Do I have a Weak Back? Am I Twisted?

The answer in most cases is a resounding YES! Studies now documented the largest group of people likely to get low back pain (LBP), are those with current or previous LBP! There are several factors involved in this and today topics are muscle weakness and importance of alignment. So what does a weak back have to do with it?

First let's examine the causes of back pain: trauma, repetitive / accumulated stress and poor postural habits. These forces create a twisting pressure that compact the vital joints of the back. When I examine a person with back pain what I clearly see, is a twisted back. Most back pain presents as a tangled misalignment of the pelvis, sacrum and lower 2-3 vertebrae of the back. What my hands feel, is a frozen back. The above mentioned joints are stuck, unable to move freely through the range of normal motion. This joint pressure and dysfunction of motion does generate pain, and if not corrected, leads to arthritis i.e. destruction of the joint. This type destruction is also evident in disc injuries, loss of knee cartilage and those with hip replacements.

Are muscles involved in this? Yes they are! Research says that muscles in the twisted area are affected as well. They have become chronically shortened or lengthened. Muscles are supportive in function, and when they are affected, the area becomes unstable! Short, tight muscles will need to be stretched. I do this with a muscle stripping technique that stretches the muscles back into shape. Muscle that are chronically lengthened, have been stretched, due to repetitive stress and or poor postural habits. These muscles will need to be strengthened with progressive resistance.

Fact is the twisted back syndrome (Segmental Dysfunction), creates weak muscles! The pelvis and sacrum are the foundation of the low back foundation supporting the entire spine and upper body. Many muscles, large and small attach to these structures, and become weakened when chronically twisted. Imagine if the foundation of your house were to twist by 8 degrees? Inspectors would say the structural integrity of the house has been compromised, the walls could fall over at any minute (weak muscles) the plumbing may have burst, (inflammation), and the electrical power shorted, (vertebral subluxation). This house would be red tagged and deemed uninhabitable. What is a twisted back to do?

As a Structural Chiropractor and Soft Tissue Physio Therapist, I evaluate, and treat these types of issues. Chiropractic care is a series of adjustments focused on releasing, unwinding and realigning twisted structures. This process is known as corrective care. Corrective care can take weeks to months to accomplish, depending on severity of your condition, and is well worth the effort. In a corrected state many people state they have greater mobility, ease of balance and a lift in energy.

Why do most people experience reoccurring back pain? I perceive this as combination of never fully correcting the cause (i.e. getting the twist out by not doing or finishing corrective care) and never stabilizing their back by developing and strengthening their weak back muscles. How long should this take? Every case is different. I can tell you that because of my multi disciplinary approach: adjustments, muscle stripping, foam rolling, postural re-training and focused strengthening of weak muscles, you reach the point of back stabilization, much faster.

We can safely say the stronger your back, and core, and better your posture the less likely you are to injure or reinjure your back.

If you're experiencing back pain, or have in the past, make an appointment. I will give you an extensive evaluation. In the evaluation, I check posture, measure alignment of your skeletal structure, assess pliability of your joints, and search for muscle imbalances related to your condition. If you need corrective care, I will work with you to alleviate the twisted back syndrome. By realigning structure and activating the muscles for support, you're twisted back and LBP will soon turn around.

Work Hard and Play Harder, 

Craig Eymann DC CMT CN