Call us to set up an appointment! 609-597-9333

Manahawkin Chiropractic Center Helps Back Pain Sufferers Fight Fear Avoidance and Move More

Fear of back pain? Once you have experienced it, you say “yes!” Your Manahawkin chiropractor totally understands this. Manahawkin back pain and neck pain patients don’t want to feel that pain again. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center helps spine pain sufferers get their confidence back with encouragement and exercise

FEAR AVOIDANCE DUE TO BACK PAIN

Back pain sufferers want to avoid back pain if they have any options at all. That desire - whether obvious or subtle, stated or just ruminated in the mind – establishes the situation for a behavior known as fear-avoidance. Patients with persistent spinal pain syndrome - post-surgically induced or not – elicited high levels of fear avoidance, anxiety, and depression. (1) Researchers explained that the pain experience is not just physical because emotions, behaviors and beliefs are mixed in, too. Fear avoidant behavior like fearing the act of lifting an object grows and affects muscle behavior without realizing it. A recent study compared fear-avoidant beliefs and the use of lumbar paraspinal muscle activity while lifting in both back pain and in pain-free volunteers. Fear of lifting an object with a flexed spine as described in a questionnaire was negatively associated with erector spinae activity to protect the spine from injury. The proper way to lift has been argued for a long time. Lifting with a straight back has been described as safer than lifting with a flexed back though research has not really supported that while lifting with a lordotic posture has been reported to result in more erector spinae muscle activity giving rise to muscle fatigue and pain.  (2) Manahawkin Chiropractic Center knows the importance of handling fear avoidance and its link to better quality of life.

HOW TO MANAGE FEAR AVOIDANCE

Researchers documented that back pain sufferers today ‘get’ that they must keep moving but some require a little more support and encouragement to move and exercise because of a lack of confidence in their spines’ ability to exercise without triggering pain. The healthcare provider not only can offer the latest findings on pain control but also coach the back pain patient to be physical in the safest way possible. (3) If you are that patient, Manahawkin Chiropractic Center is your trainer! We’re a team and can help you move easier and with less fear and provide gentle, relieving spinal manipulation. 12 weeks of chiropractic manipulation and exercise for older adults with chronic back pain boosted their self-efficacy and fear-avoidant behaviors together with decreases in disability. A 30% or more drop in the Oswestry Disability Index suggested positive response to care. (4) The more engaged a patient is with treatment, the greater the influence on the feeling of self-efficacy and disability reduction. (5) Let us work together to control your Manahawkin back pain so it does not control you. 

CONTACT Manahawkin Chiropractic Center

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Tom Menendez on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for an older patient with back pain for whom fear avoidance is understandable.

Make your Manahawkin chiropractic appointment now so that if you are asked if you fear back pain, you can say “no”!

 Manahawkin Chiropractic Center gets why back pain sufferers fear movement and helps them get past it to move and exercise.
« View All Featured Exercises
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."