Working with the Multifidus Muscle

June 3, 2010 by admin · 1 Comment
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain 

Dealing with back pain for any length of time will certainly involve the multifidus muscle. While its not likely to have a specific multifidus injury, the muscle itself is HIGHLY prone to dysfunction and trigger point development.

Welcome back!

How To Get A Quadratus Lumborum Stretch

June 2, 2010 by admin · 1 Comment
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain 

Stretching in the case of quadratus lumborum injury or long term tension is fairly simple and straightforward. In the video below, I’ll show you how.

How To Sleep With A Disc Bulge

May 3, 2010 by admin · 1 Comment
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain 

Should You Use Inversion Therapy For Back Pain?

May 3, 2010 by admin · 1 Comment
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain 

Aerobics For Back Pain?

April 30, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain 

What to Do with Anterior Pelvic Tilt AND Disc Herniation!

April 27, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain 

Treatment for Sacroiliac Joint Pain

October 7, 2009 by admin · 2 Comments
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain 

What is the Sacroiliac Joint?

The joint is comprised of the area in which the sacrum and iliac bones meet.

Stabilization of the SI Joint: Two Types

Form Closure

Form closure is the stability that happens when the tight fitting joint surfaces of the SI joint are close together. This is very much dependent on the size and shape of each person’s structure.

Force Closure

Force closure is the support offered to the SI joint by the ligaments and muscular systems.

Most research is is clear that no muscles directly move the SI joints, but its important to understand how their dysfunction can promote sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

Addressing Sacroiliac Joint Pain

Sacroiliac joint treatment options beyond medical interventions are quite simple, in fact. They need to be separated into 2 different scenarios:

What to do when the sacroiliac joint is OUT:

As mentioned previously, there are not any muscles in particular that move the SI joints. However, there are some movements that are useful in assisting the mobilization of the sacroiliac joints.

Unfortunately, sometimes its not possible to get the joints back into balance on your own. Many times with patients, I have to help them by anchoring certain parts of their pelvis or sacrum while they perform movements in order to re-balance the area. Therefore, its recommended to see a trained professional to help with this.

The good news is, on more than a number of occasions, someone walks into my office with sacroiliac joint pain of a 9 on a 10 scale, and within 5 minutes, I can get them down to a 2 or a 3. This just demonstrates how much potential to cause pain these joints have, AND how quickly it can be resolved by doing the right steps to resolve it.

What to do when the sacroiliac joint is IN:

Once significant pain is resolved, and sacroiliac joint inflammation is reduced, corrective exercises and stretches must be implemented in order to effectively restore balance to the muscular “slings” that support the area.

Sacroiliac joint exercises need to focus on two areas. Some of the key muscles that need to be addressed are found in two different “layers” of muscles.

The Inner Unit:

The inner unit muscles are a deep set of muscles that help stabilize your entire core and are frequently shut off, or possess inappropriate activation patterns during periods of pain. They include:

-The muscles of the pelvic floor
-The transverse abdominus
-The multifidus
-The diaphragm

These muscles must be isolated to ensure proper activation and sequencing, then integrated with the next group of muscles, called the Outer Unit.

The Outer Unit:

The outer unit is further segmented into 4 systems, but in essence, involves the following muscles:

-The gluteals (all of them)
-The spinal erectors
-The abdominal wall
-The groin muscles
-The hip flexor and quadricep muscles

The real trick to resolving any problem with back pain seems to always come back to the correction of the deep muscular stabilizer systems of the body, then re-integrating them with the larger, more powerful muscles.

If you don’t follow this sequence, your results will be limited to symptom relief for the short term. I have seen this time and again in my practice with patients who have progressed their programs too quickly just to “get stronger”.

When I end up seeing them after the many therapists they have seen prior to me, I have to take them back to the beginning anyway. In this situation, unfortunately, they have been taught to OVER activate the larger muscles, and I have to re-train them to focus on the micro-movements that need to be done.

Lesson here: Whats worth doing is worth doing RIGHT the first time!

Be Sure To Check Out My YouTube Page and Subscribe!

August 16, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain 

http://www.youtube.com/user/HolisticSam

Inflammation and Back Pain

February 22, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain 

Pelvic Tilt Measurement

February 8, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Causes of Back Pain, Pelvic Tilt 

A common email question I receive is about measuring pelvic tilt. The best way to measure pelvic tilt is with a specialized set of calipers that were developed by neuromuscular therapist Paul Chek. These can be quite pricey, and are only usually found in the offices of skilled therapists.

The other way to measure pelvic tilt, which is quick, cost-free, and easily done is home is by looking at your belt line in the mirror. Usually, the front of your belt line rests either slightly above, or slightly below the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine, which is the small bony protuberance just above your thigh. The backside of your belt line usually rests again just above or below the Posterior Superior Iliac Spine, which are found about 2 inches to the side of the spine.

When you look in the mirror at your side view, you will look at the angle of the belt line. For men, the line should be parallel to the ground, with neither the front or the backside higher than the other, with normal measuring 0-5 degrees. For women, the angle should be slighter lower on the front side than the backside within approximately 7-10 degrees being normal.

It is important to note, that these are the “textbook” normal values for pelvic tilt. It should not be the ONLY evaluation for normal function and balance of the core muscles. You should also evaluate the range of motion and strength of all the associated muscles in order to really test total function of this area. You do NOT have to be perfect, but close enough to be out of pain!

Sam Visnic–

Next Page »

  • FREE Online Video Course To
    End Your Back Pain!


    Email
    We will NOT share your email address, we hate SPAM too.


  • Dr. Holly Lucille
    "Having someone like Sam to refer my patients to who is as comprehensive, brilliant and caring as he is makes my job so much easier!! I feel assured that my patients are in good hands and are going to get the results they so desperately want. I highly recommend Sam to anyone who is looking to resolve their back pain easily and effectively!”
    -Dr. Holly Lucille N.D., R.N.

  • “Sam is very knowledgeable about back pain and the process for relieving pain. His approach is grounded in science and experience. Sam's holistic approach is geared towards treating the causes, not just the symptoms. If you are experiencing lower back pain I highly suggest you contact Sam.” -Perry Schroeder
    Real Estate Agent
    Los Angeles, CA

  • Jimmy

    “I've used Sam on more than one occasion to help me with back pain issues. As a full time web designer I often spent too many hours sitting behind the pc which led to chronic back pain. I started working with Sam a few years ago and his knowledge and insight helped me to alleviate my back pain issues and even improve my posture. Whenever I start to have back pain issues I just re-implement the tools and techniques he showed to me and in no time my back pain goes away. He really is the back pain specialist!”
    -Jimmy Powell
    Owner, Stellar Media Group

  • Michelle
    “Sam is an excellent mind/body fitness coach & trainer. When it comes to eliminating complex back problems, Sam's your man. He is passionate about his work and dedicated to healing his clients. I highly recommend his services.”
    -Michelle Armstrong
    Author, "Manage Your Mind, Master Your Life"

  • Tim
    “In my experience it is rare to find a health practitioner who consistently cures the underlying issues, and successfully drives to total wellness. Sam has become our trusted family 'health support system' because he is one of those rare people. He has successfully helped my mother in law, sister, wife, daughter, and myself cure what western medicine has been unable to. We highly recommend Sam ... plus he's a cool guy !”
    -Tim Parsey
    Microsoft Partner, Dir UX

  • Dr. Matt Costantino
    “I was so impressed when working with Sam, from his detailed and thorough evaluation, to the great workouts and home exercises prescribed. I've referred a number of people to Sam and in the past we've used his DVD for gifts to patients for home care. I strongly recommend Sam's services and hope to be working with him personally at some time in the near future.
    -Dr. Matt Costantino
    HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive Rehab