Still Speaking of Low Back Pain...

We seem to have grown up with the idea that low back pain is somewhat normal and you just have to deal with it.  Especially if you have a job that requires heavy labor or just the opposite-- sitting all day in front of a computer.  Low back pain is not normal but very common. According to the NIH, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke"...If you have lower back pain, you are not alone. Nearly everyone at some point has back pain that interferes with work, routine daily activities, or recreation. Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on low back pain, the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States — only headache is more common." http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/detail_backpain.htm 

I wanted to share with you some actual patient footage on occasion so that you can get an idea of how easy it can be to rapidly reverse your own low back pain no matter how long you have had it.  This patient had been suffering with central low back pain for 6 years (more than 1/4 of his entire life) interfering with his golf game, CrossFit activities, and work.  He was evaluated using MDT, or McKenzie Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, and was initially provided just one movement that promoted his body's potential to heal itself without medication, heat, cold, ultrasound, needles, surgery or endless visits to the clinic.  In his case he was seen twice in the clinic and followed up once at the gym.  He is now in control of his own symptom management and knows just what to do to prevent recurrence.  This could be just what you need to resolve your own acute or chronic low back pain problems.  You won't know until you have a thorough assessment, so come in to Grimm Physiotherapy today! 

 I always strongly encourage everyone to get a thorough evaluation so that you can take the guesswork out of the best way to treat yourself.  This book is a great reference if you want to get started.
 Treat Your Own Back encompasses some of the same principles that are used here.   I believe that this should be on every one's bookshelf.

For more information contact Grimm Physiotherapy at grimmpt.com or you can text or call 504-228-0524.

Speaking of back pain...

I was reading a Facebook post this week that really struck a few chords with me.  The article here was posted by Gil Hildebrand a few days ago.  I told him I would collect my thoughts and get back to commenting in a few days.
Low back pain is so prevalent but so much of it is rapidly reversible with the right movements.  I feel bad for the patients in this article.  Who is to know if they had a mechanical assessment to see if MDT could help provide a diagnosis and a directional preference for treatment.  Even after 20 years of pain this is possible.  If you have chronic back pain, it is always worth the effort to take the mechanical pain out of their picture.
Less medical treatment is often more effective just as the article states.  Once you start adding medications, epidural injections, extended testing and surgeries things can get complicated.   MRI's  actually show degenerative changes, bulging discs and all sorts of things that may not be related to the painful problem.( By the way, MRI's aren't color coded...)  Just as the article pointed out, surgery may not affect the pain producing problem and in fact, could cause additional painful problems.
Exercise and eating right is never bad, but every condition is different so you need to know the exercises that are right for you and  the foods that are right for you.

Everyone deserves a good 
mechanical evaluation.









For more information contact Grimm Physiotherapy at grimmpt.com or you can text or call 504-228-0524.