Well-tuned Advice from a Specialised Mobile Therapist
One of the keys to healthy living is staying active. The other important facets to healthy living include the combination of a balanced diet, restful sleep and positive lifestyle choices. It is also important to stay fit, healthy and aware of the common injuries that could otherwise discourage you from pursuing your healthy living.
Exercise is one of our greatest tools to increase our longevity, improve our health and decrease our pain and suffering. Proper exercise can improve flexibility, increase strength and even reduce common pain such as back pain. That being said, exercises may also cause unnecessary pain and discomfort if done incorrectly.
In this article, the topic centres on exercises and mechanical back pain.
Most of us would, after experiencing back pain, take it easy by either going to a doctor for a medical certificate and staying in bed or at least stopping any activity that is strenuous. This is understandable and may be needed in the short term to assist in the healing. However, it has been found that some specific active forms of back exercises and stretches are almost always necessary to rehabilitate the spine and help prevent further episodes of back pain. It is important to remember that proper healing of the back pain includes strengthening of the back muscles to prevent reoccurrence.
Active back exercises are recommended to be done in a controlled, gradual and progressive manner to distribute nutrients into the disc space and soft tissues. Progressively, I would also prescribe a regular routine of low back exercises to avoid stiffness, weakness and reduce incidents of recurring back pain or the severity and duration of future episodes of back pain.
In general, I would also recommend stretching the soft tissues (muscles, ligaments and tendons). The spinal column and all the soft tissues around it are all designed to move. Any reduction in movement can be a source of back pain. Stretching different muscles during back exercises is necessary for proper mobility and flexibility. For long term sufferers of back pain, it may take months of stretching to mobilise the spine and soft tissues. Nevertheless, for meaningful and sustained relief of back pain, the regain of loss mobility is crucial.
Back exercises help to strength the spinal column with its supporting muscles and ligaments. These exercises do not focus only on the back, but the core barrel comprising of the abdominals, gluteals and pelvic muscles. Strong, well-conditioned core back muscles can withstand more stress and protect the spine better. It can also help to relieve the pain of many back conditions or minimise the severity of injury.
However, not all back exercises are suitable for everyone! It is important to have a physiotherapist develop an individualised program of back exercises and provide proper instruction on the correct form and technique.
All back exercises should be comprehensive, working the whole body even if it targets the back, as our body works together as a chain system, each portion providing a supporting role for each other. The back exercises should also include a combination of stretching, strengthening and low impact aerobic conditioning. Two back exercises commonly advised by physiotherapists to manage back pain are McKenzie exercises and dynamic lumbar stabilisation.
These back exercises are generally taught by physiotherapists after diagnosing the type and level of the spinal problems. The physiotherapists would then demonstrate the exercises and ensure the correct execution to achieve strengthening and pain relief. The two types of exercises are frequently combined to achieve maximal satisfactory outcomes. Other forms of strengthening exercises that can be gentle on the back include pilates, yoga and Alexandra Techniques.
McKenzie exercises are named after the New Zealander physiotherapist who noted that certain spinal movement can help reduce the herniation of the disc, hence reducing pressure on the spinal nerve roots. For those with back pain spreading down to the leg due to disc herniation, McKenzie exercises can reduce the leg pain by “centralising” the pain to the spine. If a patient is able to centralise the leg pain, they may be able to avoid surgical discectomy.
McKenzie exercises are also helpful for those with back pain due to degenerative disc diseases. While sitting or bending forward can accentuate back pain due to degenerative disc diseases, extending the spine can serve to relieve the pressure on the disc. Please note that the opposite is true for those with spinal stenosis, as extending the spine jams the facet joints and increases pressure across the joints. Hence those patients with spinal stenosis typically feel better sitting and have more pain with extension.
There is a wide range of McKenzie exercises, some done in a standing position while others in a lying position on a mat. Most of the exercises also involve arm motions to stabilise the spine.
As for dynamic lumbar stabilisation exercises, the physiotherapists try to first stabilise the spine in its neutral or comfortable position. The back muscles are then conditioned to maintain the spine to remain in this position. This back exercise relies heavily on proprioception or the awareness of where one’s joints are positioned.
Philip Craig, an Australian physiotherapist, developed clinical pilates as assessment and treatment tools to assist patients in achieving good core stabilisation with using modified pilates exercises. Performed regularly, these clinical pilates exercises provide pain relief and help keep back strong and well positioned.
At MW Medical, we not only provide doctors to treat acute back pains at the comfort of one’s home, but also provide an experienced physiotherapist that can prescribe the proper back care exercises. In addition, MW Medical offers clinical pilates classes for both the individual and the group. The classes can be done at your residence or in the company’s function hall. Specially tailored programs can be catered for your specific needs, such as weight loss exercise class, antenatal exercise class or even for marathon preparation. Please feel free to call our consultants who are very pleased to work out a program for you at our 24 Hour Hotline 625 00 625 or feel free to visit our website at www.mwmedical.com.sg.
