There are some issues with the spine that can cause chronic pain and limit the mobility of some patients. Degenerative discs, sciatica, spinal stenosis, and more can limit the flexibility of people who have these conditions. Fortunately, with a multi-disciplinary approach, doctors can help patients increase their flexibility while managing their pain.
Effects of Inflexibility
Many people with back issues have pain whether they’re sitting still or moving about. Unfortunately, due to this type of pain, many patients stop their normal activities and lead more sedentary lifestyles. This can cause joints and muscles throughout the body to become weak and inflexible, causing even more pain when they try to walk or reach for things.
Joints need to be moved about to stay healthy and muscles that are not exercised can grow weak. These issues can be discovered during flexibility assessments when you visit a pain clinic when you need help. A patient’s flexibility or range of motion is tested to see what causes pain when he or she stands, walks, reaches out, and reaches over his or her head to pick up objects.
Increasing Flexibility
During flexibility assessments, if the assessor notices that a patient lacks flexibility and/or movement causes pain, then he or she may recommend certain exercises or physical therapy to increase the range of motion and decrease pain caused by inactivity. Physical therapy or exercise programs such as Pilates or yoga can increase range of motion and flexibility while reducing pain. A doctor may also prescribe medications such as anti-inflammatories to help patients move about more freely during their treatments.
Once they can move about with less pain, other flexibility assessments may be done to determine how much their back issues are limiting their mobility. The doctor will then create a treatment plan to reduce pain and regain mobility. To learn more about pain management, click here: Aspirepainmedicalcenter.com. You can follow them on Google+ for more information.
