Re: back injury and treatment

Hi Minkroad: Do you really want to know what I think??? Have you received a good adjustment yet?

Prolonged traction on the spine is not necessarily good for it. The annular fibers of the disc weaken and it may lead to rather serious disc problems. Ouch, you don't want to go there.

To reestablish normal curves in the cervicl and lumbar spine requires they actually be adjusted. The bone needs to be moved from point "A" to point "B". That IS what chiropractic is. We are literally your bodies mechanic.

Even if there is a disc problem allready established, in order for the disc to stay where it is supossed to requires the repositioning of the bone to hold it in place. Otherwise the disc will pop right back out.

The only traction of the spine should be done by a chiropractor or other "Specialist" that knows what they are doing. Except in a serious trauma situation prolonged traction doesn't work and will weaken the structures further.

Of course I use intersegmetal traction everyday. And it works quite fine but to be put in a device for prolonged traction I definately do NOT agree with. I've seen it hurt too many people over the years.

I your case with the injury of 20 years ago there are three routines you can do to strengthen the involved structures and probably get you back so strong you have very little trouble with it.

The most important routine is to stretch your hamstrings every night before you go to bed. EVERY NIGHT. To reestablish the normal forward curve in the lumbar spine it's mandatory to have the hamstrings loose. When the hamstrings are tight they actually pull the lumbar spine back and you lower back never gets a chance to heal. I've seen this one exercise fix chronic low back pain of 20 years duration.

No touching your toes or palming the floor. No crunches or sit-ups. You stretch your hamstrings by getting your foot up on a chair or bed or something, put both hands on top of the thigh and push slightly. Flaten your leg out. You'll feel the stretch on the back of your leg. If you feel the stretch in the back of the knee you've gone too far. If you feel the stretch in your butt or back you've gone too far. Easy does it, just the back of your leg. Keep your back flat. Hold for 10 seconds then do the other leg. Go back and forth until the hamstrings are loose. You won't be able to go down too far at first but eventually, well, just start doing it, you'll see what I mean. The lumbar spine can't reestablish its normal curve if the hamstrings are tight. Stretch the hamstrings.

To go along with stretching the hamstrings when you get in bed stretch out on your stomach and arch your back a few times. Flex the muscles between your butt and the bottom of your ribcage. This accentuates the normal forward curve of the lumbar spine. Then get a good nights sleep.

The other lumbar exercise is specifically for a slipped disc. Which is probably what happened to you 20 years ago. Do this exercise BEFORE you do the stretching and arching.

Stretch out on your stomach on your bed. Put a pillow between your chin and your chest. Your head must remain straight down. Hook your toes over the end of the bed and pull up with them. This is the most amount of traction you should have on your spine besides what the chiropractor or "specialist" does. As you pull with your toes coint to 10, release, count to 5 and repeat for a total of 4 sets. This exercise can be done once an hour for any low back disc problems.

The key to sucessfully treating any disc problems is to restablish the normal curves in the spine. Once the curves are reestablished the disc stays put. Then it's just a matter of keeping your hamstrings lose before you go to bed. You'll be surprised how strong your low back can get.

The cervical spine is even easier. First a good chiropractic adjustment. Then get in the habit of getting your chin up all the time. Most of what we do requires we look down all the time. So throughout the day get your chin UP and turn your head side to side. Never turn your head side to side while looking down.

The same things apply to the cervicl spine as the lumbar spine. The disc cannot be permenently fixed without correcting the structure that holds the disc in place. The vertebra. Thus, you have to restablish the cervical curve. Get your neck adjusted and get your chin up.

As a general rule it takes about a month to correct a structural problem for every year you've had it. So you're going to have to keep an eye on it. With any mechanical weakness of the spine the body will attempt to strengthen that weakness by surrounding the joint with calcium. This is mistakenly called arthritis. As you reestablish normal curves this extra calcium with be absorbed into the bady and the so-called arthritis will disappear. However, it does hurt every now and then. And it burns a bit.

So, keep your hamstrings loose and get your chin up. And if you haven't received a good adjustment yet, well, get one.

Doc







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