Low Back Pain: How To Turn Down the Volume

This week's Patient Education article is all about how pain works.

We've all heard and read the inspiring Pain neuroscience articles, books, and lectures by the greats...Moseley, Butler, Louw...

But how are we implementing Pain Neuroscience Education in our everyday treatment?

Here is an article for your patient's - for YOU to share with your patients - all about Low Back Pain and how our experiences, fears, anxieties, and coping styles, all play major roles in how we experience pain.

It also lets patients know how they can improve their outcomes by having positive expectations, incorporating graded exposure, and graded activity to get back to the functions they may have thought were impossible...  

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3 Things You Need to Know About Disc-Related Leg Pain

"I have a bulging disc!"

How many times have your patients told you this with a sense of surrender before you even begin your subjective exam?

It's time we set the record straight about disc bulges.  We need to let our patients know 3 things:

1. Disc bulges are common

2. Most disc bulges go away on their own

3. There are steps patients can take (and we can help) toward better function and improving disc-related leg pain...

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Patient education reduces pain!

In a 2011 systematic review from the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation titled “The effect of neuroscience education on pain, disability, anxiety, and stress in chronic musculoskeletal pain” is as follows:

Don’t just leave patient education up to chance, at PhysioU we believe in directing patients to high quality, evidence-based, patient-centered education. Dr. Michael Curtis is a residency trained orthopaedic specialist focused on producing our weekly read based around the clinical practice guidelines!

Look out for our weekly #PatientEducation release!

Of course, we are building an app for this, the Patient education app.

*Patient-centered education, in the palm of your hand*

Louw, A., Diener, I., Butler, D. S., & Puentedura, E. J. (2011). The Effect of Neuroscience Education on Pain, Disability, Anxiety, and Stress in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 92(12), 2041–2056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2011.07.198

Top 5 Exercises For Spinal Stenosis

Unfortunately, the natural course of medical treatment for many patients with Spinal Stenosis typically ends in surgery.  

Our patients need to know that long-term outcome studies show patients who get surgery compared with those who get conservative treatment have similar outcomes. 

Here's a few excerpts from this week's Patient Education Article on Spinal Stenosis:

"Seeing that you have a good likelihood of improving with conservative treatment and a good likelihood of NOT worsening over time, it makes good sense to try conservative treatment first – and to give it all you’ve got. There’s always the option for surgery later, and even then, outcomes are good."

"Improving your mobility – not only in the lumbar region, but in surrounding body regions, as well – can dramatically improve your function."

"Exercise has positive, symptom-reducing effects and is very important in the plan of care for Spinal Stenosis."

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Core Strengthening For Low Back Pain

You've heard mixed reviews of whether core strengthening is a viable option for treating and/or preventing low back pain in your patients...

The truth is, it's one of many treatment options, and not necessarily more effective than others...

That said...in my book, learning to properly activate the core along with improving core endurance and strength, is an absolute necessity for improving your patients' function.  

Here is an article that puts 'core strengthening' in simple, relatable terms - with evidence to back it. There's also easy-to-follow instructions and videos for abdominal bracing and other exercises...

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