Spine & Sports Rehab Center Helps Back Pain Sufferers Fight Fear Avoidance and Move More

Fear of back pain? Once you’ve had it, you say “yes!” Your Baton Rouge chiropractor gets it. Baton Rouge back pain and neck pain patients do not want to feel that pain again. Spine & Sports Rehab Center helps spine pain sufferers get their confidence back with encouragement and exercise

FEAR AVOIDANCE DUE TO BACK PAIN

Back pain sufferers want to avoid back pain if they can help it. That desire - whether obvious or subtle, stated or just ruminated in the mind – establishes the ‘perfect storm’ for a behavior called fear-avoidance. Patients with persistent spinal pain syndrome - post-surgically induced or not – provoked high levels of fear avoidance, anxiety, and depression. (1) Researchers explained that the pain experience is not just physical because emotions, behaviors and beliefs are mixed in, too. Fear avoidant behavior like fearing the act of lifting an object grows and impacts muscle behavior without realizing it. A new study compared fear-avoidant beliefs and the use of lumbar paraspinal muscle activity while lifting in both back pain and in pain-free persons. Fear of lifting an object with a flexed spine as documented in a questionnaire was negatively related with erector spinae activity to protect the spine from harm. The proper way to lift has been argued through the years. Lifting with a straight back has been portrayed as safer than lifting with a flexed back though research has not really supported that while lifting with a lordotic posture has been found to result in more erector spinae muscle activity resulting in muscle fatigue and pain.  (2) Spine & Sports Rehab Center knows the importance of handling fear avoidance and its link to better quality of life.

HOW TO MANAGE FEAR AVOIDANCE

Researchers documented that back pain sufferers today ‘get’ that they must keep active but some require a bit more support and encouragement to move and exercise because of a lack of confidence in their backs’ ability to exercise without causing pain. The healthcare provider not only can share the latest findings on pain control but also coach the back pain patient to be physical in the safest way possible. (3) If you are that patient, Spine & Sports Rehab Center is your coach! We’re a team and can help you move better and with less fear and deliver gentle, relieving spinal manipulation. 12 weeks of chiropractic manipulation and exercise for older adults with chronic back pain boosted their self-efficacy and fear-avoidant behaviors along with reductions in disability. A 30% or more drop in the Oswestry Disability Index suggested positive response to care. (4) The more engaged a patient is with treatment, the greater the influence on the feeling of self-efficacy and disability reduction. (5) Let us work together to manage your Baton Rouge back pain so it does not control you. 

CONTACT Spine & Sports Rehab Center

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tom Menendez on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for an older patient with back pain for whom fear avoidance is logical.

Schedule your Baton Rouge chiropractic appointment now so that if you are questioned whether you fear back pain, you can say “no”!

 Spine & Sports Rehab Center gets why back pain sufferers fear movement and helps them get past it to move and exercise.
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."