At Performance Spine and Sports Medicine, a non-surgical orthopedic institute in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, the specialists use a team-oriented, interdisciplinary approach to treating back pain. Here, they explain that thousands of back pain patients get fragmented, uncoordinated care every year, and why they need a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach.
Meet Sy Attica, the typical patient we see for a consultation. Sy Attica is a 45-year-old man who has experienced back pain for over five years and cannot remember what brought it on. He says he used to wake up with back pain years ago, but it got better on its own. He was fine for a while but noticed that in the last year, it started again and has been getting worse in the last few months. It hurts to bend over and sometimes, he gets a weird feeling in his thigh and leg, as well as a cramp in his calf. Sy Attica tried prescribed medicine for a month and then did physical therapy for another month, but only felt a little bit of relief. His wife told him to try chiropractic adjustment, which he did once he decided he was done with medication and physical therapy. Sy Attica feels unlucky because the chiropractor only gives him some relief but nothing long-lasting. He really wishes he could play golf, but he cannot play with his back pain. He eventually got an MRI, which showed he has a herniated disc. Another physician then suggested that he consider surgery. Frustrated, Sy Attica is desperate for alternatives.
The back or spine needs support to hold it up. Without your back and abdominal muscles, your spine will literally flop over. A spine that is not supported will lead to more back pain, poor posture, and then yet more back pain. So, the basic reason for strengthening the back is to give it more support when doing everyday activities like walking, standing, running, and not to mention your golf game. No miracle drugs can help strengthen the back muscles. The best way to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles is a specific exercise program. This is where physical therapy comes in. The exercise program, under the supervision of a medical technician, drastically improves results because the physician can prescribe medications, maybe do a medical procedure, and direct a specific nutritional program to help the patient make the best out of physical therapy. With physical therapy alone, most patients hit a plateau. But at Performance Spine and Sports Medicine, the physical therapist works hand-in-hand with the medical doctor to design a program that is customized for you. Studies show that patients do better with a more customized program than a general program.
So you why didn’t Sy Attica get better as a result of physical therapy? Well, the story does not start and end with muscles! Sy Attica also needs to maintain a good posture, which is why chiropractors are so valuable in treating back pain. At Performance Spine and Sports Medicine, we use a technique in chiropractic medicine called chiropractic biophysics, the most cutting-edge technology to make sure the spine is aligned in a good posture. We can take a digital X-ray to look at the spine and then use advanced software to analyze the posture. Most chiropractors unfortunately use a lot of guesswork when they look at your posture, which is a huge mistake.
For more, see this video from the Performance Spine and Medicine Institute.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
