Fort Wayne Back Muscles Affected By Back Pain

The spine is maintained by many muscles. Back pain and degenerative spine conditions impact those muscles. Chiropractors like yours at Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc deal with both the degenerative spinal pain condition as well as the related degenerated spine muscles. Fort Wayne chiropractic back pain treatment plans integrate pain-relieving approaches for both the spine and its musculature.

BACK PAIN AND MUSCLES’ RESPONSES

Back pain impacts back muscles. Different Fort Wayne back pain conditions affect different Fort Wayne back muscles, too. Paraspinal muscles present varied responses to spinal degenerative conditions. Alterations in the lumbar spine paraspinal muscles of low back pain patients have been detailed. Atrophy of the multifidus muscles in patients with back pain, lumbar radiculopathy, and lumbar degenerative kyphosis are specifically documented. Increased fat infiltration of the multifidus muscle is also seen in patients with lumbar radiculopathy and lumbar degenerative kyphosis. (1) In a study of 78 patients with either degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis or degenerative lumbar kyphosis, researchers documented these degenerative muscle patterns. The multifidus muscle is described as the stabilizer of the lumbar spine segments while the erector spinae muscles tend to be referred to as the stabilizers of spinal sagittal balance. Multifidus muscle degeneration was more significant in the degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis patients. Erector spinae degeneration was more significant in the degenerative lumbar kyphosis patients as well as more directly linked to the severity of spinal kyphosis curvature. (2) Continuous chronic low back pain patients as contrasted with non-continuous and recurrent low back pain sufferers were documented to have greater EMG activity in erector spinae and multifidus muscles in extension. (3) Your Fort Wayne chiropractor at Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc pays close attention to these differences.

BACK PAIN AND BACK MUSCLES: STABILITY

Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc also notes back pain and muscle response on spinal stability. Researchers explained that chronic low back pain impairs spinal stability of its sufferers. In looking at the activation patterns of the latissimus dorsi, gluteus maximus, and upward scapular rotation muscles of chronic LBP patients, researchers found a significant increase in upward scapular rotation in all shoulder abduction positions on both sides. The left side was more significant than the right. Further, they found greater latissimus dorsi muscle activities and reduced gluteus maximus activities in chronic low back pain. (4) Spinal manipulation is described as stimulating transient physiological responses of which paraspinal muscle activity and muscle spindle responses are included. (5) Your Fort Wayne chiropractor will carefully note these responses when treating your spine as well as in setting exercises to address weaknesses. 

CONTACT Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Paulette Hugulet on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson. She discusses her implementation of spinal manipulation, namely the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management, for a 77-year-old patient to reduce pain and better her muscle function and strength.