Patients in chronic or persistent pain often do not meet national guidelines for exercise each week. In particular, patients with chronic low back pain have been shown to reduce daily, occupational, and recreational activities due to their symptoms and fear of re injury. Aerobic and strength training exercise remains one of the most important interventions...
Chronic or persistent pain is defined by pain that extends beyond 12 weeks or the normal healing time for a given injury/diagnosis despite treatment. Our medical system does a great job treating new or acute pain, but has struggled to be as effective with patients dealing with chronic pain. It is estimated 1 in 4...
Exercise remains an essential intervention of any acute or chronic pain management program. The effects of aerobic exercise on pain reduction (analgesia) is well established and thought to occur through a multifactorial process involving positive neurological (peripheral nerves, spinal cord, and brain), as well as, immunological, and circulatory changes in the body. The analgesic effects...
Cupping is an intervention dating back at least 1000 years, but has experienced a resurgence in popularity due in part to the visible red circles found on many high level athletes’ bodies. Although touted to benefit multiple body systems cupping lacks scientific data from methodologically sound research studies, including randomized controlled trials. Within the musculoskeletal...
Chronic low back pain is a common condition described as pain lasting longer than 3 months in duration. At this point in a patient’s recovery, active interventions such as graded aerobic exercise and strength training take on a greater importance in a patient’s recovery. These interventions are most valuable in order to reduce the pain...
Low back pain is the leading cause of disability in our country, costing billions of dollars per year, felt by both the healthcare system and taxpayers. Acute low back pain lasting less than 30 days is a very common condition experienced by up to 90% of us during our lifespans. Thankfully, there is a very...
Exercise is a powerful pain modulator. This well-established concept has been rigorously studied and trial after trial show that low, moderate, and vigorous exercise provides short term decreases in pain sensitivity. But there is more to it than just performing body movements. Researchers are now looking at how personal expectations and education regarding exercise affects...
With all credit due to exercise, It is hard to think of a more effective modifiable risk factor on an individual’s health than smoking. The CDC reports smoking harms all of the body’s organ systems and is a known cause of chronic diseases including lung disease (COPD), heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Researchers report...
Low back pain remains one of the top reasons patients seek treatment from physicians and Physical Therapists. Acute low back pain defined as lasting < 12 weeks is effectively treated by Physical Therapists with spinal manipulation, directional exercise, and strength training. Patient outcomes are significantly improved when patients are provided with treatments consistent with their...
Low back pain remains one of the constants in life, but thankfully is easily treated with Physical Therapy interventions including spinal manipulation, strength training, and directional exercise. Authors report 85-90% of low back pain symptoms cannot be attributed to any one tissue or pathology and remain non specific in nature. These findings, in part, have...