Tag Archive for: back pain

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Anti-Inflammatory Injection – Press Release from the BCA

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The news that an anti-inflammatory injection will soon be available for some people in the UK with chronic, inflammatory back pain called Ankylosing Spondylitis, will be welcomed by those suffering from the condition which is currently estimated to be around 200,000 people

The vast majority of people suffering from back pain in the UK have the form that is ‘mechanical’ in origin, which can result from wear and tear, poor posture, strains or injury, as opposed to inflammatory disease. There are already many viable options for treatment of inflammatory disease which have been outlined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. These guidelines on the management of lower back pain include recommending a course of treatment of manipulation, which is provided by chiropractors who are also very well placed to diagnose and treat mechanical back pain.

Tim Hutchful of the British Chiropractic Association, said: “Patients with inflammatory disease affecting their spine form a very small proportion of the total population who have back pain and for these patients, the availability of this drug may make a huge difference to their quality of life. However, the vast majority of patients I see as a chiropractor have back pain that is caused by injury, strain or wear and tear and this form of back pain responds well to a package of care that may include manipulation”.

Figures used were according to Ankylosing Spondylitis guidebook for patients from the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society October 2012

44% of the population stated they currently had some form of back pain or discomfort – British Chiropractic Association February 2013

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Caring for Carers – Back Pain Awareness Week

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This week is Back Pain Awareness Week – a campaign run by the charity Backcare – http://www.backcare.org.uk/. Visit their website to find out more, and to see their useful tips and information.

Back Pain is well documented for costing the UK economy millions of pounds in time lost to sickness, each week. What is less documented is the strain on the backs of people who are carers – lifting, carrying and helping others everyday, despite the toll on their back. This is the theme of this year’s Back Care Awareness Week.

If you are a carer and would like advice on posture and lifting, or are suffering with back pain due to your lifestyle as a carer, please do get in touch with us to find out about our consultations and our posture analysis.

Email leah@longlevenschiro.com

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Back pain

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A Chiropractor here at our family run clinic in Gloucester can help ease your back pain, after all, we are the spinal health care experts. Our award winning team will do everything possible to help your recovery.

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Postural Advice From Danny Adams: The Brugger Break

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The Brugger Break, also known as the Brugger relief position is an exercise that is brilliant for desk workers as it reverses the effects of sitting at a desk for long periods. It is a quick exercise at only 10 seconds duration and is easy to perform. When performed regularly (every 20 minutes) it can be one of the answers to the nagging question “how can I improve my posture?”

Here is how to perform it: i) Sit forwards onto the front edge of your seat ii) spread your legs out to 45 degrees each side and lean forward slightly so that your body weight is distributed in to your feet as well as your back. iii) extend your arms and then pull them back and down behind your body with your thumbs turned outwards and palms open. iv) tuck your chin straight back in to your chin (essentially giving  your self a double chin) v) push you chest forwards vi) take a deep breath in… then out, as you are breathing out push your chest even further forwards, remember to keep your hands back and to the sides behind you. vii) hold the out breath for 10 seconds and then return to work. viii) Set a timer or write yourself a post it note reminder for on your computer so that every 20 minutes it can be performed.

it only takes 10 seconds and will improve your posture, decrease your chance of back pain and aid any on-going treatment you are currently receiving.

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Great advice on Sleeping and Beds from the BCA

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Research carried out on behalf of Premier Inn suggests that you can tell a lot about someone’s personality by the position they sleep in. Your bed can also be the cause of back pain and the British Chiropractic Association has some great advice for sleep posture and how to choose your bed and pillow.

Choosing the right bed can minimise those factors that may lead to, or aggravate back pain. Research by the British Chiropractic Association in 2011 showed that of those experiencing back pain, 41% of women and 36% of men said that their pain could be brought on by a night’s so-called ‘rest’.
We come in different weights, shapes and sizes, but have one thing in common; we spend more than a third of our lives in bed, so should choose our beds carefully.
Which is better, a hard or soft mattress? – The best mattress is a ’supportive one‘. A 16 stone person sleeping on a mattress may not get the same support as a 10 stone person sleeping on the same mattress.

How do I know which is the right mattress for me? – If you are lying on your side, your spine should be parallel to the mattress and your spine should not sag (bed too soft) or bow (bed too hard). The longer you can spend lying on a mattress before you buy it, the more accurate this feeling will be. – Your pillow should be an extension of this i.e. your neck should be a continuation of the straight spine and not too high or too low.
What about my partner? –   Always shop with your partner as your respective ideal mattress tensions could be very different.  If this is the case, buy beds from a range that allow two single mattresses to be zipped together, so that you both get the support you need.

How do I know if my current bed/mattress needs replacing? –  Are you and your partner getting comfortable nights sleep? If the answer is no, your bed may be the problem. -Can you feel the springs through the mattress? If the answer is yes, it is definitely time to buy a new one. –  Is the bed more that 10 years old? If the answer is yes, consider purchasing a new one – beds wear out and may sag or lose support with time.

What things can I do to help prevent back problems even with my new mattress? – Try and adopt a sleeping position which creates less physical stress on the back. For example, lying on your side is better than lying on your front with your neck twisted to one side. –  Keep moving and avoid being in any one position for too long.

No matter how comfy the position may initially feel, the longer you stay in one position, the more this will ‘load joints’. If your partner moves around a lot at night, try separate beds for a while as your partner’s movement could aggravate YOUR back condition! –  Drink water. Keep well hydrated; dehydration can make muscles ache. –   Don’t leap out of bed first thing in the morning. After you have woken up wake up, try some gentle stretches. –   Wake up your body. Once up, avoid bending or doing anything sudden or strenuous until you back wakes up!

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Sacro-Iliac, also known as SI, Joint pain

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The Sacro-Iliac joint is a common cause of lower back pain due to the large amount of force it has to cope with, patients often get this joint confused with the hip as it is quite low and slightly to the side of the spine (wider in women).


This joint connects the spine to the pelvis and takes on a lot of force during motions involving the legs and torso. The joint essentially is a wedge of bone (The Sacrum) at the base of the spine fitting into wedge shaped region (between the ‘Ilia’, pleural of the ilium which is one of three parts of the pelvis) at the pelvis hence the name Sacro-iliac. Because this joint takes on so much force it requires a lot of stabilising, hence there are many ligaments connecting the sacrum to the surrounding structures. These ligaments are prone to injury, if the muscles around the joint, above or below are not working efficiently to support the spine then the S.I joint’s ligaments and cartilage are prone to increased forces and therefore damage.

Front view:

Rear view:

Pain that originally starts in this region often spreads across the whole of the lower back, this is because inflammation is a very clever but also very crude system. When the inflammatory process starts, it essentially dumps inflammatory chemicals on a region. What it often does however is go a bit too far, this can actually damage healthy cells, giving the feeling of pain in a general region. The S.I. joint can also refer pain to various other regions, this is because where the pain fibers from the S.I joint enter the spine, fibers often cross with fibers that innervate other regions of skin of the body, therefore producing pain at the region also. When this occurs, it is known as an S.I. joint Syndrome as all three components of pain, restriction and pain referral are involved to make up the ‘syndrome’.
Purely using an Ice pack regularly for 10-15 minutes every 2 hours for a week will make a massive difference and should localise the pain back to the joint where it originated. To clear out the rest and to prevent recurrence, a Chiropractor may be needed to get the joints moving properly and the muscles loosened and functioning correctly once more. There is only around 2-4 millimeters of movement at the joint therefore a Chiropractor will help regain as much movement as possible. This will get rid of the pain completely and with the correct assessment and treatment of your bio-mechanics and function it will prevent the problem from recurring in the future.

There are more serious conditions that can affect this joint such as various arthropathies, (there are many types of arthritis) though a well trained Chiropractor should be able to determine the exact cause of the pain from your history and assessment.

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STRAIGHTEN UP UK! Simon Rose gives an insight into the South West’s Back Pain Issues

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 This week is Back Care Awareness Week. Chiropractor Simon Rose of Longlevens Chiropractic & Sports Injury Clinic encourages people to straighten out their approach to back care, as new consumer research shows that almost half the UK population (48%*) has suffered from back pain.  Nearly 40% of sufferers in the South West have suffered from back or neck pain for more than ten years! Ouch!

 The research, commissioned by the British Chiropractic Association, shows that 23% of people in the South West have suffered for over a year, yet 19% of these people have never sought any professional treatment or consultation for their pain even though back pain has prevented 54 % of people in the South West from sleeping.

Simon Rose comments: “Back pain is something which must not be swept aside – not just by sufferers but by people of all ages who should think about preventative measures. Research shows that 43% of people are limited in their activity by back and joint pain, so we all need to act to ease and prevent future problems to live life to the fullest”.

The British Chiropractic Association has developed a simple program of exercises called “Straighten Up UK” to help people get more active and prevent back pain in both adults and children. Easy to learn and do, it consists of precise, slow stretches, each with a specific purpose.

Simon Rose says: “The three minute exercise routine helps to promote an active lifestyle as well as balance, strength and flexibility in the spine, therefore reducing the risk of problems arising. Education on the importance of posture and back care cannot begin early enough, the sooner action is taken the less likely future back pain will be. With recent research by the BCA showing that 42.5% of people do not participate in any physical exercise, we must shape up and straighten up to keep our backs healthy”.

Visit the BCA website to see instructional videos on the Straighten Up UK routine and begin to tackle potential problems this Back Care Awareness Week. You will also find a range of advice, leaflets and video guides available to download from the BCA website www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk.

*research conducted in February 2012

 

Tag Archive for: back pain

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