Movement is the best medicine
We live in a society obsessed with convenience. There seems to be a quick fix for everything, including many health conditions. Health problems are often treated with pharmaceuticals or surgery. We are told to simply take a pill in order to fix a problem in hopes it will go away. However, when it comes to musculoskeletal health management, immediate and abrupt interventions may not address the underlying cause.
While a pill may decrease pain, it may not be a solution to the problem, and the subsequent side effects can impact other aspects of health. The good news is a permanent solution to back pain is simpler than you think.
What we currently know about back pain, according to the latest research:
• Popular treatments, including surgery, opioid painkillers and steroid injections, do not work for most people in the long run.
• Alternative therapies, including massage, exercise, psychotherapy, chiropractic and physical therapy, have increasingly been found to effectively help people with their lower back problems.
• Dysfunctional or lack of healthy movement can be the underlying cause for many chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Physical activity suppresses pain and contributes to overall health in many ways.
The solution to permanently rid oneself of pain may simply be to move more. However, first one must move well. When we don’t move well and, subsequently, move often, our brain loses good input from its environment, our bodies tighten up and we lose fitness. As the great sport scientist, Tim Gabbett, frequently mentions: fitness is extremely important in the prevention of injuries in all ages. Moving well and moving often contributes to good fitness.
For many people, the way you move may need to be assessed to ensure the way you are moving is not contributing to your pain. How do you know if you need assessment? If your normal life activities are causing you pain, or if pain is keeping you from doing what you want, get assessed and find out why.
Our team at NW Sports Rehab seeks to learn from the best in the world, and combines their methods into a usable system. Please come see us if you have stubborn pain that won’t solve itself. We’d love to share our unique approach with you.
Anthony Aamodt is a former competitive gymnast and gymnastic coach, who now works at NW Sports Rehab, and has a masters degree in sports science and rehabilitation. His focus is on neuromusculoskeletal disorders.