April 2022 Healthy News from Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important
“Why are you asking me all these questions, doc?”
Our La Grande chiropractic patients are the center of our practice. We want to understand each you and your pain experience well, treat you well, and ensure that you are satisfied with your care and outcome. That’s why we ask you to explain your pain to us, sometimes a few times and in a variety of different ways! Words mean different things to different people: “discomfort” to one may signify “pain” to another while “stiffness” means “pain” or “discomfort” to a another. It is true! Researchers did a deep-dive into these different words and their meanings to patients. An example with regards to the description of “feeling”: pain was sharp/shooting, discomfort was dull/tingling, stiffness was tight/restricted. (1) It's beneficial for Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC to know our patient’s experience with pain to better meet expectations and boost satisfaction with care. Patients who visited an integrated hospital for care of their musculoskeletal pain and depressive symptoms rated their pain as 5/10 (10 being greatest pain) and indicated multiple pain locations (9 of 17 participants), low back pain (13 of 17), and neck pain (8 of 17). Those are very typical of rationales patients pursue chiropractic care! In this setting, patients were satisfied with the collaboration among the various healthcare team members due to the trust they had in their physician. Patients appreciated consistency in care from one caregiving chiropractor. (2) Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC knows our patients value - and can expect - these same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
La Grande CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Strengthen Multifidus Muscles While Standing
Back pain. It’s a simple description that may stem from a multitude of factors including the muscles of the spine, those seen and unseen. The multifidus muscles are such unseen muscles, smaller, deep muscles that run beside the spine from the neck to the sacrum. These muscles aid movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted. (3) Recently, researchers proposed that the multifidi may be a potential source of back pain since they are found to be stiffer in low back pain sufferers. Low back pain is linked to lumbodorsal musculature (which includes the multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus sufficiently which may prevent low back pain initiated by muscle fatigue. (4) “Superman” (on-the-floor) exercises are well known. Standing back extension and “superman” exercises are newly reported as equally beneficial to strengthen these multifidus muscles. (5) That’s great news! La Grande back pain sufferers can do easy, standing exercises like this anywhere! The multifidi benefit!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Paula Hugulet on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she explains the benefit of increasing muscle strength and function as part of back pain care following the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
Make your next La Grande chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles will be strengthened via proper exercise to lessen and potentially avert back pain. Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC will ask you questions, and you are welcome to ask Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC questions, too!