Archive for the 'Lower Body Topics' category
Knee Pain| Basketball Injuries
May 31, 2008 10:05 pmMay 31, 2008
A study to describe the mechanisms of anterior cruciate ligament injury in basketball based on videos of injury situations showed the following:
There was contact at the assumed time of injury in 11 of the 39 cases (5 male and 6 female players). Four of these cases were direct blows to the knee, all in men. Eleven of the 22 female cases were collisions, or the player was pushed by an opponent before the time of injury. The estimated time of injury, based on the group median, ranged from 17 to 50 milliseconds after initial ground contact.
The mean knee flexion angle was higher in female than in male players, both at initial contact (15 degrees vs 9 degrees , P = .034) and at 50 milliseconds later (27 degrees vs 19 degrees , P = .042). Valgus knee collapse occurred more frequently in female players than in male players (relative risk, 5.3; P = .002).
It was found that female players landed with significantly more knee and hip flexion and had a 5.3 times higher relative risk of sustaining a valgus collapse than did male players. Movement patterns were frequently perturbed by opponents.
Preventive programs to enhance knee control should focus on avoiding valgus motion and include distractions resembling those seen in match situations. (Krosshaug T, Nakamae A, Boden BP, Engebretsen L, Smith G, Slauterbeck JR, Hewett TE, Bahr R: Mechanisms of anterior cruciate ligament injury in basketball: video analysis of 39 cases. American Journal of Sports Medicine. 35(3):359-67, 2007).
www.stopmusclepain.com Knee Pain| Basketball Injuries
Low Back Pain| Running
March 28, 2008 12:50 pmFriday, March 28, 2008
This study was to investigate the incidence, prevalence, and possible risk factors for low back pain among a group of runners and walkers. A survey with 539 responses who participated in either a 10-kilometer run or 4-mile recreational walk showed previous history of low back pain in 74% of respondents. Prevalence of low back pain at the time of survey completion was 13.6%. Low back pain was experienced more frequently by obese runners and by those who reported certain patterns of shoe wear. Regular participation in aerobics correlated with a reduced lifetime risk for low back pain. (Woolf SK. Barfield WR. Nietert PJ. Mainous AG 3rd. Glaser JA. The Cooper River Bridge Run Study of low back pain in runners and walkers. Journal of the Southern Orthopaedic Association. 11(3):136-43, 2002).
Another study evaluated whether athletes with a history of low back pain would, on average, perform slower on a timed 20-m shuttle run as compared with a normal athletic population. Of 211 athletes evaluated, 27 had been treated for low back pain during the previous year. Currently asymptomatic athletes with a recent history of low back pain were slower (6.3s vs 5.8s) during performance of the timed 20-m shuttle run than athletes without low back pain (P=.0002). (Nadler SF. Moley P. Malanga GA. Rubbani M. Prybicien M. Feinberg JH. Functional deficits in athletes with a history of low back pain: a pilot study. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 83(12):1753-8, 2002)
The same authors found significantly slower response time on the 20-meter shuttle run in college freshman athletes with a history of a lower extremity injury, as compared with freshmen without a previous injury (p = 0.01). No significant difference was noted in non-freshman collegiate athletes regardless of injury history (p = 0.98). They concluded that kinetic chain deficits may exist long after symptomatic recovery from injury resulting in functional deficits, which may be missed on a standard physical assessment. Clinical relevance of the study was that there are residual functional deficits in incoming college athletes, which may be related to inadequate care in the high school setting. (Nadler SF. Malanga GA. Feinberg JH. Rubanni M. Moley P. Foye P. Functional performance deficits in athletes with previous lower extremity injury. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 12(2):73-8, 2002 Mar).
Comments: The application of findings from these studies involve that even though injuries may have been presumed to be healed through absence of symptoms such as pain, subclinical involvement of motor components of the spinal nerve roots may still be ongoing. When pain fibers are not involved, that will be no pain symptoms. Athletes should be examined for presence of muscle stiffness and tightness presenting as limitation of joint range of motion. The most important sign of subclinical irritation of spinal nerve roots is presence of muscle tenderness at palpable myofascial bands or nodules. These points are known as trigger points. Athletes with such findings will be prone to injuries and it is essential that myofascial treatments that help heal the active trigger points be done prior to sporting activities. The most effective stimulation of deep myofascial trigger points is best achieved with such as eToims Twitch Relief Method.
www.stopmusclepain.com Low Back Pain| Running
lower body topics
Neck and Back Pain| Cycling
March 21, 2008 10:50 amFriday, March 21, 2008
30-70% of cyclists suffer from cervical, dorsal, or lumbar back pain. There is a tendency towards hyperextension of the pelvic/spine angle which resulted in an increase in tensile forces at the sacral promontory. These forces can easily be reduced by appropriate adjustment of the seat angle–that is, by creating an anterior inclining angle. The incidence and magnitude of back pain in cyclists can be reduced by appropriate adjustment of the angle of the saddle. (Salai M. Brosh T. Blankstein A. Oran A. Chechik A. Effect of changing the saddle angle on the incidence of low back pain in recreational bicyclists. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 33(6):398-400, 1999).
It has been found that many of these cyclists suffer from discogenic disease. The number of previous sports-related injuries, was predictive of neck and back pain, and a strong tendency toward neck and back pain was observed for athletes with more total years of participation in sports due to overuse injuries. Causative factors are thought to be prolonged forward flexion, flexion-relaxation or overactivation of the erector spinae, mechanical creep and generation of high mechanical loads while being in a flexed and rotated position. A pilot study was performed to examine whether differences existed in spinal kinematics and trunk muscle activity in 9 cyclists with and 9 cyclists without non-specific chronic low back pain using electromagnetic tracking system and EMG was recorded bilaterally from selected trunk muscles. Data were collected every five minutes until back pain occurred or general discomfort prevented further cycling. Cyclists in the pain group showed a trend towards increased lower lumbar flexion and rotation with an associated loss of co-contraction of the lower lumbar multifidus. This muscle is known to be a key stabiliser of the lumbar spine. The findings suggest altered motor control and kinematics of the lower lumbar spine are associated with the development of LBP in cyclists. (Burnett AF. Cornelius MW. Dankaerts W. O'sullivan PB. Spinal kinematics and trunk muscle activity in cyclists: a comparison between healthy controls and non-specific chronic low back pain subjects-a pilot investigation. Manual Therapy. 9(4):211-9, 2004).
Inappropriate saddle positions may also be a cause of lower back pain. Partial and complete cutout saddle designs may increase anterior pelvic tilt, and saddles with a complete cutout design may increase trunk flexion angles under select cycling conditions. A saddle with a partial cutout design may be more comfortable than a standard or complete cutout saddle design. (Bressel E. Larson BJ. Bicycle seat designs and their effect on pelvic angle, trunk angle, and comfort. (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 35(2):327-32, 2003 Feb).
A radiographic study conducted to evaluate dorso-lumbar angular values (angle between the mid-back at T12 and lower back at L3) to define the most physiological sitting position during cycling. Two different pedal unit positions were tested; the first one in a bicycle frame type with pedals in front of the saddle axis and the second one with the pedals behind the saddle axis, in order. The findings showed that the incidence and importance of low back pain in cyclists can be reduced with appropriate pedal unit position; the position with pedals behind the saddle axis permits more physiological spine angles in comparison with the classic one having the pedals in front of the saddle axis; this fact is due to a different pelvic position which coincides with lumbar angles. (Fanucci E. Masala S. Fasoli F. Cammarata R. Squillaci E. Simonetti G. Cineradiographic study of spine during cycling: effects of changing the pedal unit position on the dorso-lumbar spine angle. Radiologia Medica. 104(5-6):472-6, 2002).
www.stopmusclepain.com Neck and Back Pain| Cycling
Low Back Pain| Sitting| Stiffness
March 15, 2008 12:42 amMarch 15, 2008
Prolonged sitting may alter the passive stiffness of the lumbar spine. Consequently, performing full lumbar flexion movements after extended periods of sitting may increase the risk of low back injury.
A study was performed on 12 normal subjects to quantify time-varying changes in the passive flexion stiffness of the lumbar spine with exposure to prolonged sitting and to link these changes to lumbar postures and trunk extensor muscle activation while sitting. The participants performed deskwork for 2 hours while sitting on the seat pan of an office chair. Moment-angle relationships for the lumbar spine were derived by pulling participants through their full voluntary range of lumbar flexion on a customized frictionless table.
It was found that lumbar spine stiffness increased in men after only 1 hour of sitting, whereas the responses of women were variable over the 2-hour trial. Men appeared to compensate for this increase in stiffness by assuming less lumbar flexion in the second hour of sitting. Changes in the passive flexion stiffness of the lumbar spine may increase the risk of low back injury after prolonged sitting and may contribute to low back pain in sitting. (Beach TA. Parkinson RJ. Stothart JP. Callaghan JP. Effects of prolonged sitting on the passive flexion stiffness of the in vivo lumbar spine. Spine 5(2):145-54, 2005
Here is a study showing how to treat low back pain by drawing in the abdominal wall as a specific exercise for the transversus abdominis muscle (in cocontraction with the multifidus). Clinical effectiveness has been demonstrated to be a reduction of 3-year recurrence from 75% to 35%.
Biomechanical effect of this specific exercise on the mechanics of the sacroiliac joint was examined on 13 healthy individuals in the prone position during the two abdominal muscle patterns by means of Doppler imaging of vibrations and simultaneous electromyographic recordings.
Contraction of the transversus abdominis significantly decreases the laxity of the sacroiliac joint. This decrease in laxity is larger than that caused by a bracing action using all the lateral abdominal muscles supporting the use of independent transversus abdominis contractions for the treatment of low back pain. (Richardson CA. Snijders CJ. Hides JA. Damen L. Pas MS. Storm J. The relation between the transversus abdominis muscles, sacroiliac joint mechanics, and low back pain. Spine. 27(4):399-405, 2002
This is a very simple exercise that can be performed while sitting, standing, walking or lying down for those who have low back pain as well as very useful as a preventive exercise for those who are not in pain.
www.stopmusclepain.com Low Back Pain| Sitting| Stiffness
Back Pain| Alternative Medicine|eToims Differences
March 7, 2008 2:58 pmMarch 7, 2008
An article by Sherman KJ. Cherkin DC. Deyo RA, et al, discusses that patients frustrated with conventional care for back pain, turn increasingly to complementary and alternative medicine. Between 10% and 20% of visits to chiropractors, massage therapists, and acupuncturists is due to chronic back pain. Also back pain is the most common condition these providers treat.
Treatments given by each of these professions share certain similarities. Each has a hands-on technique at the core of its treatments (ie, needling the body, manipulating the spine, or massaging the soft tissues), although many different variations of these techniques are used. These techniques are repeatedly used during successive visits, often in conjunction with various adjunctive modalities.
Each profession has a prototypical approach. For acupuncture, the typical approach includes assessments that are foreign to the biomedical community (eg, tongue diagnosis), regular body acupuncture using the approach of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and heat. Chiropractic typically includes spinal and soft tissue examinations at the first office visit followed by spinal adjustment, most often using the “diversified technique.” Massage therapy usually includes tissue assessment and a massage involving three major treatment styles: deep tissue, Swedish, and trigger point. Self-care recommendations are also a standard part of visits to acupuncture and massage practice and chiropractors. All three professions make self-care recommendations, with exercise being part of those recommendations for all professions.
Implications for Physicians: The article also states that in advising patients about the use of CAM therapies, physicians should be guided by evidence on effectiveness and safety. The amount and quality of evidence on effectiveness varies for these therapies. Spinal manipulation appears to be superior to sham and known ineffective therapies but not superior to effective conventional treatments for chronic low back pain. Previous acupuncture studies are generally of poor quality, so the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating low back pain is unclear. Although only three studies have evaluated massage for back pain, all three studies were positive.
While there is some variability in the treatment provided to chronic back pain patients by acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists, physicians may be reassured by this study’s data that the treatments used by these practitioners are relatively well characterized and “mainstream” for these professions and rarely include modalities that can be dangerous. (Sherman KJ. Cherkin DC. Deyo RA. Erro JH. Hrbek A. Davis RB. Eisenberg DM. The diagnosis and treatment of chronic back pain by acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. Clinical Journal of Pain. 22(3):227-34, 2006)
eToims Twitch Relief Method is an individualized therapy with similarities to the work and soft tissue healing effects provided by acupuncturists, chiropractor and massage therapists. We emphasize on self-care techniques and guided exercise to prevent or limit further trauma to already injured nerves and muscles that can occur because of activities of daily living, work, sports, recreation, etc.
However, the practice of eToims Twitch Relief Method vastly differs from the above three alternative medicine practices since eToims Twitch Relief Method is a medical system that requires a sound knowledge of anatomy and electro-physiology. The eToims practitioner has to undergo significant training to be able to have skills to be able to locate and noninvasively stimulate irritable neuromuscular junctions (trigger points) within the time affordable by the patient for a treatment session.
The treatment results are determined by the patient's ability to have immediate reduction in pain, improvement in range of motion and other measured physiologic parameters compatible with pain reduction. Muscles are individually exercised in eToims and different body positions are used so that even the deep layers of muscles can be stimulated and exercised. Tight and problematic muscles are individually stretched through active twitch muscle contraction with the stretch emanating from the neuromuscular junctions where most of the shortened muscle fibers concentrate. This relieves pain through releasing the constricting effect of the tight muscles on intramuscular nerves, blood vessels, bone surfaces and joints.
The twitch induced exercise also aids in the circulation of fresh blood to the areas where blood could not flow previously due to muscles in spasm and removes stagnant fluids and pain producing chemicals from the same region. This removes pain and encourages nerves and muscles to heal.
eToims Twitch Relief Method is safe and efficacious and is the only treatment that delivers reproducible pain relieving results in neuromuscular pain such that patients are willing to pay out of pocket for chronic durations for increasing their quality of life. After three weekly sessions of eToims Twitch Relief Method, our retention rate is 85% for weekly return visits with self-pay patients.
© 2008 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com Back Pain| Alternative Medical Treatments
Back Pain| Neck Pain| Expenses
February 15, 2008 12:15 pmFebruary 15, 2008
According to a study in the February 13 issue of JAMA, expenses related to back and neck problems have increased substantially in the last decade. However, outcomes such as functional disability and work limitations are not improving,
In a 2002 survey of U.S. adults, 26 percent reported low back pain and 14 percent reported neck pain in the previous three months. Rates of imaging and therapy for back and neck problems have increased substantially in the last decade, but it is not clear how this has effected expenditures or health outcomes for individuals with these problems.
The study sampled a total of 23,045 adult respondents in 1997 (3,139 who reported spine problems) and again in 2005, sampled 22,258 respondents (3,187 who reported spine problems). It was found that expenditures were higher in each year for those with spine problems than for those without. In 1997,the average age- and sex-adjusted medical costs for respondents with spine problems was $4,695, compared with $2,731 among those without spine problems (inflation adjusted to 2005 dollars). In 2005, the average age- and sex-adjusted medical expenditures among respondents with spine problems was $6,096, compared with $3,516 among those without spine problems.
From 1997 to 2005, these trends resulted in an estimated 65 percent inflation-adjusted increase in the total national expenditure of adults with spine problems, a more rapid increase than overall health expenditures to an estimated $85.9 billion nationally One of the biggest drivers of spending was increased use of expensive painkillers. Spending on narcotic drugs for back pain soared an astonishing 423% during the period.
The estimated proportion of persons with back or neck problems who self-reported physical functioning limitations increased from 20.7 percent to 24.7 percent from 1997 to 2005. Adjusted self-reported measures of mental health, physical functioning, work or school limitations, and social limitations among adults with spine problems were worse in 2005 than in 1997. "These data suggest that spine problems are expensive, due both to large numbers of affected persons and to high costs per person. We did not observe improvements in health outcomes commensurate with the increasing costs over time. Spine problems may offer opportunities to reduce expenditures without associated worsening of clinical outcomes," the authors conclude. (JAMA. 2008;299[6]:656-664).
Pharmacotherapy plays an important role in LBP treatment, although drug cost data in LBP is limited. Newer, more costly agents such cyclooxengenase-2 selective nonsterioidal anti-inflammatory agents will increase drug costs as a portion of total costs, particularly if not used in accordance with treatment guidelines. (Asche CV. Kirkness CS. McAdam-Marx C. Fritz JM. The societal costs of low back pain: data published between 2001 and 2007. Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy. 21(4):25-33, 2007).
eToims® Twitch Relief Method provides nerve related muscle pain relief with state-of-the-art noninvasive, surface electrical stimulation to excite deep neuromuscular junctions. The twitches elicited provide internal stretch to the deep muscle layers so that there will be removal/reduction of traction/compression/distortion of pain sensitive structures such as nerves and blood vessels within tight shortened muscles, annulus fibrosus of intervertebral discs, periosteum and synovial tissue within joints. The twitch induced intramuscular exercise also help in bringing fresh circulation and help heal irritated nerves and muscles and also help in the out flow of pain causing chemicals within blood stagnated at the injured site due to inability of tight and short muscles to contract.
Depending on the duration of pain and extent of nerve damage, there is potential for cure with eToims® Twitch Relief Method. With more long-standing severe pain continuation of treatments on a regular basis provide ongoing pain relief and pain reduction with improvement in quality-of-life. We have a long-term retention of 85% of the self pay patients who return for more than three treatments.
The press release of the launch of our much-anticipated web site as the only web site dedicated to reversing back pain was featured in Forbes, Business Journals including Philadelphia Business Journal, AOL Money News, Fox Business News, etc. Please do visit the main site www.stopmusclepain.com by clicking on the left homepage button above.
© 2008 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com Back Pain| Neck Pain| Expenses
lower body topics, upper body topics
Back pain| Lifting |Handling
February 8, 2008 6:08 pmFebruary 8, 2008
A study just published showed that advice and training on working techniques and lifting equipment does not prevent back pain in jobs that involve heavy lifting. The study included analysis of randomised trials (17,720 participants) with follow-up time from six months to 5.5 years. Cohort studies (772 participants) were followed for eight weeks to two years. The outcome measurements included back pain, consequent disability, or sick leave. These findings challenge current widespread practice of advising workers on correct lifting technique. Many health professionals are involved in training and advising workers on lifting and handling. Even though there may be other reasons to continue this practice, this review does not provide evidence that it prevents back pain.The article stated that there needs to be new and innovative ways to prevent back pain1.
As we age, nerves and muscles subjected to trauma do not recover well depending on the duration, intensity and time since trauma. In fact, just the activities of daily living alone can cause trauma to spinal nerve roots with subsequent partial reversible and irreversible denervation leading to muscle shortening and tightness. If reversible denervation can be immediately treated, preferably within 24 hours, there is a potential chance for a cure for the nerve.
However, if the nerve is not allowed to heal, this will be a setup for new injuries especially when the person is exposed to repetitive lifting and handling. Every new injury reduces the chance for injured nerves to fully recover. When the window of opportunity for nerve recovery is exceeded, the nerve progresses into irreversible denervation and this cascade of events can develop into chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined as pain that last longer than three months.
Patients undergoing eToims® Twitch Relief Method, a new and innovative way of treating and preventing back pain, return for treatments on a weekly basis so that new nerve injuries are immediately stimulated electrically. This stimulation releases the tourniquet effect of the tight muscles on intramuscular nerves, blood vessels allowing them to heal.Please visit the main section of www.stopmusclepain.com for further details on eToims® Twitch Relief Method and the mechanisms by which the method works to relieve nerve related muscle pain.
Kari-Pekka Martimo, Jos Verbeek, Jaro Karppinen, Andrea D Furlan, Esa-Pekka Takala, P Paul F M Kuijer, Merja Jauhiainen, Eira Viikari-Juntura: The effect of training and lifting equipment for preventing back pain in lifting and handling. NEJM, February, 2008.
Neck Pain| Low Back Pain| Spinal Degeneration
February 2, 2008 1:22 amSaturday, February 02, 2008
In a study on cervical spine specimens (59-92 years) including C2-C7 levels, it was found that the prevalence of cervical facet joint degeneration was very high in individuals aged 50 years and more, with a tendency to increase in severity with age. All levels of the middle and lower cervical spine were affected to almost the same degree, whereas in the lumbar spine an increase in degeneration towards the lower levels was reported. Also, in the cervical spine in most cases the facet joint cartilage was evenly degenerated all over the joint surface while in the lumbar spine certain regions were reported to be affected predominantly. Least osteophytes were found on the medial border of the facet joints (1).
A study on 1,064 unselected women (181 monozygotic and 351 dizygotic twin pairs) was performed to assess genetic and environmental influences on low back and neck pain to examine the extent to which these are explained by structural changes seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and psychological and lifestyle variables.
For all definitions of pain, there was a consistent excess concordance in monozygotic twins when compared with dizygotic twins, equating to a heritability for low back pain in the range of 52-68% and for neck pain in the range of 35-58%. The strongest associations were between low back pain and MRI change and between neck pain and psychological distress and these associations were mediated genetically.
It was concluded that genetic factors have an important influence on back and neck pain reporting in women. These factors include the genetic determinants of structural disc degeneration and an individual's inherited tendency toward psychological distress. MRI changes are the strongest predictor of low back pain (2).
(1) Kettler A. Werner K. Wilke HJ. Morphological changes of cervical facet joints in elderly individuals. European Spine Journal. 16(7):987-92, 2007 Jul.
(2) MacGregor AJ. Andrew T. Sambrook PN. Spector TD. Structural, psychological, and genetic influences on low back and neck pain: a study of adult female twins. Arthritis & Rheumatism. 51(2):160-7, 2004 Apr 15.
www.stopmusclepain.com Neck Pain| Low Back Pain| Spinal Degeneration
Chronic Low Back Pain| Anger| Muscle Tension
January 20, 2008 2:10 amJanuary 20, 2008
In a study on patients with chronic low back pain to determine whether anger-in, anger-out, and hostility predicted symptom-specific muscle tension reactivity found that if anger was kept in with hostility during an anger recall interview, there was increased electromyographic tension in the lumbar paraspinal muscles but not in the trapezius muscle. Increases in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure changes were also noted with the least changes occurring in those patients with high anger-in/low hostility. These physiological changes did not occur when patients were subjected to a sadness recall interview. The conclusion was that patients with chronic low back pain who tend to suppress anger and are cynically hostile may be more likely to experience high levels of muscle tension near the site of pain and injury during anger, but not during sadness, than other groups1.
On the contrary, a massage can help muscles relax and bring down the blood pressure, at least in healthy subjects. A study that showed that after myofascial trigger-point massage therapy there was a significant decrease in heart rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Analysis of heart rate variability revealed a significant increase in parasympathetic activity following myofascial trigger-point massage therapy. Additionally both muscle tension and emotional state, showed significant improvement2.
- Burns JW. Bruehl S. Quartana PJ. Anger management style and hostility among patients with chronic pain: effects on symptom-specific physiological reactivity during anger- and sadness-recall interviews. [Journal Article. Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural] Psychosomatic Medicine. 68(5):786-93, 2006 Sep-Oct
- Delaney JP. Leong KS. Watkins A. Brodie D. The short-term effects of myofascial trigger point massage therapy on cardiac autonomic tone in healthy subjects. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 37(4):364-71, 2002 Feb.
www. stopmusclepain.com Chronic Low Back Pain| Anger| Muscle Tension
Low Back Pain| Travel
December 30, 2007 6:39 pmSunday, December 30, 2007
The festive season is celebrated by many with more than usual degrees of energy expenditure associated with holiday traveling. Traveling long distances involves sitting for long hours as the driver of a car or as a passenger in buses, trains or airplanes.
Sitting may induce posterior rotation of the pelvis, reduction of lumbar lordosis, and increases in muscle tension, which may be associated with low back pain. The combination of prolonged sitting in awkward positions or sitting slumped for prolonged periods, heavy or repetitive lifting of luggages, and whole body vibrations (dose and duration of exposure does matter, especially duration of exposure) can initiate pain in a person without back pain or aggravate the underlying pain in the patient already suffering from lower back pain.
The sitting position encourages the pelvis to rotate backwards, flattens the lumbar lordosis, increases muscle tension, disc pressure, and pressure on the ischium and coccyx. This increases the load on the spine and intervertebral discs. Sitting in a slumped position is known to increase disc pressure even more, and to aggravate chronic low back pain.
Sitting with the knees crossed can put tension on the sciatic nerve or compression of the peroneal nerves at the knee. Sitting with ankles crossed can compress the peroneal nerve at the ankle. Pressure on these nerves will manifest as tingling and numbness in the toes and feet and depending on the degree and duration of pressure, there can be weakness of muscles in the foot and ankle.
It has been shown that as the lumbar spine was loaded from the supine to the sitting position, the end-plate angles were decreased significantly. This decrease was worse as the spinal degeneration was increased. There were also significant changes in the anterior and middle disc heights between the supine and the sitting postures irrespective of the degree of degeneration. In the study, the overall lumbar lordosis did not significantly change between the two postures1.
Using a fitted backrest during sitting that reduces the ischial load and maintains lumbar lordosis may help increase seating comfort and reduce low back pain. Performing pelvic tilts while in the sitting position are also helpful. Frequent weight shifts and getting up often to ambulate are necessary during long trips.
1. Karadimas EJ. Siddiqui M. Smith FW. Wardlaw D. Positional MRI changes in supine versus sitting postures in patients with degenerative lumbar spine. [Journal Article. Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't] Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques. 19(7):495-500, 2006 Oct.
© 2007 copyright all rights reserved www.stopmusclepain.com Low Back Pain | Travel
back, lower body topics, pain, posture
