Many Americans who suffer from lower back pain (LBP) don’t realize how incredibly common the health condition is, as indicated by a stat list from the American Chiropractic Association:
- Per the Global Burden of Disease 2010 (an annual report created by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation), LBP causes more disability globally than any other condition.
- One out of every two American workers report pain in the lumbar region of the spine each year, according to a study from the Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine.
- More than 30 million US adults suffer from LBP each day, per a report from the New England Journal of Medicine.
Lower back pain is clearly an astronomical challenge to our ability to earn a living, our general quality of life, and even the international economy. Anyone suffering from this condition should take action immediately to alleviate the pain and prevent chronic difficulties.
It’s become increasingly clear to doctors and researchers that strengthening the core can relieve LBP. Nottingham University completed an overview on the subject of using core stability exercises to treat LBP in January 2014, offering the below information.
What is core stability?
Although the term has been defined variously, a common understanding of core stability is this: the ability of the lumbopelvic-hip complex to hold the spine in a balanced position. Elements of the body involved in core stability include the following, ranging from the lower abdomen to the pelvis:
- Diaphragm
- Multifidus
- Obliques (external/internal)
- Pelvic floor
- Rectus abdominus
- Tranversus abdominus
How does core strength positively impact the lower back?
Essentially, the goal of strengthening and stabilizing the core is to properly align the spine, so that the muscles can function properly. In fact, the main purpose of the core muscles listed above is to increase pressure within the abdomen and the thoracolumbar fascia, forcing the structures surrounding the spine into a stiff position of stability.
Here are two specific ways that core stability protects us from lower back pain:
- Anticipatory repositioning in order to best respond to a particular force
- Integration of motion to mitigate the severity of force experienced by the joints of your lumbar spine.
Custom, multimodal solutions
Strengthening the core is a natural process anyone can use to expedite recovery from lower back pain. Along with strengthening and stabilizing exercises, Atlanta Medical Clinic recommends nonsurgical treatments: cold laser therapy, spine and joint manipulation, H-Wave electrotherapy, and spinal decompression using the DRX9000™. Get a free consultation today at 404.872.8837.