Low Back Pain & Sciatica - A Personalised Treatment Approach 9780956293107
Low Back Pain & Sciatica sufferers are capable of treating and resolving their pain themselves, as long as they know
448 134 4MB
English Pages 286 Year 2011
Table of contents :
Introduction 1
The Principles of this Book 13
Here I explain the general structure of my book as well as any terminology I use throughout. Some phrases within this book are ones I tend to use from day to day and are more likely to be specific to me as opposed to standard medical terms.
Step One: Red Flags 21
The first and most important step to take with regard to resolving your pain is to make sure it is musculo-skeletal in nature, i.e. being caused by problems with muscles, joints & soft tissue. There are also other causes of low back pain and sciatica, and this chapter will highlight any specific signs and symptoms that may indicate you are suffering from one of them. If you do have any of these signs and symptoms, the chances are there is nothing to worry about. However, it is always best to err on the side of caution and seek professional medical advice.
Learning Zone: Your Lower Back and Sciatic Nerve 27
This is where I explain the functional anatomy of your lower back and sciatic nerve. I go into detail, but not too much, to
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provide you with a good understanding of what the lower back looks like, as well as explanations of the bones, joints, ligaments and muscles of which it consists. I also give a description of the sciatic nerve, from where it begins and to where it travels.
Learning Zone: Why You are Feeling Pain 51
Any incorrect postures or movements, along with muscle imbalance, can lead to low back pain and/or sciatica. During this chapter I explain why this is so and also describe the two types of pain you are likely to be suffering from, i.e. Acute Inflammatory Pain and Mechanical Pain.
Learning Zone: Your Own Body is the Greatest Healer 65
Your body has an innate desire to heal itself. If you provide it with the correct conditions it will heal itself and resolve your pain.This chapter helps you understand why.
Step Two: How to STOP Acutely Inflamed Pain 71
If you are suffering with an acute inflammatory attack of pain, the pain will be constant and unremitting. This type of pain can result in almost intolerable surges of pain with what appears to be the simplest of movements. It will also feel as if you can do nothing at all to settle the pain down…but you can! This chapter provides you with the information and advice you need to ease this pain as quickly as possible. Apart from the great feeling of relief you will encounter, it will also enable you to move on to exercises that will completely resolve your pain.
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1) Side Lying with pillows 79
2) Prone Lying with pillows 80
3) Prone Lying 80
4) Crook Lying 80
5) Lying with your feet supported on a chair 80
Step Three: How to Optimise Your Body’s Healing Potential 85
It is important you harness as much of your body’s innate desire to heal itself as is possible, if you are to resolve your pain. In this chapter, not only do I show you how best to detect and eliminate the things that are interfering with your body’s healing process, I also teach you how to detect and encourage the things that will facilitate that same healing process.This optimisation of your body’s healing potential will speed up your recovery towards becoming free of pain.
Step Four: How to Diagnose Your Pain 99
The crucial factor in resolving your pain is finding the correct diagnosis. This section of the book explains the functional diagnoses I use and how you can provide yourself with the correct diagnosis for your low back pain and/or sciatica.There is a reason for me putting this diagnostic stage a little later in the book. This is because prior to this, the primary goal is directed towards acutely inflamed pain, where pretty much anything and everything hurts. The main aim at that stage is simply to settle things down. As soon as the acute stage has passed, however, you will then need to diagnose your problem and become more specific with regard to the exercises you need to perform.This chapter addresses those issues.
Practical Advice: The Influence of Regular Day-to-day 125 Activities on Your Pain
This chapter highlights the day-to-day activities that most of us perform and how they may be preventing your body from curing itself of your pain. It also guides you to the specific section of the book that reveals the remedy to any problems you may recognise.
Practical Advice: How Recognising Daily Patterns of Pain 149 Will Help Cure Your Pain
Have you noticed a specific pattern that your pain tends to take, day in, day out? Maybe your pain is always better or worse first thing in the morning, or getting to sleep is always difficult.There are several typical patterns that low back pain and sciatica tend to take. All of these are covered in this chapter. If you recognise any of them, it will help you shed light on why you are encountering them and also help you to deduce from this pattern the best way to speed up your healing process.
Practical Advice: Do Not Replace Your Bed 159
If you are a low back pain or sciatica sufferer and finding it difficult to get a good night’s sleep or waking with pain and stiffness in the morning, do not fall into the trap of replacing your bed. More often than not it is something else that is the problem and therefore replacing your bed would be an unnecessary expense. Make sure you read this chapter and look to address the cause of this problem before buying a new bed.
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Learning Zone: The Principles of Exercise 169
Before prescribing yourself with a specific exercise programme for your given diagnosis, this chapter highlights the best way to go about the exercises. For example, how many to perform, when to increase or decrease the intensity of the exercises and how, once you have cured yourself of pain, to keep yourself free from low back pain and sciatica forever.
Step Five: Getting Moving Again 185
As your pain will have now moved away from the acute inflammatory stage, it is now time to begin exercises that will continue your improvement. These include specific exercises for your given diagnosis as well as stretching and movement exercises that will address the underlying cause of why you were suffering pain in the first place.
Treating Flexion Dominated Pain (FDP) 189 Extension Exercises for FDP:
1) Prone Lying with Pillows 189
2) Prone Lying 190
3) Prone Lying on your Forearms/in Extension 190
Treating Extension Dominated Pain (EDP) 193 Flexion Exercises for EDP:
1) Posterior Pelvic Tilt (Lying and Standing) 193
2) Knees to Chest 195
3) Four Point Kneeling Flexion 196
4) Forward Flexion (Sitting) 197
5) Forward Flexion (Standing) 198
Stretching & Moving Exercises: 200
1) Knee Rolls 200
2) Thoracic Rotations 201
3) Side Stretch 202
Learning Zone: Why Muscles are the Key Factor in 205 Eliminating Your Pain
Without doubt, muscles, be they either tight or weak, are the main contributor towards musculo-skeletal low back pain and sciatica. Here I will explain why.
Step Six: Move Forward with Stretching Exercises 217
Suppleness is critical to allow your lower back and sciatic nerve to carry out your daily activities, without causing you any pain. This chapter will provide you with an array of stretching exercises, which you will be able to self prescribe for your given diagnosis, to create suppleness for any tightness you may have.This will reduce any inappropriate stresses and therefore further encourage your body’s healing process.
1) Gluteal Stretch 220
2) Piriformis Stretch 221
3) Hamstring Stretch 225
4) Quadriceps Stretch 228
5) Iliopsoas Stretch 231
6) Latissimus Dorsi Stretch 232
7) Adductor Stretch 234
8) Gastrocnemius Stretch 235
9) Soleus Stretch 235
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Step Seven: Move Forward with Core Stability Exercises 237
Core Stability is a phrase commonly used, which addresses the important stabilising muscles of your lower back and pelvic region. This chapter provides you with exercises that address these important muscles, thereby helping you to maintain a good posture and also have good core stability for your daily routine. These exercises also help reduce any inappropriate stresses present, further optimising your body’s healing properties.
The ‘Neutral Spine’ Position 241 Abdominal Biased Exercises 242
1) Leg Slides with Full Support 243
2) Leg Slides without Touching the Floor 243
3) Single Knee Raise 244
4) Double Knee Raise 244
5) Leg Slides with No Support 245
Multifidus Biased Exercises 246
1) Prone Arm Raise 247
2) Prone Leg Raise 247
3) Prone ‘Cross-Overs’ 248
4) Four Point Kneeling Arm Raise 248
5) Four Point Kneeling Leg Raise 249
6) Four Point Kneeling ‘Cross-Overs’ 249
‘Global’ Core Stability Exercises 250
1) Bridging 251 2) Single Leg Bridging 251
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Specific Strengthening Outside of Core Stability 253
I have placed this as a separate chapter and not a step as such, as these are exercise that I do not tend to prescribe a great deal. Nevertheless, I do sometimes and therefore do not wish to leave them out. The previous chapter,Step Seven: Move Forward with Core Stability Exercises, is without doubt pivotal with regard to resolving your low back pain and/or sciatica, as the core stability muscles play a crucial role in the functioning of your lower back and pelvis. However, there are also other muscles that may be contributing to your pain.This chapter shows you how to strengthen these muscles, which in turn will continue to reduce any inappropriate stress across your lower back and sciatic nerve, therefore further encouraging healing to take place.
Gluteal Exercises 257
1) Bridging 257
2) Single Leg Bridging 257
3) Bridging on a Chair 258
4) Small Knee Bends 259
5) Lunges 260
6) Step Ups 261
Hamstring Exercises 262
1) Bridging 262
2) Single Leg Bridging 262
3) Bridging on a Chair 263
4) Lunges 265
5) Step Ups 266
Quadriceps Exercises 267
1) Small Knee Bends 267
2) Lunges 268
3) Step-Ups 269
And Finally…
Old Wives’Tales 271
If you are fed up with everyone you know having an opinion on how to ease your pain, it is imperative you read this chapter. I will highlight these old wives’ tales and give you my opinion as to whether any of them have any validity.
Conclusion 295 Appendix I: Glossary of Diagnostic Terms 299
Many people are given a diagnosis from a health professional that may as well be written in a foreign language. This appendix will explain in lay terms what these diagnostic terms mean.
Appendix II: Glossary of Terms 313
This appendix is a glossary of any medical terms used throughout the book.
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A massive hearfelt thank-you to my parents, who have been so supportive to me over the years. I have no doubt I would not be the person I am today without that support.
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