October 13th, 2023 // Dr. Arnan Sisson

Very often folks come into the clinic with very angry backs. I’m talking 7,8,9 or even 10/10 pain! Lower back pain or sciatica that is so bad they can’t escape it. It follows them to their favorite recliner, to their grandkids’ baseball games, to their dream vacation, and even to bed at night. It's relentless and not only are they missing out on truly enjoying life, but their taking pills they know are awful for their health long term.

While I can and do fix these sorts of cases on a daily basis. Wouldn’t it be nice to avoid the 10/10 pain? Or even going beyond 1 Tylenol a day?

The nature of back pain is an interesting one. It usually develops over time and a person goes through periods of mild pain and periods of extreme back/sciatic pain. So, catching the back pain early on is always our best bet. Not only is it easier to treat, but it allows a person to lose less time. And what I mean by that is time with family and friends that we truly crave.

So today, I’m going to give out two simple tests, and they’ll determine if you’re on your way to back pain. And if these tests are positive you can consult with a back pain expert and make adjustments to avoid years of back troubles.

The first test is standing with your knees locked. While keeping your feet shoulder width, you want to slowly walk your fingers as far down your legs as possible. When you can’t go any further, walk back up. Repeat these 10 times. If this is painful during or after you need to take some steps to avoid future back troubles.

The second test is a static slouch test. I use this often in my practice with folks who come in with no pain at the time of the evaluation. What a person does is sit with the worst possible posture ever. I’m talking rounded shoulders, head down, and lower back rounded.

Hold this position for 5 minutes and gauge pain levels. If you have some pain that’s produced, your vulnerable to back troubles and should take steps to prevent it.

As I always say, Knowledge is power! That’s it for today everyone.

P.S. Have a positive test and want to take the steps to prevent full-blown back troubles? If so, feel free to call us at (804) 493-3256 to set up an evaluation or free 20-minute phone consultation to get you started in the right direction.