Backtalk

By Lee Hazen, DC

Research into the best treatment of back pain presses forward all over the world. As you are aware if you have read this column in the past, the recently published study in the Annals of Internal Medicine by Dutch researchers showed that a gradually increasing exercise regime is better than rest for back pain. They also concluded that the graduated exercise did not necesssarily decrease the patients back pain; it just allowed them to carry on their life activities with less disability. So, the next logical question would be: What can be done to decrease the pain as well as the disability? Fortunately there is further research that solidly answers this question.

A collaborative research study published by Chiropractors and medical doctors this year (Gudavalli, MR et al, A randomized clinical trial comparing Flexion Distraction procedures with active exercise program for chronic low back pain) has shown the greatest success to date in relieving back pain. The study, done at several separate university sites, took two groups of back pain patients and subjected them to either exercise or exercise and a chiropractic technique known as Flexion Distraction manipulation. There were 123 subjects in each group that were randomly chosen to participate in either exercise alone or with the additional chiropractic care.

The conclusions were as follows: both groups achieved significant relief from pain; however Flexion Distraction provided more pain relief than active exercise alone. Chronic patients with moderate to severe symptoms improved the most with Flexion Distraction.

This flexion distraction technique is performed by myself and a hand full of certified doctors across the country. For further information and a referral list of certified doctors you are directed to coxtechnique.com on the web.