Winter time? Back Pain? Been shoveling snow?

It’s that time of year again, long nights, cold weather and yes the wonderful snow storms. Snow fall can bring out the child in all of us; fun sledding and snowmobiling, making snow men (snow women if we want to be pc) and building “igloos”. The down side to the snow storms can be very painful, back painful to be precise.

There are multiple reasons that can cause back pain during snow season, below are some of them:
• muscles are more easily injured if there are cold, tight
• muscular back pain and disc injuries can be caused by twisting and bending while shoveling
• falls on snow and ice can cause pain, bruises and fractures of the bones.

There are only two methods to avoid snow shoveling back pain,
• buy a snow blower (can still cause back pain if not used properly)
• hire someone to shovel for you.

If you are one of the unfortunate who must shovel, prepare yourself first.
• always perform warm-up stretching exercises
• dress warmly in layers, to keep those muscles warm
• use a ergonomically correct shovel
• wear boots with nonskid traction bottoms
• lift only what you are capable of lifting, do not overuse your muscles
• lift with proper technique (lift with your legs, turn your whole body and toss the snow)
• take breaks often

If all of these suggestions fail, the answer is obvious move to Florida, where you can get back pain from fun warm weather activities like golf or fishing!

If you do wind up with a sore back this winter, look for a SpineSix location near you. SpineSix has been shown to have amazing clinical results on lower back pain and neck pain caused by many disorders, such as back sprain, back strain, muscle spasm and disc injuries. To kind a SpineSix Center near you call 1-877-BACK-116
This Blog is maintained by MediCepts, Inc, manufacturer of the SpineSix.All content has been provided by employees of MediCepts, Inc.Want to learn more about effective rehabilitation equipment for back pain patients? Read more of our blog posts, and don't forget to bookmark this blog!

101 Causes Of Back Pain

There are many things that can trigger an episode of back pain; some may be obvious, such as an accident or fall, while others are simple everyday activities. More times than not, it is these simple, everyday activities that cause our back pain. Although there are many, many more possible causes of back pain, listed here are 101 of them.

1. Standing too long
2. Sitting in one position too long
3. Poor posture
4. Improper posture while working on a computer
5. Data entry work
6. Office filing/copying work
7. Getting up from your chair
8. Quick awkward movements
9. Improper lifting techniques
10. Construction work
11. Moving
12. Home remodeling
13. Laying carpet or floor tiles
14. Repetitive assembly line work
15. Working as a stock clerk
16. Operating heavy equipment
17. Operating vibrating equipment (jack hammer, etc.)
18. Being a hair stylist
19. Being a manicurist
20. Working in the medical professions
21. Performing a long surgery
22. Weak muscle tone
23. Doing yard work
24. Raking your lawn
25. Mowing your lawn
26. Trimming trees
27. Planting flowers
28. Pulling weeds
29. Cleaning your home
30. Sewing
31. Knitting
32. Long car trips
33. Car accidents
34. Car racing
35. Off road vehicle use
36. Motorcycle riding
37. Air travel
38. Carrying luggage
39. Boating
40. Riding a Jet-ski
41. Surfing
42. Water skiing
43. Wind surfing
44. Fishing
45. White water rafting
46. Tubing on a river
47. Horse back riding
48. Bull riding/rodeo
49. Golfing
50. Soccer
51. Football
52. Hockey
53. Basketball
54. Bicycling
55. Any sports if you are not in good physical condition
56. Not exercising
57. Not warming up before exercising
58. Jumping on a trampoline
59. Working as a stunt actor
60. Lifting weights improperly
61. Wrestling
62. Sneezing
63. Sleeping on a worn mattress
64. Sleeping with pets in your bed
65. Sleeping in a chair
66. Camping
67. Hunting
68. Skeet shooting
69. Rifle target shooting
70. Hiking
71. Carrying a back pack
72. Stress
73. Painting
74. Wearing high heeled shoes
75. Wearing flat shoes
76. Shoveling snow
77. Riding a snow mobile
78. Ice skating
79. Snow skiing
80. Tobogganing/Sledding
81. Falling on the ice
82. Gymnastics
83. Sky diving
84. Being a Paratrooper
85. Climbing stairs
86. Falling down the stairs
87. Climbing and working on a ladder
88. Falling off the ladder
89. Dancing
90. Cheerleading
91. Riding a roller coaster
92. Smoking
93. Being in bad health overall
94. Being too tall
95. Being too short
96. Being overweight
97. Being obese
98. Being too thin
99. Being young
100. Being old
101. Being human

No matter what the cause is of your back pain, one thing remains constant - it hurts. Clinical studies have shown that motion therapy is effective in treating some common back conditions. If your back pain does not improve within a few days, progressively gets worse or is caused by an accident or injury, consult your doctor right away.

This Blog is maintained by MediCepts, Inc, manufacturer of the SpineSix.All content has been provided by employees of MediCepts, Inc.

Spinal Stenosis and Back Pain Relief

Spinal stenosis is a very common spinal disorder which unfortunately is a natural part of growing older. Stenosis may occur in any part of your spine, and is named for the region of the spine affected, lumbar stenosis is located in the lower portion of the back, cervical stenosis in the neck region. Spinal stenosis is caused by the narrowing of channels through which the spinal cord and nerves are located.

Your symptoms are dependant on the location of where the spinal cord pathway is narrowed. If there is no nerve or spinal cord compression, the stenosis will not cause pain. Lumbar stenosis can produce pain and/or cramping in your legs. This type of pain usually eases if you bend forward or sit down. Other symptoms can include numbness, weakness or tingling in the leg or foot. Cervical stenosis symptoms may include pain in the neck and shoulders, headaches, numbness or muscle weakness.

Spinal stenosis can be difficult to diagnose as the symptoms may mimic other conditions, and symptoms may come and go. Physicians may order diagnostic tests such as CT scans, MRI scans, X-rays and nuclear medicine bone scans. Treatments vary depending on the severity of the spinal stenosis, for some unlucky few, surgery may be the only treatment.

Physical therapy (PT) is an important option to decrease pain and restore movement to your back. Therapy is the key to recovery, whether you will undergo surgery or not. PT for spinal stenosis will include passive and active therapies. The passive may include hot/cold modalities, deep tissue massage, tens unit application, and ultrasound. The active therapies will include exercises to help build and maintain strength, endurance and flexibility. These exercises are tailored to the individual patient and the severity of their spinal stenosis.

The SpineSix BioMotion Spinal System is an excellent spinal mobilization system that can be incorporated into the physical therapy protocols for spinal stenosis patients. The SpineSix gently moves the cervical and/or lumbar regions of the spine in a computer controlled, “figure 8” pattern. The patient is in a relaxed, non-weight bearing position for the treatments, which may decrease pain for the stenosis sufferer. The treatments on SpineSix, can be passive with no patient participation, active with the patient aiding or resisting the replication of the movements, and finally progressing to spinal stabilization. These treatments can aid in decreasing pain, increasing blood circulation, enhancing the recovery period, and restoring and preserving movement and flexibility of the spine. SpineSix therapy is gentle enough to use in all stages of healing, pre-surgically, post-surgically and for those undergoing non-invasive treatment options

If you are a spinal stenosis sufferer, be sure to ask your therapist or physician about SpineSix therapy.

This Blog is maintained by MediCepts, Inc, manufacturer of the SpineSix.All content has been provided by employees of MediCepts, Inc.
To learn more about SpineSix therapy and its complete list of clinical indications, please visit www.spinesix.com or call 1-866-224-4337.

The Back Pain Club

This morning I joined a club, this club is not very exclusive and there are no special requirements to be accepted, as a matter of fact, 80% of the United States population also belongs to this club. The club I joined is called “The Back Pain Club”. I got up from my desk chair, turned, and felt a pain shoot from my lower back into my left leg. Throughout the morning I have been getting stiffer and feel like I am being stabbed with a hot stick. Now I am on a search for the cure to my pain.

Back pain sufferers are flooded with all types of treatment options, take this pill, hang upside down from the door frame, and sleep on this $5000 mattress. Most of these treatments are a waste of money, time and only effective on a small number of people with minor ailments.

Since I have a medical background, I’ll go the route of conservative, evidence based treatment; taking Advil or another over the counter pain medication, minimal rest for a day, ice/heat and practice good posture while sitting at my desk. If my pain doesn’t subside in 3-4 days I will seek medical attention. My physician will take my medical history, do a physical exam and perhaps prescribe a pain medication and send me for physical therapy, all still considered conservative therapies. One thing I know for certain, I will go to a physical therapist or even a chiropractor that utilizes SpineSix motion therapy.

SpineSix BioMotion Spinal System® is a computer controlled motion therapy device for patients with low back pain. SpineSix mimics normal spine mechanics and gently guides the patient through a series of “figure 8” movements. Research has shown that motion enhances the healing process while decreasing pain. SpineSix treatments are gentle enough for use in all stages of the healing process. The SpineSix can increase range of motion, which will help me get back to living life the way I need to.

SpineSix was designed to be an additional tool in a physical therapy protocol and is available in orthopaedic, physical therapy and chiropractic facilities. Join my club and ask for SpineSix therapy to treat your back pain.

This Blog is maintained by MediCepts, Inc, manufacturer of the SpineSix.All content has been provided by employees of MediCepts, Inc.
SpineSix is an U.S. FDA class 1 medical device. For more information visit www.spinesix.com or call 866-2240-4337.

Will Summer Be A Pain In The Neck? Back Pain Relief For Muscle Strains and Muscle Sprains

Ahhh, summer is here! For many of us that means family vacations, catching up on outdoor chores and participating in lots of outside activities. Maybe you’ll work in the garden, paint your house or just play ball with the kids in the backyard. No matter what you are doing, remember to take care of your back.

Weekend warriors (or seasonal warriors) are at a higher risk of suffering from back pain than those of us who exercise regularly. Our muscles may not be conditioned to withstand the sudden stretching and pulling that we will subject them to. This sudden use of our muscles, tendons and ligaments can lead to back pain and neck pain.

Muscle sprains and muscle strains are the most common back injury, and may develop in response to our new found activity level. Muscle strain is due to the abnormal stretching, or tearing, of the muscles; lumbar sprain is caused when ligaments are torn from their attachments to the bone. These conditions can be caused by injury, improper lifting, or gradually from overuse. Once the muscles become injured, the soft tissue in that area becomes inflamed, pain and muscle spasms may occur. Fortunately, muscle sprains and muscle strains are not usually serious. I want to add here that back pain after an accident, slip or fall, or that does not get better within a few days should be evaluated by a physician for underlying causes.

Lumbar strain/sprain symptoms may include:

• lower back pain that may radiate into the buttock, but not the legs
• decreased range-of-motion, flexibility
• muscle spasm
• inability to maintain normal posture
• pain

It is no longer believed that people with back pain caused by muscle strains or sprains should rest or stay in bed for extended periods of time. Actually, inactivity may have contributed to our injury in the first place. The lack of moving the muscles enough to keep them flexible and healthy caused the strain on them when you did use them again. We now know that movement contributes greatly to the healing process. Medical studies have shown that motion increases blood flow and nutrients to the injured areas, increases flexibility all while decreasing pain. The more we can move the easier it will be to do so. Alternately, lack of movement will make it harder and more painful to move later on. So, even though it may hurt, continue with your daily activities as best as possible.

The treatment for lower back strain and sprain are the same. If your pain is severe, your physician may prescribe several days of rest - no more than one or two, and pain medications. Your physician may recommend physical therapy. The therapist will perform an in-depth evaluation, based on your diagnosis, and design a treatment plan tailored specifically for you. The plan may include motion therapy, traction, massage, ice/heat, electrical muscle stimulation and gentle exercise.

SpineSix therapy may help with movement for those with muscle sprains and strains. SpineSix offers controlled motion to the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine. This controlled motion has been shown to accelerate the healing process by decreasing inflammation and swelling, preventing scar tissue development, providing increased blood flow to the affected area which will deliver oxygen and nutrients, and most important, it has been shown to decrease pain, sometimes after just one session.

The SpineSix BioMotion Spinal System® is an innovative computer controlled therapeutic motion system for patients with neck pain and lower back pain. This high-technology therapy was designed by leading spine specialists and engineers to mimic normal spinal mechanics and physiologic movements while the patient is comfortably positioned in a non-weight bearing environment. During SpineSix therapy the cervical and/or lumbar regions of the spine are gently moved in a “figure 8” pattern. This gentle range-of-motion therapy is computer controlled and clinician determined, ensuring treatments are precise, reproducible and tailored to the each specific patient. Patients with neck pain and lower back pain have found relief by this evidence based treatment of motion therapy. If you are experiencing neck pain or lower back pain, ask your therapist or physician if SpineSix therapy is right for you. SpineSix is available in Chiropractic offices, Orthopedic and Physical Therapy facilities.

This Blog is maintained by MediCepts, Inc, manufacturer of the SpineSix.All content has been provided by employees of MediCepts, Inc.
For more information on SpineSix, visit http://www.spinesix.com or call 1-866-224-4337. SpineSix is an FDA registered Class 1 medical device.

Sciatica Relief With SpineSix Therapy

Millions of people suffer from back pain daily. Pain that runs from the lower back, down the buttock and into the foot is termed Sciatica. Sciatica is not a disorder, but a symptom. Simply stated, Sciatica is described as the pain traveling in the distribution of the Sciatic nerve, which is the largest and longest nerve in the body.

Sciatic symptoms typically include pain, tingling, numbness, muscle weakness or a pins and needle feeling. Sciatic nerve compression may cause any of, or a combination of, the above symptoms in one or both legs. Lumbar spinal disorders known to cause Sciatica include herniated discs, degenerated disc disease, lumbar stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and more rarely, tumors and infections.

There is great news for the majority of Sciatica sufferers - Sciatica will usually resolve on its own over the course of several days to twelve weeks. In the short term, pain management techniques and regular exercise will go a long way. In fact, inactivity may make the Sciatic pain worse; regular movements and exercise are needed to provide nourishment to the back structures and strengthen the muscles that support the back. For those people whose pain continues, it will be necessary to seek medical attention. The Physician will diagnose the disorder that is causing the Sciatica and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Exercises for Sciatic pain focuses on strengthening the abdominal and back muscles, which are used for support and movement Physicians may prescribe a course of physical therapy, which could include heat/cold therapy, manual manipulation, massage therapy and exercise. SpineSix Therapy is an additional modality used by physical therapists in the treatment of Sciatic patients. SpineSix BioMotion Spinal System® is an innovative spinal mobilization device that reproduces normal spinal mechanics. SpineSix gently moves the patient in a series of “figure 8” coupled movements, which will aid in the strengthening of the abdominal and spinal muscles. The patient will benefit from decreased pain and increased range-of-motion.

SpineSix has the ability to progress with the patient through their course of treatment. Initially, while the patient is in the painful stage of Sciatica, passive routines are suitable. Core stabilization routines involving full patient participation can be utilized as tolerated by the patient. Core Stabilization strengthens spinal musculature, which helps to prevent the recurrence of Sciatica and other injuries. These exercises help improve posture, range-of-motion and flexibility and will help decrease pain. The patient will then return to living life without limitations.

This Blog is maintained by MediCepts, Inc, manufacturer of the SpineSix.All content has been provided by employees of MediCepts, Inc.

For more information, visit www.spinesix.com or call 1-772-781-1184. SpineSix is a registered United States FDA Class 1 medical device.