Fear of back pain? Once you’ve experienced
it, you say “yes!” Your McHenry chiropractor gets this. McHenry back pain and neck pain
patients do not want to experience that pain again.
OrthoIllinois Chiropractic helps spine pain sufferers get their
confidence back with encouragement and exercise.
FEAR AVOIDANCE DUE TO BACK PAIN
Back pain sufferers don't want to revisit
back pain if they have any options at all. That desire -
whether obvious or subtle, stated or just ruminated in the mind – establishes the situation for a behavior called
fear-avoidance. Patients with persistent spinal pain syndrome - post-surgically
induced or not – elicited high levels of
fear avoidance, anxiety, and depression. (1) Researchers explained
that the pain experience is not just physical as
emotions, behaviors and beliefs are involved as well. Fear
avoidant behavior like fearing object lifting
grows and affects muscle behavior without realizing it. A recent
study compared fear-avoidant beliefs and the lumbar spine paraspinal muscle
activity use while lifting in
both back pain and in pain-free persons. Fear of lifting an object
with a flexed spine as described in a questionnaire was negatively
related with erector spinae activity to protect the spine from
harm. The proper way to lift has been debated
for a long time. Lifting with a straight back has been portrayed
as safer than lifting with a flexed back though research has not really
supported that while lifting with a lordotic posture has been found
to result in more erector spinae muscle activity resulting in
muscle fatigue and pain. (2) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic recognizes the significance
of handling fear avoidance and its link to better quality of
life.
HOW TO MANAGE FEAR AVOIDANCE
Researchers documented that back pain
sufferers today ‘get’ that they must keep moving but some require
a little more support and encouragement to move and exercise due to a lack of confidence in their spines’
ability to exercise without causing pain. The healthcare
provider not only can offer the latest findings on
pain control but also coach the back pain patient to be
physical in the safest way possible. (3) If you’re that patient, OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is
your coach! We’re a team and can help you move better
and with less fear and deliver gentle, relieving spinal
manipulation. Three months of chiropractic manipulation along
with exercise for older adults with chronic back pain boosted
their self-efficacy and fear-avoidant behaviors together with decreases in disability. A 30% or more drop
in the Oswestry Disability Index suggested positive response to
care. (4) The more engaged a patient is with treatment, the greater the influence
on the feeling of self-efficacy and disability reduction. (5) Let us
work together to control your McHenry back pain so it doesn’t control you.
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Tom Menendez on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
describes the relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal
Pain Management for an older patient with back pain for whom fear avoidance is understandable.
Schedule your McHenry chiropractic
appointment now so that if you are questioned whether you fear back pain, you can say “no”!
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the
DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by
Dr. James M. Cox I."