Do you have chronic pain? You’re not alone! Chronic pain can impact
the mind and the body. Over 80% of retired NFL football players experience
pain daily. A recent questionnaire study of them noted that
the greater the pain acceptance, the lower the pain intensity they had.
(1) Accepting pain is hard though! Fortunately,
study after study shows that a tad bit of
optimism and physical activity improves pain and optimism. For these and more
reasons, Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office incorporates exercise into our chronic back pain
patients’ Groton chiropractic treatment plans!
EXERCISE: GOOD FOR BODY AND MIND
Exercise benefits extend beyond the physical body
improvements. Exercise also enhances the mind and outlook of a
person in pain, especially one who has
chronic low back pain. At the conclusion of a 3-month study of
chronic low back pain patients who either exercised or did not,
researchers documented that pain disability scores in the exercisers
dropped significantly more. In both groups, reduced
pain scores connected to higher self-efficacy scores
(feelings of independence). Chronic low back pain exercisers’ improved
disability showed a positive impact
on increased self-efficacy and pain relief. (2) Another study of 72 patients
before treatment for their chronic pain and after 3 months of treatment documented
that improved self-efficacy was linked to lowered
disability regardless of any reduction
in pain intensity. They concluded that helping chronic
pain patients improve their sense of self-efficacy could be a
good way to help chronic pain patients cope with pain in addition to just
relieving their pain. (3)
OPTIMISM FOR A BETTER, LESS PAINFUL DAY
And an optimistic point of view toward
pain can be a plus! Fear-avoidance is a common problem for patients with pain. They don’t
want to do anything to worsen their condition
and cause pain which leads to
less movement and less optimism for ever being without pain. Research showed that patients with longer episodes
of pain who stated greater self-efficacy and
patients with higher pain disability and depression had lower self-efficacy. (4)
Knowing this, we support our
Groton pain patients to be active and keep
living life! ’Better’ is just around the corner!
EXERCISE: Time to Move!
And we all know it: physical inactivity and sedentary
lifestyle are not beneficial for us. Researchers go so
far as to write that they are associated with chronic
musculoskeletal pain and can even aggravate it! What
is the solution? Physical exercise, of course.
Researchers pointed out in a recent study that exercise
programs combining several types
of exercise – flexibility, balance, aerobic, strengthening – tend to be better. Such arrangements are also more adaptable
to an individual patient’s issues. Light-to-moderate
intensity exercise done two to three times a week for a month were demonstrated to be of greatest benefit
for chronic pain patients especially for those with spine pain conditions like chronic
low back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. (5) Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
designs a strategy specially for
each Groton chiropractic patient.
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Kelly Brinkman on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she
details the effectiveness of the gentle
protocols of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in treating
chronic back pain.
Make your Groton chiropractic
appointment now. Whether you’re a retired NFL
player or NFL fan or neither of these, bring your chronic pain and worried mind
to Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office. We’ll work together to reduce
pain and fear of pain and improve your sense of
independence and joy of life with chiropractic and exercise!