Am I a candidate for this type of exercise?
- Low back pain worse in the morning?
- having trouble getting out of bed?
- Ever get that old person “stiff” feeling when you get up from a seated position?
- Trouble getting in and out of a car?
- Pain decreases after taking a few steps?
- Are you at a desk and or seated most your day?
- Pain occur after a deadlift or squat?
- trouble bending down to pick something up off the ground?
Then this exercise could be beneficial for you!
The anatomy of a disc and disc injury simplified
Think of the disc as a jelly donut. The inner part of the disc is known as the nucleus pulposus, in this case this is the jelly part of the donut. The outer tougher circular exterior of the intervertebral disc is known as the annulus fibrosus, this is the part that surrounds the nucleus pulposus. During a disc injury the jelly part of the donut is forced through a weakened part of the disc. You might be thinking, but which way does the jelly donut go and how do you know? Through chiropractic treatment we can determine which way the disc was injured or which way the joint is “kinked.” Research has shown the disc is more likely to be injured in a posterior or posterolateral direction which is the direction back bends can be beneficial.
How do the backbends actually help?
The Lumbar Extensions simply known as backbends if used properly can help change someone’s daily life drastically. How is this possible? Due to what is going on in regards to the intervertebral disc during the movement of the exercise. During extension the disc is compressed posteriorly and stretched anteriorly. The nuclear pressure is reduced by up to 35% in extension (Adams 1994). Extension can cause an anterior displacement of the nucleus pulposus in a non-degenerated disc (Kolber 2009) this meaning that during extension the nucleus pulposus will move in an anterior (forward) direction this will help release pressure off of the nerve while returning the jelly part of the donut back to the center.
The backbends are not helping?!
First you have to find your directional preference. This meaning which way do I need to move to return the jelly back to the center? Remember that the jelly may exit left, right, forward or backwards. Depending on which way your disc has been injured will play a role in your treatment drastically. Although this may seem like a simple exercise it is important to ask your health care provider about the amount of force, load and duration. Think of your disc injury as a cut and scab on your finger, you don’t want to push your finger in the direction too hard too fast because that will just open the scab back up causing you to start from the beginning all over again. There are different variations to the backbends that must be done in the correct sequence at the correct time in order for the scab to heal properly.
