"Oh, My Aching Back!" Back Exercises May NOT Be The Best for Back Pain

[Radio_Lady]

I saw this article reproduced in Good Housekeeping magazine April 2006. It suggests that swimming and walking are the best for back pain, NOT the exercises you get from a physical therapist!

Duh!

Anyway, I swam for an hour and walked for an hour this morning, so I guess that counts!

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EXERCISE YOUR BACK PAIN AWAY

When your back hurts, getting off the couch may be the last thing you want to do - but you should probably make it the first.

Researchers at UCLA studied 610 men and women with a history of chronic lower-back pain. After 1 1/2 years, they found that patients who exercised regularly were 31 percent less likely to experience an increase in pain and disability than their sedentary counterparts. Surprisingly, those who regularly did back exercises such as the stretches and strength-training routines often recommended by physical therapists were more than twice as likely as those who didn't do those moves to complain of an increase in pain.

Hal Morgenstern, Ph.D., suspects that many people do those back exercises incorrectly.

—Your best bet: a daily half-hour of aerobic activity, such as brisk walking or swimming, most days of the week.

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Link to abstract of original findings is here:

http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/95/10/1817?ck=nck

Conclusions: (Results) suggest that individuals with low back pain should refrain from specific back exercises and instead focus on nonspecific physical activities to reduce pain and improve psychological health.

[Lavender Brown]

1. I have serious back issues

Yoga has always been the best for me. I would love to have access to a pool for exercising, though...

[Floogeldy]

2. Gravity, body weight, and area of the back are important considerations.

I have found that being prone on a weight bench, with the legs hanging off of the end of the bench, and doing LEG RAISES (not too many at first) tends to put the lower back in a lesser state of pain. It counteracts the negative effects of standing and walking and tends to put things back into order.

:)

[Radio_Lady]

3. Anyone heard of the new chiropractic "spinal decompression" treatments?

Doctors of chiropractic are advertising these all around the country. The Axiom Worldwide is a company located in Tampa, Florida. They make a machine called the DRX 9000 (and others) and claim an 86% success rate in reducing or eliminating back pain.

It's kind of a traction-like device. The company in connection with D.C.s are running infomercials about these treatments.

http://www.axiomworldwide.com

Press release from September 2006:

http://www.axiomworldwide.com/PressReleaseDetails.aspx?id=8

Picture of the device:



http://www.axiomworldwide.com/DRX9000.aspx

If anyone has any experience with this machine, I would very much like you to PM me. Thank you.

[Porcupine]

4. See all the pretty colors on the control panel?

When did you last go into a hospital and find a piece of electronic diognostic equipment lit up like a Xmas tree? Now go down to Target and look carefully at the boom boxes with the most lights.

That's all you need to know. It's a very expensive rack. Go float in a warm pool if you want your spine to decompress.

Oh, locally its $4K for a treatment series. Not covered by insurance.

[Radio_Lady]

5. Thanks, Porcupine. I'll see you in the pool.

Love your very dry humor!