(Post 98) A Painful Movie to Watch

First Episode:
Symptom location -- Back pain that last between 5 days to 2 weeks.
Common treatment given -- Advil + Time

...and the pain comes back...

Second Episode:
Symptom location: Severe back pain that radiates to the hip that last from 2 weeks to 2 months.
Common treatment: Advil + Pain Medication + Electric stimulation + Ultrasound.

...and the pain comes back...

Third Episode:
Symptom location: Severe back pain that radiates down to the knee that last 8 weeks or more.
Common treatment: Systematic steroids + Pain medication + Some knee to chest stretches + Sit ups.

...and the pain comes back...

Fourth Episode:
Symptom location: Extreme back pain that radiates all the way to the foot that last 6 months or more.
Common treatment: Epidural injection with steroids plus anesthetic + Pain killers.

...and the pain comes back...

Fifth Episode:
Symptom location: Extreme back pain that radiates all the way to the foot with foot numbness that last 1 years or more.
Common treatment: Laminectomy (Surgery)+ More pain pills.

...and the pain does not go away...

Sixth Episode:
Symptom location: Extreme back pain that radiates all the way to the foot with foot numbness and or leg weakness that last 2 years or more.
Common treatment: Spinal fusion (Surgery)+ More pain pills.


So in another words the movie goes something like this...

Advil ... and when that does not work...

Advil + Pain killers... and when that does not work...

Steroids ... and when that does not work...

Laminectomy (Surgery) ... and when that does not work...

Fusion (Surgery)... and when that does not work...

More surgeries and more pills...

Sad, very sad ending...But it does not have to end like this...Take charge!!!!...Read the next post...

(Post 97) Break the Bounds of Traditionalism...

Remove the source ... not just the symptoms.

Treat the whole body ... not just the pain.

Think of your environment ... not just your body.

Train movements... not just muscles.

Learn meaningful exercises ... not just exercises.

Practice therapeutic walking ... not just walking.

Think of dynamic posture... not just static posture.

Train the neuro-musculo-skeletal system ... not just the muscular system.

Train stability ... not just balance.

Train endurance ... not just strength.

Train mobility ... not just flexibility.

Train power ... not just speed.

Tweak the frequency, quantity, depth, length, environmental stability and speed ... not just the resistance.

Work on active rest, recovery and restoration ... not just on training.

Expand your strengths ... don't just work on your weakness.

Question everything ... don't just follow.

(Post 96) Mobile, Stable, Strong, Explosive and Super Stiff...Usain Bolt Fastest Man in the World!

Can you see how the trunk is in neutral, stable and super stiff? and not in a shortened sit up like position?

Can you see how the shoulders, arms, hips and legs are mobile, stable and super stiff?

Can you see a modified lunge? and not an artificial leg press like position?

Can you see how a flexibility program must be done with active stretches and done in positions that are at least similar to running? and not with artificial and passive, toe touch, lying on your back type of stretches?

(Post 95) Vacuuming it's a Pain !!!

It is very common for some people to feel back pain during/or after vacuuming. Very often these people have unstable spines and dysfunctional spinal discs, which causes recurrent back pain and dysfunction.

Why do they feel pain?

Most people tend to vacuum pushing and pulling the vacuum with one hand on one side of their body, rotating and twisting the spine, and causing high amounts of torque on the spinal discs where muscles can take the load but not the unstable spine.


What can be done?

If you are one of this people, when vacuuming you should:

1. Keep your spine in neutral (not bent or twisted).

2. Keep the vacuum in front of your body.

3. Push and pull the vacuum with both hands as much as possible, this will eliminate the spinal torque which is one of the reasons for spinal disc damage, back pain and dysfunction.

4. Try to vacuum after you have been moving around, one to two hours after rising from bed as our spinal discs have more water in them and are more prone to damage.

(Post 94) On Massage Therapy

American and Russian research (Siff MC & Yessis M 1992, Dubrovsky 1982 and others) has consistently shown that massage therapy when integrated with movement therapy is an effective tool in orthopedic, neuromuscular and sports restoration and rehabilitation by:

1. Increasing blood supply and speeding up venous flow.

2. Increasing lymphatic flow therefore helping the tissue to get rid of waste and toxins.

3. Increasing oxygen in arterial blood (Dubrovsky, 1982).

4. Helping to break adhesions and scar tissue, therefore improving muscle function by letting muscle fibers glide, contract and relax more efficiently.

In sports preparation, its main roles, as described by many Russian experts are:

1. Pre-starting neuromuscular relaxation.

2. Pre-starting neuromuscular stimulation.

3. Warming, loosening and mobilizing tissue.

4. Restoration during and after workouts or competitions.

Now, if you are a therapist and believe massage is time consuming think about this ... If you spend 20 minutes on electric stimulation plus 10 minutes on micro-current and 7 minutes on ultrasound, you have 37 MINUTES OF FLASHY PLACEBOS that at best would entertain the patient, but if you spend only 20 minutes on massage therapy, you would be far more successful in restoring and rehabilitating the neuromuscular system in almost half of the time.

References cited in this post and many further details of restorative procedures may be found in Siff MC & Yessis M book "Sport Restoration and Massage" 1992.