Newsletter #21

For A Fine Spine

Food, Supplements, and Exercise Relieve Back Pain

Sooner or later, back pain, especially pain in the lower back, affects nearly every American. Often it's a disk problem.

Disks are the cushions between vertebrae, and when damaged or ruptured, their soft interior gel protrudes. Herniated disks, also known as prolapsed or slipped disks, are a leading cause of back pain.

TOO MUCH PRESSURE

Research has shown that different postures expose disks to different amounts of pressure, some of which increase the risk of injury and pain. Lying flat on your back exposes the disks in your lower spine to only light pressure, about 25 pounds per square inch (psi). Lying on your side generates 75 psi, while standing exerts 100 psi of disk pressure. Sitting produces a potentially damaging 140 psi, for anything above 130 psi tends to aggravate the lower back.

"Sitting is definitely a problem postition," explains chiropractor James Kotorac, DC, of Congers, New York, who specializes in sports injuries and back pain. "As soon as someone with back pain sits on a sofa or other soft surface, the back slouches into a position that increases disk pressure. It also shortens the psoas muscle, which tugs on the vertebrae when the person gets up, and that worsens the pain."

THE RIGHT MOVE

Too much or the wrong type of movement can be just as damaging as inactivity. Dr. Kotorac sends many of his patients for training in the Alexander Technique, which corrects posture, rebalances the body, and helps relieve chronic pain. Other boydwork systems that improve alignment and correct imbalances include the Felenkrais Method, Rolfing, Aston-Patterning, and Hellerwork.

"The best way to help prevent back pain from occurring or recurring," says Dr. Kotorac, "is to strengthen and balance the entire body so that you have what I call a good core stability."

Unfortunately, exercises commonly prescribed for people with back pain are not always effective and, in some cases, make things wors. According to Dr. Kotorac, the safest positions in which to exercise are the same positions that produce the least disk pressure: lying flat on your back, lying on your side, or standing. However, these are not the positions emphasized in most rehabilitation therapy exercise programs.

"Today's standard home care treatment for disk patients includes exercises that put a terrible strain on the back," he warns. "I never recommend the classic bent-knee sit-up for back patients because it exerts 210 pounds of pressure per square inch. That hurts! Another problem position is the standing forward bend, which exerts 150 psi on the low back. Unfortunately, this is how most of us pick things up off the floor, and it's how many people injure their backs. Substituting a safe abdominal crunch for a sit-up will still exercise the abdominal muscles, and squatting is much safer than bending forward from the waist."

What type of exercise has helped his patients the most? "Using rocker boards and wobble boards," he says. "Keeping your balance on a rocker board takes you through a full range of motion and stimulates all the important muscles without causing strain or pain. These devices started out as toys for kids, but now they're a highly effective therapy for everything from ankle sprains and injured knees to every type of low back pain."

RELIEVING PAIN

If chronic or acute back pain interferes with your life, simple home treatments may help. Consult a physician if symptoms don't improve quickly, because some illnesses (such as kidney, bladder, prostate problems, and other diseases) can cause back pain.

*Drink more water. Back pain and muscle aches are often related to

dehydration, and drinking water lubricates joints and prevents acidic

wastes from collecting in muscles and tissue.

*Take enzymes. Enteric-coated enzymes or bromelain capsules taken

between meals move into the bloodstream and remove inflammation.

Extensive German research has shown this treatment to be safe and

effective for acute pain, trauma injuries, and chronic pain. Label

doses are for the maintenance of good health; to treat pain and injury,

these doses can be substantially increased and taken more often.

*Let go of stress. John Sarno, MD, a physician at the Rusk Institute of

Rehabilitation Medicine at New York University Medical Center, treats

all back pain by ignoring physical symptoms and encouraging patients

to resume their normal activities while letting go of fear and anger.

He attributes the stiffening and hardening of muscles, nerves, tendons,

and ligaments to oxygen deprivation caused by unconscious patterns of

repressed emotions and the tension they generate.

*Eat more fresh, whole foods, and take nutritional supplements to

support the musculoskeletal system. An injured body needs extra

vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients for its repair. Glucosamine

sulfate, chondtroitin sulfate, MSM (methyl-sulfonyl-methane), and

omega-3 fatty acids help repair back injuries. And the herbs white

willow bark, turmeric, devil's claw, boswellia, ginger, and cayenne

help relieve inflammation and alleviate back pain. Some of these herbs

are available in pain-relieving topical creams and lotions, as well as

capsules for internal use. Arnica, sold as a liquid extract for

topical application, helps clear inflammation from trauma injuries and

strained muscles.

*Get more exercise and, if overweight, lose weight. Swimming and

walking are excellent for back problems. It's important to avoid

staying in the same position for long periods. Some practitioners

recommend setting a timer as a reminder to walk, stretch, or move

every 60 minutes.

*Seek balance. Any repetitive motion can pull the body out of alignment

and contribute to back pain. "Athletes usually heal faster than

sedentary people," says Dr. Kotorac, "but that isn't true for bowlers,

golfers, or baseball players, unless they're switch hitters. These

activities cause the body to keep rotating the same way over and over,

when what's needed is movement in the opposite direction." If you're

a runner, stretch and do yoga. If you're in construction or drive a

truck, get aerobic exercise. Office workers should lift weights, for

instance.

Selected Sources

*Alexander Technique, www. alexandertechnique.com

*Feldenkrais Method, www.feldenkrais.com

*Rolfing, www.rol.org

*Aston-Patterning, www.astonpatterning.com

*Hellerwork, 800-392-3900

*The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain, by John

Sarno, MD

*Prescription for Nutritional Healing, by Phyllis A. Balch and James F.

Balch, MD