McHenry Back and Neck Pain due to Things like Sitting or Doing Computer Work

Sitting for a long time. Working on a computer for a long time. Flexing over a project for too long. All sorts of positional issues may start back pain or neck pain. Spine researchers talk about flexion relaxation ratios (FRR) and flexion relaxation phenomena (FRP) that arise with such irritations of the neck and low back.  OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is ready to help reduce McHenry neck pain and back pain with our chiropractic services as well as help troubleshoot ways to reduce the risk of pain when doing motions you must do all day or movements you want to do occasionally but know they are going to hurt your back or neck.

LUMBAR SPINE and LOW BACK PAIN: Sitting

The curiosity of spinal pain researchers produces some research-provoking issues like does sitting for an hour produce pain in patients with a history of back pain (but do not have back pain presently) versus those without. They didn’t find a difference in the flexion relaxation ratio (FRR) they measured but think that may be because an hour was not long enough to trigger pain in the history-of-back-pain patients. (1) Hum? A decrease of the paraspinal muscle activity at maximum flexion demonstrates the related flexion relaxation phenomenon (FRP). An analysis of 48 published studies on this topic noted that nonspecific low back pain patients’ FRP was altered. Compared to asymptomatic patients, this variation was significant. (2) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic examines these types of issues in our McHenry back pain patients and neck pain patients.

CERVICAL SPINE and NECK PAIN

FRP and FRR can be evaluated in neck pain patients, too. In comparison to the lumbar spine’s FRP and FFR, differences in the reaction of cervical spine muscles were noted in pain patients versus asymptomatic volunteers. The cervical flexion relaxation phenomenon was seen in neck extensor muscles when in flexion. Persistent muscle contraction due to reduced flexion relaxation places vertebral structures at risk due to excessive loading. 84% of healthy subjects had FRP while only 36% of in-pain patients did. FRR was lower in neck pain patients, too. (3) Further, when contrasting computer workers with neck pain to those without neck pain to those who do not computer work, researchers concluded that computer use could increase the use of the semispinalis capitis during neck extension, making it a possible predictor of symptomatic neck musculoskeletal disorders as its activation was found in both types of computer users’ necks. (4) Such a finding is useful to healthcare providers like your chiropractor to see what this muscle does on extension and counsel our patients on how to strengthen the cervical extensor muscles.

RELIEF FOR NECK AND BACK PAIN

Cox® Technic is gentle, relieving McHenry chiropractic treatment for back and neck pain. Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Sean Delahunt on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the effectiveness and gentleness of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with neck pain.   

CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic

Schedule your next McHenry chiropractic appointment with OrthoIllinois Chiropractic. For relief of spine pain due to positional activities, our treatment plan reduces the pain and shares tips on how to reduce the risk of pain while doing what you want and have to do.