Question:
If you looked at my MRI and xray, would you HONESTLY tell me if you think surgery is now my only alternative? Would you really give me a free phone consultation? I’m taking vicodin everyday, and want to quit, but pain is too much. I see a chiropractor 1 to 3 times weekly. Tried traction and inversion tables.
If you have questions about sciatica, herniated discs, or any other matters related to back and neck pain, simply click on the button below and you’ll be taken to a special web page where you can ask your question.
Ask The Back Pain Expert
Gotta comment or question about my answer to today’s “is back surgery my only answer” question? Let’s have it. Simply fill in the form below and I’ll get back with you soon.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain.
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc The Back Pain Expert
Question:
What are the best exercises to reduce lower back pain when you have a sway back?
Answer:
By far and away, this is positively the best exercise to reduce back pain if you have a sway back:
Most people try to treat sway back without ever addressing the psoas muscle. This is a huge mistake and will only lead to frustration because nothing is changing. Obviously, stretching the psoas isn’t the only thing that needs to be done, but it’s the first thing that needs to be done.
If you have questions about sciatica, herniated discs, or any other matters related to back and neck pain, simply click on the button below and you’ll be taken to a special web page where you can ask your question.
Ask The Back Pain Expert
Gotta comment or question about my answer to today’s “best exercises to reduce low back pain for people with a sway back” question? Let’s have it. Simply fill in the form below and I’ll get back with you soon.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain.
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc The Back Pain Expert
Question:
I have spinal stenosis. Is Pilates a practical exercise to attempt for stenosis?
Click the play button below to hear your answer
If you have questions about sciatica, herniated discs, or any other matters related to back and neck pain, simply click on the button below and you’ll be taken to a special web page where you can ask your question.
Ask The Back Pain Expert
Gotta comment or question about my answer to today’s Pilate’s exercises for spinal stenosis question? Let’s have it. Simply fill in the form below and I’ll get back with you soon.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain.
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc The Back Pain Expert
Question:
Hi, thanks for this website and the great work you are doing. I have spondylolisthesis, grade 1 for past 4 yrs. Intermittently have episodes of very severe acute lower back pain brought upon by any moderate activity like resistance exercises in the gym or basketball… . I wanted to know what specific stretching and abdominal/ back strengthening exercises you would recommend for a person like me? Also I have an exaggerated lumbar lordosis. I find relief whenever i bend forward and flex my spine to make a hump.
If you have questions about sciatica, herniated discs, or any other matters related to back and neck pain, simply click on the button below and you’ll be taken to a special web page where you can ask your question.
Ask The Back Pain Expert
Gotta comment or question about my answer to today’s back strengthening exercises for spondylolisthesis question? Let’s have it. Simply fill in the form below and I’ll get back with you soon.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain.
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc The Back Pain Expert
If you have questions about sciatica, herniated discs, or any other matters related to back and neck pain, simply click on the button below and you’ll be taken to a special web page where you can ask your question.
Ask The Back Pain Expert
Gotta comment or question about my answer to today’s herniated disc and sciatica question? Let’s have it. Simply fill in the form below and I’ll get back with you soon.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain.
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc The Back Pain Expert
Low back pain treatment options can be confusing. Often times treatment is not specific and falls in to the “over the counter” methodology, meaning that the treatment approach is directed towards reducing symptoms and not addressing the actual problem.
Having observed the low back pain treatment methods used by physical therapists over the past 26 years, I am of the firm opinion that the vast majority of physical therapists have no business treating low back pain. Why? Because most physical therapists don’t have the advanced training necessary to evaluate a patient with low back pain effectively much less treat the underlying cause of the problem. The sad truth is that most physical therapists treat patients with low back pain symptomatically.
There are exceptions, however, and not all physical therapists are the same. Here’s an interview with a physical therapist who represents the exception. Listen carefully to how he approaches patient care. It’s what the role of a physical therapist treating back pain shouldbe.
Please take a moment to leave me your comments by filling in the form below. I appreciate your feedback.
If you’re suffering with back pain and would like fast relief, click here ====> End My Back Pain Now!
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain,
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc The Back Pain Expert
Low back pain has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. It’s estimated that as high as 80% of the population will experience low back pain at some point in their life. The good news is that most of these back pain episodes will resolve on their own and never require medical intervention.
The bad news is that despite considerable advancements in the treatment of low back pain, a definitive reason for the onset of symptoms continues to elude even the most skilled practitioners. I am often asked by patients if I think they will require surgery and my answer is always the same — probably not.
In my experience, only about 10% of low back pain sufferers will require surgery. Meaning 90% of people suffering with back pain can be helped with conservative measures. Despite this fact, however, the “surgery question” still comes up.
I came across this interview with a neurosurgeon I thought might shed some light on what goes into making a surgery decision for treating low back pain. I think you’ll find it very informative.
As you learned in this interview, surgery IS NOT necessarily the first or best alternative in managing low back pain. People experiencing back pain should look into more conservative measures first before even entertaining the notion of back surgery.
The Erase Your Back Pain program is an excellent alternative to treating low back pain and has an established track record of getting results where other back pain treatment methods have failed. Learn more here: Back Pain Relief
I’d really like to know your reaction or comments to the information on this video. Please use the form below to comment.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain.
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc The Back Pain Expert
Back pain exercise can range from simple isometric activities to highly targeted exercises to address specific muscle weakness not under our conscious control. Perhaps one of the most overrated therapeutic exercise regimens is “spinal stabilization” exercise.
The premise behind this exercise regimen involves attempts at retraining the core muscles of the trunk, which are the muscles responsible for providing the trunk dynamic stability during activity.
This system of utilizing spinal stabilization exercises or “core training” as it’s called today, was popularized in the late ’80’s when Joe Montana (the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers) underwent back surgery early in the season and was able to return to action during that same season. At the time, an unheard of feat. He attributed his fast recovery in part to the stabilization exercises used in the rehabilitation process following surgery.
Thus, the concept of spinal stabilization exercise (core training) was born. However…
In all but a few of the stabilization programs I’ve been exposed to, the routine is indiscriminately administered, poorly supervised, and does not take into account any of the overlapping muscle imbalances that influence the core stabilizers. As a result, there is zero benefit from this type of training.
A better way of exercising the “core” would be to address specific muscle imbalances first and then begin a very targeted exercise program aimed at engaging the deep spinal stabilizers - i.e. multifidus, rotatores, transversus abdominus, and rectus abdominus. In doing so, full spinal function is attained resulting in a better quality of movement and a more stable spine.
So, are core training exercises an effective means of treating back pain? Yes… if they’re sequenced properly and are done correctly.
To learn more about how to best treat specific muscle imbalances, take a look at this: End My Back Pain
I look forward to your questions and comments. Just fill out the form below.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc The Back Pain Expert
Aside from sciatica and back pain symptoms, some of the complaints I hear from patients all the time include feelings of stiffness, joint pain during recreational or routine daily activities, feelings of fatigue, and achiness during resting activities?
What I invariably find in these folks is poor muscle flexibility. Continue reading →
Because excess weight can contribute to one’s back pain symptoms, I wrote an entire book about how to lose weight effectively and efficiently. Here are the 6 main points I emphasize in the Metamorphic Weight Loss program: Continue reading →
