Exercise Is Essential for Back Pain Relief

A natural stimulus for the healing process is active exercise—provided the exercises are done in a controlled, careful, and prescribed manner.

Movement nourishes and repairs the discs, muscles, ligaments, and joints in your spine. Active exercise also helps incorporate the needed nutrients into and around the disc spaces throughout your spine.

Too much rest will make your pain worse

While pain makes it hard to exercise enough, lack of exercise can worsen the pain by leading to stiffness, weakness, and de-conditioning. In the case of disc-related pain, lack of exercise will deprive the injured disc of the nutrition it needs and this can lead to further degeneration and pain.

Additionally, exercise and activity is needed to help reduce inflammation that naturally occurs in the tissues surrounding an injured disc. This swelling can further irritate nerves that are already affected by the highly inflammatory herniated disc material.

Stretching, strengthening, and aerobic conditioning
exercises are all important

It may take weeks or months of stretching, but you will find that the increase in your range of motion can lead to sustained pain relief.

Stretching your hamstrings regularly is essential therapy for lower back pain and sciatica. If an episode of low back pain has lasted two weeks or more, a strengthening program helps with long-term recovery. Typical programs may include McKenzie exercises, lumbar stabilization training, and/or other prescribed exercises.

Most doctors and physical therapists will tell you that their patients who are aerobically conditioned tend to have less back pain and sciatica.

Low impact aerobic exercise brings nutrients to injured structures in the back and helps them heal. Walking or biking can be effective forms of low impact exercise, as can working out on an elliptical machine. If you are in severe pain, water therapy is an option that can provide multiple therapeutic and conditioning benefits with less stress.

Get an individualized exercise program

Depending on your specific diagnosis and level of pain, your rehabilitation program will be very different, so it is important to see a spine specialist who is trained to develop an individualized exercise program and instruct you on correct form and technique.

SOURCE: http://www.spine-health.com/blog/exercise-essential-back-pain-relief

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Practice Policy Update Regarding COVID-19

Dear Patients:

Our patients, employees and family are our top priority at Long Island Spine Specialists, P.C.

We ask you to not visit any of our locations if you have symptoms such as fever, sneezing, coughing and possible shortness of breath.

Please cancel your appointment and re-schedule once you are feeling better and are no longer suffering with symptoms.

Only non-symptomatic patients will be seen. No exceptions.

Accompanying family members – including children – are asked to remain in the waiting area and will not be allowed to enter the exam rooms.

During this time of high concern regarding the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) we are taking extra precautions to maintain the highest possible standards of safety and cleanliness. Please be advised that we are carefully following recommendations from both the CDC and WHO and are here to help guide you through this time if needed.

Some steps we are taking to keeping safe:

We know how important cleanliness is and always maintain the highest standards of cleanliness. To further offer you peace of mind, we have increased the frequency of the cleaning of our office.

Rest assured that hand washing is strictly followed. Hand sanitizer is available to all staff and patients.

Additionally, if you have recently traveled to a country with high rates of the coronavirus or have been on a cruise, please reschedule your visit for at least 14 days from your return date. We will gladly accommodate your needs to reschedule. At that time, a telehealth interface can be arranged if necessary.

Find up-to-date and accurate information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website and feel free to reach out with questions.

- Your team at Long Island Spine Specialists, P.C.

Schedule a Consultation

To learn more about Long Island Spine Specialists – and to discover how we can relieve your pain and help you find an improved quality of life – please contact our office today and schedule a consultation.