Decrease or Eliminate Recurring Back Injury

"With the right type of exercises your back problem has a greater chance of recovering more completely and staying healthy, but without them, reoccurring back injuries is probable and it is likely that your back problems will get worse in time."

It has been estimated that around 80% of people in Western countries will experienced low back pain in their lives. When you injure your back the first time it normally gets better within a short period of time. But, typically, within 1 year  60-80% of the population will have back pain again. It is also typical for back injuries to get progressively worse each time they happen. Research has reported that with significant low back injuries certain stabilizing muscles of the back shutdown to some extent. These muscles do not typically recover fully without specific stabilization exercises, even if you are pain free. These muscles include the lumbar multifidus and the transversus abdominus. The deepest layer of muscles of the the back are the lumbar multifidi. They attach from the vertebral arches to the spinous processes. Each multifidi connects 1-3 vertebrae, controlling movement between the vertebrae. The deepest of the abdominal muscles are the transversus abdominus which is also a stabilizer of the spine. The transversus abdominus is the most important of the abdominal muscle and is usually the weakest in those who have chronic back  problems and pain. Together the two muscles form a deep internal corset that helps stabilize the spine during movement. Stabilizing the back will help protect your back and improve daily activities. Stabilization exercises will increase a persons physical condition, decrease symptoms, increase flexibility and movement along with improving posture, strength and coordination. The right stabilization exercises will significantly increase your chances of recovering from a back injury completely without reoccurring problems. 


For more information about stabilization exercises, please send me a note.

Therapeutic Exercises

         Basic Principles of Therapeutic Exercises

• Be appropriate for your injury or illness

• Allow good posture and body mechanics when performed

• Should increase or maintain proper muscle strength, range of motion, flexibility, stability, balance, and integrity of soft tissue, joints and spine as directed by a medical professional

• Should be either passive, active assistive, active, active resistive or a combination of them depending on your injury or illness and the therapeutic results wanted

• Be appropriate for a persons: age, sex, ability, injury or illness

• Be specific in the amount of resistance, repetitions, frequency and progressions  

• Should promote a decrease in signs and symptoms from injury or illness

• May be combined with modalities such as cold, heat, electric stimulation, and manual joint and soft tissue manipulation