Executive Chiropractic of Iowa Helps Back Pain Sufferers Fight Fear Avoidance and Move More
Fear of back pain? Once you’ve experienced it, you say “yes!” Your West Des Moines chiropractor gets this. West Des Moines back pain and neck pain patients do not want to feel that pain again. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa helps spine pain sufferers regain their confidence with encouragement and exercise.
FEAR AVOIDANCE DUE TO BACK PAIN
Back pain sufferers want to avoid back pain if they have any options at all. That desire - whether obvious or subtle, stated or just ruminated in the mind – establishes the ‘perfect storm’ for a behavior known as fear-avoidance. Patients with persistent spinal pain syndrome - post-surgically induced or not – provoked high levels of fear avoidance, anxiety, and depression. (1) Researchers explained that the pain experience isn't just physical as emotions, behaviors and beliefs are involved as well. Fear avoidant behavior like fearing the act of lifting an object grows and impacts muscle behavior without realizing it. A recent study compared fear-avoidant beliefs and the use of lumbar paraspinal muscle activity while lifting in both back pain and in pain-free volunteers. Fear of lifting an object with a flexed spine as described in a questionnaire was negatively associated with erector spinae activity to protect the spine from harm. The proper way to lift has been debated for a long time. Lifting with a straight back has been described as safer than lifting with a flexed back though research hasn't really supported that while lifting with a lordotic posture has been found to result in more erector spinae muscle activity resulting in muscle fatigue and pain. (2) Executive Chiropractic of Iowa knows the significance of managing fear avoidance and its link to better quality of life.
HOW TO MANAGE FEAR AVOIDANCE
Researchers wrote that back pain sufferers today ‘get’ that they must keep active but some require a little more support and encouragement to move and exercise due to a lack of confidence in their backs’ ability to exercise without causing pain. The healthcare provider not only can provide the latest findings on pain control but also coach the back pain patient to be physical in the safest way possible. (3) If you’re that patient, Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is your trainer! We’re a team and can help you move easier and with less fear and deliver gentle, relieving spinal manipulation. Three months of chiropractic manipulation and exercise for older adults with chronic back pain boosted their self-efficacy and fear-avoidant behaviors together with decreases in disability. A 30% or more reduction in the Oswestry Disability Index indicated positive response to care. (4) The more engaged a patient is with treatment, the greater the influence on the feeling of self-efficacy and disability reduction. (5) Let us work together to manage your West Des Moines back pain so it doesn’t control you.
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tom Menendez on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates the relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for an older patient with back pain for whom fear avoidance is understandable.
Make your West Des Moines chiropractic appointment soon so that if you are asked if you fear back pain, you can say “no”!
