Spinal stability is the base for spine
movement. Spinal stability protects the structures of the
nervous system, the spinal cord, and spinal nerve
roots. Pflugerville Wellness Center assesses spinal stability in all our Pflugerville
back pain patients as part of our chiropractic service. Spinal stability depends on strong, stable
musculature to perform its job. New research is indicating that the
role of the diaphragm and breathing is to support spinal stability.
SPINAL STABILITY
All the various parts of the spine contribute to spinal stability, even the smallest
spinal motion segment’s vertebra (the bony part of the spine). Bones, discs, and ligaments in the spine contribute to
all sorts of coupled motions of the spine and transmit
proprioceptive impulses to the central nervous system which coordinates
muscle tone, movement, and reflexes. If any of the spinal structures are injured
or otherwise at risk – like a degenerated disc – spinal instability
is possible. (1) That is where your
Pflugerville chiropractor comes into play with
chiropractic spinal manipulation and an effective treatment plan
including exercise.
BREATHING TRAINING IN SPINAL STABILITY
Chiropractic care at Pflugerville Wellness Center addresses spinal stability
with some typical exercise recommendations
and explores the use of newer exercise approaches
like breathing that are showing some promise. Maximal
abdominal contraction maneuver compared with maximal expiration exercise showed
itself better at increasing spinal stability. As
a breathing exercise to enhance spinal joint stability, it had a
beneficial effect on improving co-contraction
and spine stability as shown by significantly larger
muscle thickness of the transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis. (2) Forced
breathing exercise therapy enhanced trunk stability and
activities of daily living in chronic low back pain patients. (3)
Pflugerville back pain patients will value how something
they do every day – performed with just a bit more thought
- may help them with their back pain!
DIAPHRAGM TRAINING IN SPINAL STABILITY
Certainly, breathing and the diaphragm are intimately coupled,
and both offer some hope in fixing spinal
stability issues. Pflugerville Wellness Center found some new studies on
how diaphragm training manages spinal stability. In a study of rehabilitating athletes with nonspecific low back pain, adding
diaphragm training (breathing) to electrical stimulation therapy was beneficial
in improving function, stability, pain, and balance. (4) Diaphragm
training significantly decreased the severity of pain and also affected
the thickness of active stabilizers - transversus abdominis, lumbar multifidus
muscle - in the lumbar spine. (5) Strong, thick spinal stabilizers are good
in combatting Pflugerville back pain.
CONTACT Pflugerville Wellness Center
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Lee Hazen and Cheri Hazen RN, ICHC, FNLP, LE, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr.
Michael Johnson as they describe their combined treatment approach
of breathing training and the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management helped
a patient find back pain relief.
Set up your Pflugerville
chiropractic appointment soon.
Breathing and diaphragm training go a long way in keeping the spine stable, easing Pflugerville back
pain, and maintaining the foundation of spinal movement well
conditioned.