Low Back Pain Series: Part Three

My name is Dr. Robert Cutting and I am the sole Chiropractor working alongside the team at Mackie Physiotherapy. When it comes to treating patients, I believe in taking an evidence-informed approach to care. Evidence-informed care takes into account the best available evidence, a patient’s preferences and my own clinical knowledge and experience. There certainly is no “one size fits all” when it comes to treating an individual’s musculoskeletal complaints. It’s important to approach each case on an individual basis, and treat based on the individual’s needs and with their specific goals in mind. 

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Chiropractic treatment is highly skilled, hands-on health care that can relieve pain and help improve mobility. Even if you don’t have painful symptoms, regularly scheduled chiropractic care has shown to be beneficial and can help you maintain a healthy spine as well as optimal muscle and joint function.

We as a team love to educate and empower patients to help them better understand their health. This is instalment three of a six-part series focusing specifically on low back pain. By educating patients about their low back pain we can provide the tools to help them understand their pain and feel empowered to take an active role in their care plan. This lays the foundation for them to regain a locus of control and develop the confidence to return to doing the things they love.

What should you do if you've been living with persistent low back pain for three or more months?

First off, medications (specifically opioids) should not be viewed as a long-term solution. For some people, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen may provide relief in the first few days following a new episode of low back pain, but over time they will lose their effectiveness, leading those with persistent low back pain to seek higher dosages. The struggle with opioid use is well-documented, with current research confirming first world countries like Canada and the U.S. abuse opioids in an attempt to manage pain. The dangerous addictive side-effects of long-term use are beginning to steer clinicians away from prescribing them and more towards conservative management such as physiotherapy, chiropractic care, and massage therapy. Furthermore, procedures such as injections and surgeries have a very limited role, are costly to the health care system, come with their own inherent risks, and should only be considered if conservative management has failed. Finally, spinal fusions are the most costly and dangerous procedures performed, and to date have not proven to be more successful than conservative management.

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Passive treatment modalities such as TENS or ultrasound may help some people, but if you’ve tried them in the past with little improvement then they may not be for you. Therapists from all professions are guilty at times for using too many passive treatments in the name of ‘healing’ or ‘pain relief’.  Current best practice guidelines do not support the use of these modalities in isolation, especially in the case of persistent low back pain. If you are seeking care in a clinic that relies solely on using machines for treatment and doesn’t get you involved in your own treatment plan, it may be time to try something new.

Lifestyle advice and back pain education should be a cornerstone of treatment. Back pain is an individualized experience and if it persists then there is clearly something (or perhaps many things) going on that need to be addressed. There are many variables that can complicate low back pain, including workplace stress, family dynamics, occupation demands, general health habits, and the list goes on and on. A good practitioner will give advice to help you navigate through these variables helping you make positive healthy decisions to support your recovery.

Exercise is critical! We cannot stress this point enough. A progressive exercise approach that focuses on functional improvements and not just pain is paramount. The guidelines recommend exercise programs that take individual needs, preferences, and capabilities into account. An individualized exercise approach, not a cookie cutter approach, is the most effective way to both manage back pain and prevent future episodes. This is more than just hopping on a cardio machine or doing a couple of generic stretches for your low back. A progressive program should evolve over time and address weaknesses and limitations to improve the overall health of your back.

My hope is that this information may challenge some of the current misconceptions surrounding low back pain. My goal with this series is to educate, empower and create a more positive and resilient outlook towards low back pain!

If you’re ready to start doing something about your low back pain give our Evergreen (306-952-6277) or Arlington (306-955-7888) location a call and one of our front desk staff will be happy to book you an appointment with Dr. Cutting. I will thoroughly assess your individual case and create a targeted treatment plan based on sound clinical reasoning and research to help you manage your low back pain.

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Dr. Rob Cutting can be seen at both Mackie Physiotherapy Clinics!

Monday / Wednesday / Friday at Evergreen Mackie Physiotherapy
Tuesday / Thursday at Arlington Mackie Physiotherapy

You will not be disappointed with the quality of skill and patient care.

Call and book today!

Arlington: (306) 955-7888                   Evergreen: (306) 952-6277