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La Grande Back and Neck Pain due to Things like Sitting or Doing Computer Work

December 21, 2022

Working on a computer for for too long. Sitting for a long time. Flexing over a project for too long. Many positional issues may trigger back pain or neck pain. Spine researchers talk about flexion relaxation ratios (FRR) and flexion relaxation phenomena (FRP) that arise with such irritations of the neck and low back.  Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC is ready to help reduce La Grande neck pain and back pain with our chiropractic services as well as help troubleshoot ways to prevent irritation when doing motions you must do often or things you want to do occasionally but know they’re going to hurt your back or neck.

LUMBAR SPINE and LOW BACK PAIN: Sitting

The curiosity of spinal pain researchers produces some research-provoking issues like does sitting for an hour produce pain in patients with a history of back pain (but don’t have back pain currently) versus those without. They didn’t see a difference in the flexion relaxation ratio (FRR) they measured but think that may be because an hour was not long enough to bring on pain in the history-of-back-pain patients. (1) Hum? A reduction of the paraspinal muscle activity at maximum flexion shows the related flexion relaxation phenomenon (FRP). An analysis of 48 published studies on this topic found that nonspecific low back pain patients’ FRP was altered. Compared to asymptomatic patients, this difference was significant. (2) Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC examines these types of issues in our La Grande back pain patients and neck pain patients.

CERVICAL SPINE and NECK PAIN

FRP and FRR can be quantified in neck pain patients as well. In comparison to the lumbar spine’s FRP and FFR, cervical spine muscle reaction differences were noted in patients with pain versus volunteers who don’t have pain. The cervical flexion relaxation phenomenon was noted in neck extensor muscles when in flexion. Persistent muscle contraction due to reduced flexion relaxation places vertebral structures at risk due to excessive loading. 84% of healthy subjects had FRP while only 36% of in-pain patients did. FRR was less in neck pain patients, too. (3) Further, when contrasting computer workers with neck pain to those without neck pain to those who don’t do computer work, researchers deduced that computer use could increase the use of the semispinalis capitis during neck extension, making it a potential predictor of symptomatic neck musculoskeletal disorders as its activation was seen in both types of computer users’ necks. (4) Such a finding is helpful to healthcare providers like your chiropractor to test this muscle set on extension and advise our patients on how to strengthen the cervical extensor muscles.

RELIEF FOR NECK AND BACK PAIN

Cox® Technic is gentle, relieving La Grande chiropractic treatment for back and neck pain. Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Sean Delahunt on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with neck pain.   

CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC

Schedule your next La Grande chiropractic appointment with Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC. For relief of spine pain due to positional activities, our treatment plan eases the pain and shares tips on how to reduce the risk of pain while doing what you want and have to do. 

 
a person La Grande bending over a computer holding her back due to pain