McKinney Chiropractor;
Prevent Injuries by Strengthening Your Core
Video by Dr. Anthony Vasile
Recently I injured myself learning how to wakeboard. I have never experienced back problems before, so this was new and frustrating for me. I injured myself by putting my spine in a very vulnerable position. This position is flexion with rotation under load. The load can be from lifting something or by resistance like fighting against the water while trying to get up on a wakeboard like I did. One way to prevent injuries like this from happening is by strengthening and training core muscles. These core muscles protect our spine by keeping it aligned during certain motions.
At the clinic we see over and over again people hurting themselves with this exact motion. It can be from unloading the dishwasher, unloading the laundry machine, leaning over to pick up groceries, and even leaning over to pick up a child. Learning how to prevent injuries like this is crucial to staying healthy and being able to stay functional. There was a big research study in the Netherlands that looked at the workers of 34 different companies. The goal was to look at the relationship between flexion and rotation of the trunk while lifting at work and the occurrence of low back pain. Physical load at work was assessed by means of analysis of video recordings. The study concluded that flexion and rotation of the trunk and lifting at work are moderate risk factors for low back pain, especially at greater levels of exposure.
I wanted to share with you an exercise that can help prevent an injury like this from occurring. This specific exercise is called a palloff press. It is an anti-rotation exercise that precisely works the intrinsic stabilizing muscles of the spine. It is also a great rehabilitation exercise if low back pain has already occurred. I encourage you to check out my video where I explain exactly how to perform this exercise. And remember exercise and stabilizing the spine is only one method to staying healthy. Make sure that you continue to get regular chiropractic adjustments to keep your spine moving properly and functioning optimally so you can prevent injuries like this from happening.
Reference Article-
Hoogendoorn WE, Bongers PM, de Vet HC, Douwes M, Koes BW, Miedema MC, Ariëns GA, Bouter LM. Flexion and rotation of the trunk and lifting at work are risk factors for low back pain: results of a prospective cohort study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000 Dec 1;25(23):3087-92. doi: 10.1097/00007632-200012010-00018. PMID: 11145822.
Our Message
Our Chiropractors in McKinney, located near the corner of Eldorado Pkwy. and Ridge Rd., take a natural approach to getting rid of soreness caused by low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, etc. We know how important getting the right amount of nutrients and movement is to your health. Through Chiropractic adjustments and education, we teach our patients the best ways to relieve pain with Chiropractic and without medicine.