Postural Dysfunction and Back Pain
You might remember when you were a child and the admonishments you would get from your parent to “stand up straight.” As it turns out, they might have been right. When you engage in “good” posture, you are allowing your body to have an appropriate alignment of your neck, spine and legs which allows your muscular system to support your body in a way that doesn’t place undue stress on any part of your body. However, for most of us, slouching, poor seating at your desk and even having to regularly engage in work that demands you move your body in unnatural positions can cause you to place additional strain on certain muscles.
Unsurprisingly, this additional strain can cause muscles to weaken and put your spinal vertebrae in positions that can cause future problems down the road. The longer this goes on for, the more pronounced the problems can become. These structural problems can result in common back pain issues such as pinched nerves and spinal sprains and strains. However, is there really a way to correct this after a lifetime of poor postural habits?
Back specialists, such as the ones found at Integrated Spine & Sports, can help you to fix your posture to a more natural and healthful position. Though it might feel painful and uncomfortable at first, you are undoing a lifetime of bad habits. Through use of stretching, physiotherapy and chiropractic measures, you can correct your posture and your back pain. Many patients say they often feel taller after engaging in this type of correction, or even feel like they have a better figure! Meet with your back specialists so they’re able to better ascertain what your posture issues are and help you develop a overall holistic plan.
Source: https://minneapolisclinic.com/rehabilitation/postural-dysfunction/
Our approach to treating back pain
By visiting a back pain specialist clinic such as Integrated Spine & Sports, the professionals there can help individually tailor a program to help both manage your symptoms and work on your recovery.
We offer non-surgical options for the treatment of injuries and medical conditions affecting the back, with an integrative approach that may include:
Back Pain Specialists
Our back pain specialists in Manhattan create custom treatments designed to meet the needs of people suffering from acute pain due to injury, as well as those experiencing chronic conditions affecting the muscles, discs, soft tissue and nerves within the back, cervical spine, and neck.
Our integrative team, consisting of a board-certified physiatrist, chiropractors, and physical therapists, offers comprehensive treatment for acute and chronic back pain treatment in NYC.
Back Pain FAQs
Some of the common symptoms of COVID-19 are “aches and pains”. Some patients do experience back pain, especially in the lower back. In some cases, the pain is subtle but constant. In others, it is an intense, pulsating pain, which can radiate down to the legs. If the back pain persists, consult your doctor.
Generally, the best position to sleep is on your back. Sleeping on one’s back ensures that the spine is in a neutral position, which can help with back pain. You can also put a pillow under your knees, legs, and/or lower back to support the natural curve of the spine. This can minimize lumbar pressure and relieve back pain.
If doing gentle back stretches doesn’t do the trick, then try strengthening your core so your spine isn’t struggling to stay upright. Heat therapy and cold therapy can also work well for pain relief. If your back pain is a result of poor posture or a bad workstation setup, make the necessary changes to avoid back pain in the future.
Your back pain is likely serious if it occurs with any of the following symptoms: numbness in lower body, loss of bladder/bowel control, fever, unexplained weight loss, swelling. In such cases, please consult a physiatrist immediately.
Short-term (or acute) back pain lasts a few days to a few weeks. This is often the case with back pain, and patients usually recover without medical treatment. Sometimes, it lasts for 12 weeks or longer. This is called chronic back pain, and it can take a while to go away. Medical treatment often helps relieve chronic backpain, so we recommend consulting a physiatrist.
Acupuncture provides short-term relief for chronic back pain. Back pain is actually the number 1 reported reason people seek acupuncture. By stimulating the various acupuncture points associated with back pain, parts of the nervous system are also stimulated, which can help provide pain relief.
