In my preceeding column in this series, we discussed the gap between the way we’ve learned to move throughout our lives and the ability of our bracing muscles to stabilize us enough to execute those movements. As we grow, stability leads to coordination. If we get injured or become sedentary, however,
As the Masters golf tournament approaches each year my thoughts turn to Byron Nelson. As a ‘marginally’ famous back pain and sports medicine doctor, I often get to care for patients who are actually famous. I have pictures and mementos from these patients, but I only have one that hangs
Many patients who suffer from chronic pain, particularly in cases involving the lower back, do so because they have developed a condition I label “Bracing Deficiency”, in which the body’s network of bracing muscles no longer provides the underlying stability to move in the ways in which we’ve grown accustomed.
Most back doctors are lousy diagnosticians. The vast majority of my patients who have seen multiple back specialists tell me that I am the only doctor who has ever actually examined their back. The problem arises from an over-reliance on the MRI as a diagnostic tool. Few pain doctors are
In a groundbreaking departure from conventional medical wisdom and past practice, the American College of Physicians released new guidelines for the treatment of chronic back pain, including a recommendation of proper exercise before turning to medication, as reported by the online news site Vox. As part of these new guidelines the American College
The simple exercises that target the small gluteus bracing muscles from the STABILITY Series No. 1 and No. 2, may at first appear as exercises meant for the very old or very weak, or as exercises done only until one is ready to go back to the gym for a
Spine stability is an inherent component in the design of our bodies. We gain spinal stability throughout childhood and early adulthood. As infants, we can only stand once we achieve the stability to do so. As toddlers, we crawl until we gain the strength in our bracing muscles to walk and then
I have seen some strong patients in my twenty years of practicing medicine: bodybuilders, professional athletes, Pilates instructors, laborers and others who depend on strength for their work. “Weak” is not a term we would associate with them, but the longstanding back pain they suffer is the result of a
Life can be busy any time of year, especially around the holidays. The holidays often demand that we each deliberately make time for wellness and exercise. Like any of our daily preventive habits for overall health like brushing our teeth, physical wellness works best when practiced regularly. Maintaining strength and
Why is chronic back pain such a global problem with no widespread treatment moving us any closer to solving the condition? For the answer, consider these reasons: We work harder, longer, and play outside less and less. Look around your office: it’s a safe bet that most of your coworkers are sitting,