Daily laborer or weekend warrior…how to do prepare
for spine-demanding tasks? What do you do when you have to move a weighty box? Get the back brace or brace yourself? The “brace yourself” option
may be the superior approach! Executive Chiropractic of Iowa recommends
back braces for back pain patients who may be helped by
their support. We also suggest self-controlled activities
to West Des Moines back pain sufferers to protect the spine
when its use is demanded (hefting boxes, digging
holes, raking, etc.)
BACK BRACES FOR BACK PAIN PREVENTION:
Not All It Seems
Asymptomatic workers were told to wear back belts at work with the aim of reducing
low back pain or injury. 1380 published medical studies were reviewed.
Reviewers uncovered no consistent evidence for back brace
use to stop low back pain or occupational back pain in
workers. Absenteeism was not decreased with back
belt wearing either. (1) Mind you, this review was of back
brace wearing by asymptomatic workers. In this situation,
the back belt is not for everyone. Now for West Des Moines back pain sufferers, the back belt has
benefits. Non-rigid lumbar support belts are reported to help
non-specific low back pain sufferers with their pain and disability. (3)
Deciding whether to use a belt or not is where
your West Des Moines back pain specialist at Executive Chiropractic of Iowa comes in to figure
out what is best for each back pain sufferer. Each West Des Moines
back pain sufferer – office worker, factory worker, family manager, etc. - is distinctive
and must be considered individually. Having all workers wear
a back brace to try
to decrease back pain for a few does not
work as this paper shows that a back brace may work
for some but not all.
ABDOMINAL BRACING MAY WORK BETTER
Abdominal bracing is a self-monitored,
pre-activity motion, a voluntary way of enhancing
spine stiffness to restrict spine displacement before
doing a spine-demanding job. It appears to
work according to researchers! Abdominal bracing is personally
controlled. In a new study, abdominal bracing significantly lessened
sagittal plane motion from the lower thoracic spine (T12) through
the lower lumbar spine (L4L5): by 45% at L4L5, by 94% at L1L2, and 50% at L5S1.
Such self-bracing initiated all abdominal and back
muscles. Flexion motion was limited at the majority
of lumbar spine levels when sudden trunk flexion
demands are met with abdominal bracing. (2) It is
worth knowing how to do! Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is eager to show
you how to do this worthy movement as part of your West Des Moines
chiropractic treatment plan!
SPINAL MANIPULATION WORKS FOR BACK
PAIN
Executive Chiropractic of Iowa offers
a comprehensive chiropractic treatment plan for those times
when the back pain just won’t stop. When work duties
or chores leave your spine - cervical, thoracic or lumbar -
hurting, The Cox® Technic System of
Spinal Pain Management mixes gentle, relieving spinal
manipulation with specific exercise and nutritional advice to return
you back to life.
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Jenna Kloor on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes the importance
of helping a patient be able to do something like walking to help herself as she
recovered from her back pain episode with The Cox®
Technic System of Spinal Pain Management and even be able to
shovel snow!
Schedule your West Des Moines chiropractic
appointment soon. We help our West Des Moines workers and
weekend warriors avert and recover from spine
pain.