Case Study: Overcoming Lower Back Pain
We have many patients that come into Strack Chiropractic Wellness Center with a variety of ailments and injuries. However, we most frequently see patients come in complaining of lower back pain. I’ve seen everything from fractures and muscle spasms to disc injuries. My ultimate goal is to minimize, if not eliminate, the patient’s pain through chiropractic pain management, and get them to moving better as quickly as possible.
Mission: Eliminate Patient Pain
Steve came into the office with 10/10, debilitating back pain that increased every time he took a breath or moved his limbs. This was a “take your breath away” type pain. It was almost indescribable other than becoming immobile when he went to move. I learned that he hurt himself picking up the TV remote from the ground.
Challenge: Lack of Mobility
I could not perform much of an exam because of the lack of mobility in Steve’s spine. My number one objective was to get Steve out of pain. To achieve this, I saw Steve in the office every other day for three weeks. The treatments consisted of low force chiropractic adjustments, active release, and microcurrent stimulation which reduces inflammation.
After the initial treatment, I performed an exam and it was concluded that Steve had several muscle spasms located in the lower back. These muscles are part of the spinal stabilizers which shouldn’t cause problems while moving. During this process, Steve remembered that he had a major fall down some stairs a few years prior. Due to this information, I was able to identify when the problem could have started.
Solution: Chiropractic Care
For six weeks, Steve came in for treatments that minimized his pain and got him back to work. He travels for work and sits down for most of his job, which leads to a lack of motion. This was his biggest problem, so I suggested that he move his spine more often by utilizing several spinal mobility and glute activation exercises.
Another great option (when done correctly) is a hip extension, as seen here:
Results
Why did this treatment work? The bottom of the spine (the lumbar) is supposed to be stable, while the thoracic spine (where the ribs attach) should rotate, allowing for plenty of movement. Injuries in this area occur because the body gets confused and decides to do everything together to avoid injury. However, this overcompensation actually causes the lower spine to get injured more often. This tends to happen when the body has been injured for an extended period.
The good news for Steve is after three weeks, he felt no pain in his lower back. The more important part, however, is we knew the cause so we could treat what caused his back to go into spasm.
What We Offer
At Strack Chiropractic Wellness Center, I will evaluate the injury and create a personalized plan that will eliminate the root of the injury. Everyone’s body is different, so I work hard to determine what your body needs to heal!
Do you have back pain when you squat or do other similar tasks? Be sure to get your spine, hips, knees, and ankles checked out by a movement specialist!
Check out the videos below for some tips on how to avoid or minimize lower back pain.
