I Won't Do That Again! That's What Hurt My Back or Neck!

That might be a good idea, depending on what you did.  But then again, it might be a bad idea!   As I have said many times before it wasn't what you did, like getting the groceries out of the trunk of the car, feeding your cat, mowing the lawn,  tying your shoelaces, making the bed, or even deadlifting in the gym (if done correctly) that brought on your pain.  It merely was the last straw.  The straw that broke the camel's back so to speak.

If you have untreated pain every time you exercise, or every time you sit or stand, then maybe you are adding straws and shouldn't do these things until you seek appropriate treatment.  However, when you receive a Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment plan,  the evaluation and your treatment may actually produce or increase your symptoms.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it gives your clinician the information they need to help you to make yourself better.  Often you are repeating a painful movement until it becomes non-painful.  Crazy!  Not really but in the case of derangements or scar tissue this is true.

You will also hear me say "How do we know if this is working until you exercise (or bend over to feed the cat or tie your shoelaces) again?"  In MDT or the McKenzie Method an important part of your treatment is what we refer to as "Return to Function."  I will actually encourage you to return to those activities that initially brought on your painful symptoms as part of your recovery plan of action.  I feel that you need to add stress to the system to encourage a stronger healing response.  So yeah, I will tell you to get back to the gym with a few modifications and let's see how it goes.  If you are no worse then great!  If you are, then generally it was just a little bit too soon, but you can bet on it, I will ask you to try again soon.  For those of my patients who don't exercise, they will as part of their recovery.   I even have a battery of exercises that actually stress the injury to let me know how well you are healing before I send you back to the gym!

I feel a failed result of any treatment would be someone who feared and actually avoided returning to sport, exercise, or the activity that brought on their pain.

  I want you to know what I know, how to treat it yourself, and how to get back to doing the things you love (and even hate) to do.  So if you are having any pain with or without activity you know what I am going to say..."Everyone Deserves a Good Mechanical Assessment and Treatment Plan!"  Visit grimmpt.com or call 504-228-0524 to set up your evaluation today.

Sorry!  Can't get you out of mowing the lawn when you are better.  Your back will feel good in spite of the chore though.