Millions of Americans are encountered with some form of pain on their back and spine. There are a wide variety of factors that could lead to these well-known symptoms of pain, however, many individuals can reduce or even eliminate their back pain through a series of simple steps.
Experts at the Interventional Pain Management Center, or
IPMC, a multi-site clinical practice based in New Jersey, is currently evaluating
several basic methods that may help alleviate chronic back pain among the
general population. Foremost, one of the first recommendations discussed by the
experts included improving posture, or the position in which an individual
stands and moves around. “Proper posture contributes greatly to the relief or
elimination of back pain,” quoted a spokesperson for the Interventional Pain
Management Center. “The spine is stronger and more stable when one practices
healthy posture.”
Achieving Proper Posture
When an individual slouches or stoops, the improper posture
can cause the muscles, ligaments and other tissues that support the complex structures
of the spine to become misaligned, straining to provide balance to the body. This
straining is what often leads to pain on the back, neck, and shoulders. The
spine has a natural S-shaped curve which functions to absorb shock, maintain
balance, and allow range of motion, and in order to maintain those natural
curves, proper posture is essential.
In adults, proper posture needs to be a combination of body
positioning and balance. The shoulders should be held back with the head
leveled and aligned with the rest of the body. Tightening the muscles of the
abdomen can also help support the lower region of the spine. In addition, the
position of the feet and knees can also influence posture. The feet should be
kept shoulder-width apart and the knees mustn’t be locked when practicing a
proper posture. These positions help spread the weight of the body along more
support structures, further assisting individuals to reduce or even eliminate
muscular pressure and stress that may be causing pain. A good way to check
whether you’re maintaining a proper posture is to perform the wall test, where
the individual stands with his or her back against a wall. When the head,
shoulder blades and buttocks are touching the wall, there should be a space of
about one hand’s thickness between the curve of the lower back and the wall. The
individual can then arch their back in order to form the proper space, placing
the back into proper postural alignment.
Find a Diagnosis
Additionally, if an individual is experiencing persistent
symptoms of back pain, its important for them to seek immediate medical
attention to diagnose any possible injuries or underlying conditions that could
be causing their pain and discomfort. Spinal misalignments, or subluxations,
are one of the most frequently diagnosed conditions causing back pain and there
are several types of treatments to improve this painful condition. Chiropractic
care is an effective form of alternative treatment, frequently utilized to
treat many back complications. After diagnosing the source of your back issues,
a doctor of chiropractic, or DC, will most commonly use a series of spinal adjustments
and manual manipulations to gradually restore the natural state of your spine. Chiropractic
treatment focuses on re-aligning the spine while strengthening the muscles and
other tissues surrounding the spine as well as improving flexibility to correct
an individual’s posture and relieve or even eliminate their back pain symptoms.
What is Chiropractic?
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
