April 2022 Healthy News from Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important
“Why do you ask me so many questions, doc?”
Our Toronto chiropractic patients are the center of our practice. Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre wants to understand each you and your pain experience well, treat you well, and be sure you are satisfied with your care and outcome. That is why we have you to describe your pain to us, sometimes several times and in several different ways! Words mean different things to different people: “discomfort” to one may mean “pain” to another while “stiffness” means “pain” or “discomfort” to a another. It’s true! Researchers did a deep-dive into these different words and their meanings to patients. An example of this is the description of “feeling”: pain was sharp/shooting, discomfort signified dull/tingling, stiffness was tight/restricted. (1) It's beneficial for us to know our patient’s experience with pain to better reach expectations and boost satisfaction with care. Patients who visited an integrated hospital for care of their musculoskeletal pain and depressive symptoms assessed their pain as 5/10 (10 being greatest pain) as well as indicated multiple pain locations (9 of 17 participants), low back pain (13 of 17), and neck pain (8 of 17). Those are very typical of rationales patients seek chiropractic care! In this setting, patients were satisfied with the collaboration among the various healthcare team members due to the trust they had in their physician. Patients valued consistency in care from one caregiving chiropractor. (2) Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre knows our patients appreciate - and can expect - these same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
Toronto CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Strengthen Multifidus Muscles While Standing
Back pain. It is a simple description that may stem from many factors including the muscles of the spine, those seen and unseen. The multifidus muscles are such unseen muscles, smaller, deep muscles that run parallel to the spine from the neck to the sacrum. These muscles aid movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted. (3) Recently, researchers suggested that the multifidi may be a possible source of back pain since they are found to be stiffer in low back pain sufferers. Low back pain is linked to lumbodorsal musculature (which includes the multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus sufficiently which may prevent low back pain initiated by muscle fatigue. (4) “Superman” (on-the-floor) exercises are well known. Standing back extension and “superman” exercises are newly reported as equally beneficial to strengthen these multifidus muscles. (5) That’s great news! Toronto back pain sufferers can do simple, standing exercises like this anywhere! The multifidi benefit!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Paula Hugulet on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she details the value of increasing muscle strength and function as part of back pain care following the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre
Schedule your next Toronto chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles will be strengthened via proper exercise to lessen and potentially avert back pain. Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre will ask you questions, and you are encouraged to ask Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre questions, too!