Every person experiences back pain at some point of their time. This is attributed to the bipedal posture that humans have acquired during evolution. Majority of back pain is due to mechanical reasons which subside by themselves. In the present era poor posture and sedentary life style contribute to these aches. It is very important to rule out other serious conditions if the pain persists for more than a week.
Abdomen related problems, urinary tract problems, kidney diseases, cardiac problems, lungs related issues and most importantly in female population, uterine disorders and ovarian cysts can all present with back pain. The one distinguishing factor in all these conditions is that other system related disorders will be present. Fever can also cause back pain.
A careful examination of the person concerned is always important to rule out these disorders. A visit to the hospital is suggested if
Those with severe pain may need to be investigated further to see if there is any serious cause for the pain. We divide these investigations into two sets. The first set consists of basic investigations like blood tests and X-rays. These are simple and not expensive. They help to rule out tumors, infections, and arthritis-like problems.
If they show positive results, then you may be subjected to further investigations like MRI, CT scan, bone scan, etc., depending on the disease suspected. These investigations are very specific and depend on the condition that needs to be treated for the specific patient.
For non-specific back pains, fibromyalgias, posture related problems etc. all the above blood reports will be normal. These patients and for those in software profession and other jobs which demand prolonged sitting we conduct SPINE REHABILITATION PROGRAMS. These are sessions in which patient will be assessed and exercise program will be tailored to their needs and demands. They usually take a month time which patient can attend once in a week or so and graded exercises will be taught by spine physiotherapists.
Back Ache School is another initiative by our hospital where patients with similar job profiles and demands are clubbed together, and an exercise program is taught to them as a group.
In presenting this Scholarly Project in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a graduate degree from the University of North Dakota, I agree that the Department of Physical Therapy shall make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for extensive copying for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor who supervised my work or, in his absence, by the Chairperson of the department.
Physical therapy is an often-used conservative treatment option to treat various low back diagnoses. Various interventions include traction, electrotherapy, and therapeutic exercise, which may include lumbar stabilization exercises. It is very important to be aware of the research behind these various interventions, as well as whether they are cost-effective relative to surgical intervention.
Lee and Kim set out to examine the effects of Swiss ball lumbar stabilization exercises on pain levels of their subjects’ lower backs. The study took place over a course of weeks, and they had a total of patients, all of which had a diagnosis of chronic low back pain. They were split into three groups: conservative treatment, floor exercise, and Swiss ball exercise groups. The pain was measured regularly.
Schellenberg et al performed a study to determine the mean prone and supine bridging times in patients with and without low back pain, as well as determine the muscles that activated the most during these maneuvers. They were interested in determining whether these mean bridging times were a valuable diagnostic and progression tool. Results came to show that the primary muscles involved in supine bridging were the rectus abdominis and the external oblique.
The primary muscles involved in prone bridging were the erector spine and hamstrings. Mean bridging times were significantly different between the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. It can be concluded from this research article that bridging times are a valuable diagnostic tool. They are also potential stabilization exercises that can be incorporated into therapeutic exercise regimens for low back patients.
The patient came to therapy for the first time with a physician’s referral to evaluate and treat his complaint of chronic low back pain. He was experiencing pain in his low back that began about a year ago and had been gradually worsening. He had fallen off a semi-truck, which he was working on, landing on his back with his hand tucked into the small of his back, which broke his hand and initiated his back pain.
The patient lived alone in a single bedroom apartment, on the ground level. He was unable to work due to his back pain, and reported feeling so hopeless that he didn’t feel like going out to socialize with his friends. The only thing that he was able to do was to lie in bed for the majority of the day, and even that did not make it better.
Prescribed exercises without any report of symptom aggravation. Over the next few weeks, the patient made significant progress. Following application of-wave, he was able to complete advanced exercises such as squatting with dumbbells, Theraband hip abduction while bridging, planking, and advanced lumbar stabilization exercises with a Swiss ball (see Appendix for pictures).
