EXC PHYS The Core of Nec A Courtesy Publication fo
All of us have probably met someone in our lives who suffers from chronic (or long-term) back or neck pain. It could be a friend, a family member, or it may even be yourself. Think about that individual for a moment. Imagine the struggle they experience while seeking a remedy, or the attempts made at solving the mystery of their discomfort.
By Nicholas Drago, PT, DPT, Clinic Director of Excel Physical Therapy – Ardmore
These are the types of patients that physical therapists, such as me, are working to help
every day. These are also the patients who frequently ask us what it is we can do to properly address their condition. The answer is fairly simple and somewhat surprising: it’s education! When a physical therapist is performing an evaluation, they are working on getting to the CORE of your problem. For the low back (or lumbar spine), that problem may indeed be the stabilizing musculature that we commonly refer to as the “core.” While a physical therapist will not be able to give you abs like Vin Diesel, we can show you how to activate the abdominal muscles which help to stabilize and protect your back. Once you have a basic understanding, we begin to educate patients on how important those muscles are to perform everyday activities, along with how they relate to your posture and function. In the neck (or cervical spine), the importance of posture is immeasurable. Neck pain, migraines, stenosis, disc pathologies, and even shoulder and lower arm soreness, can all be corrected with postural education. An example of how one can benefit is by adjusting how you are positioned while looking down at your smartphone. We may not call the neck stabilizers the “core” but it operates in the same manner. By activating the specific musculature that supports the neck and head we can improve the positioning of the cervical spine and put you on the right path to pain relief.
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