Category: Back Pain

What should I do if I run and I am getting back pain?

Running is one of the most effective ways to improve cardiovascular fitness and burn calories. The issue for most people is how challenging running is on the body, especially if you are predisposed to back pain.

In this article we will break it down into different sections to best guide people concerned about their back, yet are keen to achieve or maintain the great benefits running provides. Please read through the different segments and establish which scenario best describes your situation.

1. New to running, starting to get back pain

Running requires both core (trunk) and gluteal (gluteus maximus) strength and conditioning. For many people their reason for getting into running in the first place is due to carrying excessive weight and or being unfit. It is fair to say that the majority of people with the goal to lose weight and get fit have a very weak core and very weak gluteal muscles.  This leads to problems, and most often the back becomes one of these problems for new runners. If the running technique is not supported by the trunk and gluteal muscles, the back becomes overloaded, fatigued and tight which in turn causes pain either during or after running. This is not a major concern in the sense that any damage is being done, however it is significant enough to end the new found goal of running to lose weight and get fit.

Below are some tips to guide you in the right direction.

• Try to reduce the distance you are running. Most people feel fine for the first 5 mins or 1-2 km of running, with back pain commencing post this. Start off with shorter runs, and work on getting faster over that speed before you increase the distance.
• Commence exercises such as squats and deadlifts to strengthen the muscles that support the lower back when running
• Commence sprint training to strengthen the muscles that support good posture and running (refer relevant articles on sprinting on this site)  

2. Haven’t ran for a prolonged period, starting to get back into running and experiencing back pain

Most likely the muscles that were once strong and conditioned when you were constantly running have atrophied during your hiatus. You will still be able to run quicker and longer than a new time runner, which places even more load on your back, due to the lack of support from your once conditioned trunk and gluteal muscles. No different to new time runners, you need to re-condition yourself first and gently build up to what you were once able to achieve.

Below are some tips to guide you in the right direction.

• Try to reduce the distance you are running. Most people feel fine for the first 5 mins or 1-2 km of running, with back pain commencing post this. Start of with shorter runs, and work on getting faster over that speed before you increase the distance.
• Commence exercises such as squats and deadlifts to strengthen the muscles that support the lower back when running
• Commence sprint training to strengthen the muscles that support good posture and running (refer articles on this site)  

3. You are a seasoned runner and have started experiencing back pain.

Of the 3 scenarios this is the one we tend to take more seriously. For new runners your back is not supported due to prolonged periods of inactivity that leads to postural weaknesses.

If you are and seasoned runner and you have only just experienced back pain we suggest that you seek quality myotherapy (massage therapy) to work deeply through the muscles of the hips and lower back. For some runners, tightness can occur in the muscles of the lower back and hips either over a period of time or from slight overtraining. For many seasoned runners experiencing back pain, a series of treatments resolves the issues and myotherapy becomes a maintenance strategy against recurrence.   

For the seasoned runners experiencing back pain who are not getting relief from treatment then another approach needs to be taken.

Over time a runner’s posture can change, weaknesses can set into the posterior muscles (gluteus maximus, hamstring, adductors), which in turn places a greater load (especially when running) onto the anterior muscles (hip flexors). This muscular imbalance causes the pelvis to anteriorly tilt, which creates an excessive curve in the lumbar spine (hyperlordosis). The excessive curve shortens and compresses the structures of the lower back. The major gluteal muscles and posterior muscles not only support the lower back when running, the act as a cushioning or a shock absorption for the spine and lower back structures. So with the lower back structures already compromised and the cushioning removed with each step of running pain sets in very quick for the runner.

Below are some tips to guide you in the right direction.

• As best as possible rest/ or reduce running load to allow back to settle down
• Seek quality treatment to free up the structures of the lower back
• Commence rehabilitative program to elongate the anterior muscles and the strengthen the posterior muscles
• As you commence running, shorten the distance and work on speed/ not endurance. The faster you run, the more the posterior muscles need to work, so this will complement your rehabilitation progress.
• Commence sprint training to strengthen the muscles that support good posture and running (refer articles on this site)  

You don’t need to lose weight in order to fix your back pain!

One of the most common things people are told with lower back pain who also happen to carry some excess kilos is that in order to fix their back, they need to lose weight.

Let’s look at how absurd this common statement is:

• Many people with chronic back pain can not exercise, and as a result they put on excessive weight. They had the exact same level of back pain at a healthy weight, as they do when they seek advice from their practitioner.
• Advising the cause of their back pain is from carrying excess weight.. Wouldn’t that imply that all overweight people have back pain??
• And what about all the skinny people out there who suffer from back pain? Is losing more weight going to help them too?
• Many people told to lose weight by their practitioner, adhere to their every word and regain a healthy physique, only to still have their debilitating back pain.. Now what??
• Most people are as desperate to lose their excessive weight as they are to fix their back pain, however they cannot exercise due to their pain which makes the incorrect advice even more frustrating to the back pain sufferer.

How about we change the paradigm:

• Fix the back pain and strengthen the body so it never returns.
• Then focus on losing the excess weight when been able to do quality exercise becomes an option to the now pain free, former back pain sufferer.

Being overweight has nothing to do with lower back pain. I will admit there are many other health concerns that come with carrying excessive adipose tissue, however the point we are making is that you need to address the cause of chronic back pain and often times being overweight is just a symptom.. Yes a symptom, where people put on extra kilos as a result of being inactive and comfort eating due to the pain and stress in suffering from long term chronic back pain.  

Regardless of your age, weight, sex or race, chronic back pain is brought on by muscular imbalances that lead to postural asymmetry. Address the muscular imbalances made up of muscle groups that are over dominate, tight and shortened (anterior muscles groups) and weak, lengthened (posterior muscle groups) then the lower back pain will be eradicated.   

With a new found symmetrical posture, not only will the patient have a pain free back, their body and mind will be well prepared to commence the task of losing the excessive weight often accumulated over years of chronic back pain.

Despite what you’ve been told, a large percentage of back pain can be helped!

97% of chronic back pain is curable.

For the vast majority of people suffering from chronic debilitating back pain, they go from doctor to doctor, practitioner to practitioner in a desperate attempt to find a lasting solution to their pain.

As each appointment hands out more conflicting information on ‘the why I have back pain’ and the lack of lasting relief offered, confusion sets in. Everybody knows of a ‘guru’, a practitioner who you as a back pain sufferer just has to go and visit. Each and every time, more of the same. More temporary relief only for the pain to return, and worse still more confusion and a feeling hopelessness.

The concerning part is that this is the norm, not the exception. Patients spend thousands, often tens of thousands of dollars seeing specialists, getting scans, trying new therapies in a desperate attempt to rid their back pain and resume a normal healthy lifestyle once again.

After months, more often years and decades without a solution to their pain, the reality or more accurately the reality of the back specialists kicks in. ‘You are going to have to live with the pain’, ‘we recommend you go to a pain management clinic’, ‘here is this medication to ease the pain’.   

The healthcare industry fails chronic back pain sufferers by focusing and treating purely on the symptoms of back pain and not the underlying cause. The vast majority of chronic back pain is caused by the muscles, tendons and fascia of the lower back which is confusing given that all the specialists, doctors, practitioners refer to wear and tear of the spine and intervertebral discs.

X-rays and MRI scans show signs of wear and tear or degeneration of the spine and it’s discs, however up to 40% of adults have herniated discs, with the vast majority of them not experiencing pain. Up to 70% of adults have disc degeneration, once again with the majority not experiencing pain.

Wear and tear of the spine and or disc degeneration is rarely ever the true cause of chronic lower back pain, it is just a natural process of ageing. If the muscles that support the structures of the lower back are strong, balanced and working together then the person will not have back pain, regardless of the what the scans show and how the specialist has interrupted them.  

Show us someone with a perfectly symmetrical musculoskeletal system who has chronic lower back pain? In over 15 years, treating over ten thousand patients with chronic lower back pain, we have not seen one patient present to our clinic with sound posture, with muscle symmetry adequate to support their lower back.

Forget the symptoms of lower back pain and focus on the cause. Help the back by i) strengthening the atrophied muscles integral to its support. ii) Free up the restricted muscles that are placing it under load. iii) Restore functional, fluent movement where all the muscles of the body are working synergistically as they are designed to.

So regardless of what any specialist has told you – You can fix your chronic back pain for good,  regardless of whether you have suffered for months, years or decades if you focus on the true cause of your pain, not distracted by the symptoms.

Neuro Muscular Power Training:

The purpose of Neuro-Muscular Power Training (NMPT) is to force every fibre of the body to activate.

This allows the body to move with synchronicity, enabling strong, natural functioning movements.

The body is designed to use all muscles together with each movement, however in this modern day society this is often not the case. As most of our time is spent sitting, our bodies have become less efficient in holding us upright, resulting in negative postural habits, asymmetry and pain.   

Neuromuscular Power Training addresses every issue that inhibits the patient in being restored to a pain free state.

• It completely stretches all the tight muscle and connective tissue
• It strengthens (hypertrophies) all of the weak muscle
• Most importantly, it hypertrophies and restores the neural pathways to the muscles integral to restoring the patient to a pain free and functional state.

It incorporates a functional compound movement with enough resistance to facilitate (arrange/organise) both the nervous and muscular systems in an unconscious manner.

NMPT works within the ‘power’ range of resistance exercise. Power Training is dedicated to the nervous system as much as it is to the muscular system. Therefore this unique form of rehabilitative training forces the patient to break their compensatory pattern. The intensity of the training forces the body to share the load evenly throughout their muscular system and all of the muscles integral to maintaining one’s posture – the weak ones – start to fire.

Physiological adaptations start to occur, muscles with their new innervation begin to hypertrophy and gain muscle mass. The neural pathways start to strengthen with the myelin sheath around the neural axons thickening in size and the increased production of myelin fluid creating increased conductivity.

Every time the patient carries out the NMPT, the neural pathways become stronger and stronger, and their compensatory pattern is quickly eradicated.

Once symmetry is restored, the patient no longer has a discrepancy between tight muscle taking on the entire load and weak ones getting an easy ride. Every single muscle carries out its dedicated function and shares the load.

All movement post rehabilitation ensures that all muscles and their neural pathways throughout the body remain strong.

Metaphysically, NMPT can have a big impact on someone’s mental state and well-being. The exercise will challenge a client’s confidence and trust within themselves and other people. This may be shown during training when a client refuses to attempt a lift due to ‘guarding’ an old injury for fear of bringing up previous pain and associated turmoil. In this situation it is extremely important to support and encourage the client at all times.

A lot of times this particular element of NMPT can be the most difficult, as finding the confidence to move forward, free from pain can sometimes be foreign. People become complacent with pain and the limitations it puts on their life, using it as an avoidance strategy in other aspects of life i.e exercise, social, happiness etc. Therefore NMPT has endless benefits on a person’s body as well as opening up their own lives to endless possibilities.

Let us at  Back Pain Solutions Melbourne, help you reach for those possibilities.

A Closer Look At Our Treatment Techniques

At Back Pain Solutions Melbourne Clinic  we use a unique hands-on technique called Solidified Myoneural Manipulation (SMM) . It is a very effective way to melt through the many different layers of connective tissue.  SMM is specifically tailored to every persons treatment, focusing on areas of the body that hold tension. Muscle tension produces pain and areas of stagnation that reduce blood and essential nutrients from flowing freely throughout affected areas of the body.

SMM should be applied over a period of time, working through the restricted fibrous tissue in order to restore it back to a full functioning and pain free state.

Some factors that may determine how readily the tissue will soften and release may include:

-How long you have been in pain for.

-The client’s ability to be consistent and compliment with treatment and exercises.

-Diet (bad diet’s can cause toxicity in the muscles and the body)

-Willingness to ‘let go’ (could identify with pain)

-Practitioner going too deep, too soon

SMM is usually formed by guarding/protecting a weakened area of the body. When you first sustain an injury, the ingenious healing mechanism that occurs within the body is to patch it up with added tissue (cement), a structured compensation, while the area begins to heal. Due to this, the biomechanics compensate resulting in decreased neural and muscular innervation, lack of nutrients, oxygen, blood flow, holding onto waste products and allowing weakness to set in.

Using the SMM release over a period of time, the hardened tissue will start to melt. Our soft tissue massage clinic in Richmond, can offer expert remedies for this situation. It is important to find all the hardened areas that are guarding the muscle or joint and break them down to a soft, supple state. This will allow the tissue to function naturally, promote flow resulting in increased nutrients and ultimately a pain free state. An unblocking occurs, physically, emotionally and metaphorically. It integrates the muscle or joint to work innately with the rest of the body. Bringing the dead tissue back to life allows us to move into the next phase of treatment, which consists of rewiring the body to hold it’s newly strong position.

Sciatica Pain Relief

Sciatica is regarded as one of the most debilitating of all pains. The most basic things that we do such as walking, bending and getting in and out of the car or even picking up your child becomes agonising and on top of this trying to find pain relief for sciatica can be difficult.

Sciatica is best described as symptoms that run down the leg which can include, numbness, tingling, a severe stabbing pain and in some cases debilitating. This stems from the lower back where the sciatic nerve becomes compressed or trapped which results in you having extreme difficulty in getting pain relief (short and long term)

Reasons for Sciatica can include:

• -Disc Bulge
• -Spinal Degeneration
• -Poor Posture
• -Prolonged Sitting
• -Muscular Imbalances (Weaknesses)
• -Trauma (Car Accident)
• -Previous Injury

To have true sciatica pain relief can vary. Some patients respond well to basic exercises and other not so well at all. But one thing is that a significantly higher percentage of sciatica pain suffers respond well to is strengthening based exercises (Neuro-Muscular Power Training) and a hand on approach to relieve the tighter, constricted tissues that are inhibiting the spine and nerve from restoring back to a normal, symmetrical, pain free position.

By strengthening the weaker muscles in your body and also releasing the tighter muscles we relieve the sciatic pain and you will notice an instant improvement and relief of your pain. However, by doing this, what keeps you in this position long term so the pain doesn’t return? Strengthening! Without the strengthening the sciatic pain relief you once experienced will restore back to that position you were once in when you experienced pain. This is exactly why when you do basic exercises and treatment the pain is only temporarily removed. It is crucial that we use the combination of both to ensure your sciatic pain never returns again.

If you would like sciatica pain relief please call us now to make an appointment with a sciatica specialist on 9909 9905 or visit backsolutions.com.au

Which Sciatica Remedies Can Provide Immediate And Effective Relief?

Sciatica Remedies That Offer Immediate Relief

Sciatica is the term used to define the compression of nerve roots in the lower back of the spine due to a pinched nerve, irritation caused to the nerve, inflammation, twisting or sudden jerk movement, herniated disc, bulging or ruptured disc and any other spinal abnormalities. The Sciatica Nerve is the largest nerve in the human body, which originates from the lower back of the spine, travels through the back of the thigh and leg and ends up on the foot. Back Solutions Clinic can provide the best treatment for Sciatica nerve Melbourne. Lower back pain is the most common problem nowadays of which at least most of the population and people of the world suffers. Due to our sedentary lifestyles and changing routines we are bound to face lower back ache at or another point of time in our lives. It hampers and disturbs one’s personal life, daily routine and also makes it difficult to perform the day to day activities.

The Sciatica nerve pain has the similar impact and affects people’s work and life and also makes it difficult to walk, stand, sit or even sleep. The symptoms that are most common and one feels in sciatica are as follows:

• -Severe Back and leg pain that sometimes transmits to the foot.
• -Numbness, weakness and tingling sensation being felt in the leg and lower part of the body.
• -Inflammation and burning sensation on the pain affected area.
• -Difficulty in movements such as walking, sitting, lifting heavy weights, standing or even sleep.
• -Discomfort and irritation in the body.
• -All the above causes, back pain, buttock pain, hip and leg pain.
• -Reduction in flexibility and cramps in legs.

Back Solutions Clinic has diagnosed the above-mentioned symptoms are have also suggested good and effective methods for treatment of Sciatica nerve Melbourne. The symptom mentioned above aggravates by excess physical movements and also by bending and twisting of back and is cured by rest. The various common causes of sciatica nerve pain are as follows:

• Herniated disc.
• -Piriformis Syndrome.
• -Ruptured or bulging disc.
• -Pregnancy.
• -Lifting heavy objects or sudden wrong body postural movements.
• -Being overweight.
• -Lack of exercise or physical movement.
• -Pinched nerve.
• -Weak core area muscles.
• -Sedentary lifestyle or long sitting or standing working hours.
• -Arthritis.
• -Spondylosis.
• -Degenerative Disc Disease.

The various remedies recommended for Sciatica Nerve Melbourne are as follows:

• Massages – Different muscle and nerve relaxing massages are done to relieve the pain and opening of nerves.
• Ice and Heat Therapy –Ice packs and Heat therapy is given on the pain affected area as ice numbs the area and reduces inflammation and heat increases the blow circulation so as to provide pain relief.
• Stretching and strengthening exercises – Various set of stretching and core strengthening exercises are performed under special supervision to strengthen the back and make it more flexible and immune from any kind of injury or nerve and muscle issues – A strong back leads to a healthy life.
• Medications – Various pain relievers and steroid injection are available which are to be consumed only after prescription.
• A balanced diet, maintaining weight and the equal amount of rest.

Top Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Sciatica

Natural Ways To Treat Sciatica

Have you ever suffered from an agonizing condition named ‘sciatica’? If you have, then I’m sure that you remember it very vividly because sciatica is something that people don’t forget easily because of the sufferings they had received in the hands of the same. The pain a person experiences when suffering from sciatica is clear cut; shooting or piercing pain in the lower back that radiates down the buttocks, thighs, and legs.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve in our body, and it is formed by the roots that are branching out of the spinal cord in the lower back. These roots get together and go down along the back of your legs. So, when the sciatic nerve gets compressed, irritated or pinched anywhere in between, then you are going to feel the pain. When it comes to the most common cause of sciatica nerve pain is the bulging disc, which is commonly known as the herniated disc as well. You can get treatment for sciatica nerve Melbourne at affordable prices now.

There could be a number of phases that people are going to experience while they are suffering from sciatica. The pain is going to be sporadic or constant, mild or shooting. The pain is going to aggravate when you a cough, sneeze or make small movements. People who have taken sciatica Melbourne treatment know how tough it is when it is paining. The pain doesn’t come alone, but it brings a few other irritating elements as well such as numbness, tingling sensation or muscle weakness in the leg or foot.

Now coming to the symptoms of sciatica; they are going to subside in a month or two. You have to take enough rest along with muscle relaxants in order to alleviate the pain. There are multiple ways of reducing the pain, but if you want to get rid of the pain through natural ways, then here are some for you.

Hot and Cold Compresses

You can apply a heat pack on your lower back to relax the strained muscles and improve the blood circulation. If you don’t have a heat pack, then take a steamed towel in place of that or if you want, you can sit in the bath that is filled with warm water for 15 minutes. Do this a couple of times in a day and you will experience relieve. Apply ice packs on the damaged area for 15 minutes as it will help reduce the swelling around the sciatic nerve and also numbs the pain.

Massage Therapy

Massage is an evergreen method for treating any pain, so how can you ignore massage therapy when it comes treating sciatic pain? So, you can get great relief by getting massage therapy. You can get in touch with Back Solutions Clinic to get the best massage therapy for Sciatica Melbourne.

Chiropractic Care

If you are looking to get your spine adjusted, then you better take chiropractic treatment. This will help restore all the misaligned vertebral parts of the body and also bring the spinal column into its proper position. Get the best Chiropractic treatment for sciatica Nerve Melbourne at Back Solutions Clinic.

Topical Oils Or Creams

There are various types of oils and creams that are available today, which you can apply to reduce the pain occurring in your lower back, thighs or legs. You can get more information about the best topical oils on the web.

Acupuncture, A Possible Remedy For Relieving Sciatica Pain

Relieving Sciatica Pain Through Acupuncture

Sciatica is the leg pain, which begins at the nerve roots on any side of the lumbar vertebrae. These nerve roots then go through the sciatic nerves that run the entire length of each leg starting from buttocks to the toes.

In your lower back region, there are nerve roots, which can get compressed or it has been seen in some cases that there is a crack or bulge near sciatic nerve. Sciatica is also referred to as pinched nerve. This results in leg pain, which is also known by the name of radiculopathy. A person suffering from sciatica is going to feel sharp, shooting pain at the time of sitting, standing, laying down and walking.

Sciatica can be treated by various methods, but today, we are going to discuss acupuncture, as to how it can bring relief to the patients suffering from sciatica. Every treatment methodology has its own primary role, and for acupuncture, the role is clearly set, i.e., it will provide relief to the patients. It does this by relaxing the muscles, which may be tight and putting pressure on the nerve. Nerves that are either coming from the lumbar region or from the muscles, acupuncture is going to loosen them up.

Acupuncture therapy starts off with taking the patient’s history and performing an examination of muscles along with the points where acupuncture procedure can be performed. The muscle is going to feel smooth to the touch followed by a sudden change in the skin texture, which will confirm that there is certainly a blockage in the muscle.

If there is a pain in the muscles then the acupuncture points are going to feel cold, warm, soft or really hard. The feeling will be a lot different than the surrounding muscles. These points are where needles must be placed.

Acupuncture while giving acupuncture therapy will never insert needles into nerves, but he/she will insert the needles into the muscle at the acupuncture site. It will pain a lot if the needle is inserted into the nerve, and you can relate that feeling to the pain of the dental work without numbing the working area. Moreover, it is not possible to needle a nerve, no matter what acupuncturists do.

The placement of needles has to be done very carefully. With the insertion of the needles, it should create a micro-trauma in the region, which will stimulate the body’s own ability to heal itself. A human body is constant repairing itself on a cellular level, but the benefit of acupuncture is that it channels the healing response to the specific areas of the body so that the blockage can be cleared in order to allow healing.

If you are in need to get acupuncture therapy for sciatica Melbourne, then you need to get in touch with Back Solutions Clinic. They will provide you with the best acupuncture therapy that will clear all the blockage from within your muscles.

Back Solutions Clinic has made a name when it comes to treating bad sciatica nerve Melbourne. So, don’t waste your time and consult this clinic right away.