBP patients with their movement. The gentle, non-radicular treatment protocols of Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction Decompression are intended to elicit and restore normal ranges of spinal motion. (7) A lumbar support brace may be suggested. The use of a lumbar support belt enjoys a complicated reputation of being useful and not being useful depending on the author. Interesting! In a new study, healthy persons vs non-specific low back pain patients showed that two types of lumbar belts – extensible and non-extensible - had a positive effect on motor control in patients with nonspecific low back pain, suggesting they may be helpful in sit-to-stand motion that is essential in everyday living for nonspecific low back pain patients. (8) Exercises to make the extensor muscles stronger and spinal nutrition supplements may also be recommended to support your effort to get rid of and control your non-specific low back pain.
CONTACT New Hampshire Spine and Sport
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Joseph Beissel on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for a patient with chronic low back pain.
Schedule your next Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment with New Hampshire Spine and Sport. We work to make specific what we can of your low back pain’s origin as well as its relief.