Our final installment —but certainly not the last word–on back pain looks at methods that work with structure, posture, movement, and the connection between the mind and the body. How we move throughout the day, indeed throughout our lives, have both immediate and long-term affects on both.
According to research, such as one published in April 2009 at BioMed Central (biomedcentral.com) on musculoskeletal disorders, (conducted by researchers at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Roehampton University UK), postures in the work place that are static, held in prolonged trunk flexion, or are otherwise awkward for any period of time negatively affect lumbar spinal tissues. In other words, when the body is continuously stressed and repeatedly allowed to repeat poor skeletal postures, chronic pain is the usual result. Poor postural position begets pain and problems. Mentally, the stress of this pain can be utterly debilitating.
It makes sense that if we move as we are designed to move we will have a healthier life with far less pain.
Egoscue Method®
Egoscue, pronounced e-gos-cue, is a series of personalized corrective “e-cises” (short for “Egoscue exercises”) that focus on your posture and joint alignment. Specifically, they go after the actual cause of your pain, not just band-aid the symptom. Developed in 1971 by Pete Egoscue to remedy his own chronic pain after multiple tours as a Marine in Vietnam, this method has grown to multiple clinics nationally and internationally.
“Pain is your body telling you that something is out of alignment,” explains Brian Bradley, the Vice President of Therapy Protocol from their headquarters in San Diego. “The body wants to keep you moving so it compensates; this can cause undo stress on the pelvic girdle, spine, mid-back, shoulders, neck, and so forth.”
Throughout the therapy process, four posture photos and a comprehensive comparison to your symptoms are done. From these, your personalized set of “e-cises” is developed. “Because you are directly involved from beginning to end in the process, you will do these simple movements in the comfort of your home and feel the results immediately,” says Bradley. “Your balance will improve, your pain will diminish and eventually you will live Pain Free.”
*T’ai Chi Chuan
T’ai chi chuan, or “supreme ultimate fist,” is a soft-style martial art that is sometimes described as meditation in motion. T’ai chi involves a flowing, steady rhythm of smooth and relaxed movements; it is currently the primary form of physical therapy in Chinese Medicine. This means that all individuals–regardless of age, fitness level, disability or health challenge–can participate, feel enjoyment and experience some success. For people who are dealing with chronic pain, the gentle forms require deep breathing and balanced movement that improve muscle and postural alignment, which is often the cause of low back (and many other) pains in the body.
Jacqui Shumway, who has a master’s degree in kinesiology and physical education from the University of Northern Colorado, has been a specialist in preventive and rehabilitative exercise through physical education and t’ai chi for over 20 years. “The moves and exercises are learned in a flowing system designed to both balance the body and free up movement,” says Shumway.
Joe Brady, Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (and husband of Shumway) adds, “Low back pain is a common malady due to blockage of energy flow, caused by stress, poor body mechanics, or injury. The Chinese believe that when the low back is in pain, the entire system is in trouble.” Shumway, who believes life-long education leads to enjoyable long life, feels that the best way to see if this is for you is to take a few lessons from a real tai chi master, using DVD’s and tapes “as homework lessons.”
*Franklin Method
By using imagery, touch, and movement to facilitate ease and comfort in the body, the Franklin Method helps people to maximize the body’s potential for both everyday activities and sports. It is completely science-based, and is used in medical environments in Europe and Asia to help movement dysfunction, including back pain. It is new to the US, but its use for heath, movement, and motivation is increasing rapidly.
Jan Dunn, MS, a Level Two (of three) Franklin Method Educator, is a member of the adjunct faculty at CU Boulder in the Dance Department as well as a co-host for Franklin Method teacher trainings in Boulder. Two car accidents left her in chronic pain in her lower back, which eventually led her to the Franklin Method. “I am a Pilates instructor and also tried other modalities over the years. I started training in the Franklin Method five years ago when it was first introduced to the USA,” explains Dunn. “Now I rarely have back pain, but, if I do, I can relieve it fairly quickly; a flair-up may last for half a day instead of many days.”
Swiss movement educator and author, Eric Franklin (age 52), developed the Franklin Method 25 years ago. He has taught at the Zurich Neurological Institute, and presented frequently at European medical conferences. He also works with dance companies around the world, such as the London Royal Ballet, Danish Royal Ballet, and the Julliard School in New York, among others. His teaching stresses the neuroplasticity that exists between our mind and our bodies. In other words, our mind directly affects our body and, therefore, affects the life we lead–for better or worse.
According to their official website, “Body posture and movement are imagery driven; if the image does not correspond to the way the body is designed, the result will be a steady decline in function.” By combining both scientific and anatomical analysis with movement and imagery exercises, the Franklin Method attempts to connect the dots between body/mind, posture, breath, health, imagery and motivation. As Dunn explains, “Awareness of function improves function.”
A Franklin Method practitioner will work with a client to learn how they currently move, then recondition the patterns through anatomical knowledge, imagery, and direct physical awareness to determine the pattern that causes pain. Then, by combining the mind with the body, the client learns how to move the way the body was designed, in a biomechanically correct, healthy manner. This spring, IDEA Health and Fitness Association will be focusing on the Franklin Method, encouraging trainers, coaches, and physical therapists to adopt these techniques into their practices.
*Alexander Technique
Many of our pain problems come from habits and tensions that we carry in our body from day to day, such as hunching the shoulders at our computer or tensing the neck and jaw when driving a car. The Alexander Technique helps people to learn how to use their bodies in everyday activities with more ease, and less pain and tension.
“I work with students to become aware of their postural and movement habits that may be taking them out of balance,” explains AmSAT (American Society of Alexander Technique) Certified Teacher, Kris O’Shea. “I then guide them through simple movements such as sitting, standing, walking, or bending and help them to perform these activities with minimal effort and improved use of their bodies.”
In fact, a British Medical Journal study published August 19, 2008 showed an 85% reduction in chronic, non-specific low-back pain through lessons in the Alexander Technique.
F.M. Alexander, an Australian actor, developed this technique in the early 20th century. He observed that his chronic hoarseness was due to how he held his head, neck, and torso in relation to how he controlled his posture and physical movements. Others with whom he worked found that his methods got rid of chronic headaches, back pain, and other discomforts. “We work with movement education and postural re-education,” says O’Shea. “How are you doing what you are doing and can you be easier on your body? We work hands-on to give you a different kinesthetic experience, which helps you to learn how to approach everyday movement with more ease.”
*Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Education
The Feldenkrais Method involves learning to move with greater ease, skill, and awareness. The whole process is about self-discovery as opposed to being taught a specific way to move. Moshe Feldenkrais D.Sc. (1904-1984), an engineer, physicist and judo master, developed the method in response to his knee injury. His professional background led him to look at a more “global” solution for a “local” problem. To help someone with back pain, a practitioner looks at a larger picture: what patterns create stress to a particular place? Rather than fixing a part, the solution is in improving movement through the whole system.
Group classes in Awareness Through Movement® are empowering in learning to help yourself. Private sessions called Functional Integration® are tailor made for the individual, and a good way to begin.
Bethany Cobb has been a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitionercm since 1991. “We introduce novelty to the nervous system through movement variations,” she explains. “These experiences help people develop a clear self-image, a felt sense which informs their movement.” This re-learning is done through gentle, easy ranges of motion. As people feel the support and movement through their skeleton, they find greater ease in action. With all the parts working together, areas that were overworked or stressed can recover.
Back pain can lead us to question what should be an automatic physical movement. “Just as when we were children, small steps lead to fundamental shifts in how we feel, think and move through our lives.”
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Contact Information
*Egoscue Method
Egoscue Method Clinic, 350 Ponca Place, Boulder, CO, 800-995-8434, Egoscue.com; “Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain,” Pete Egoscue, Bantam Books, 2000, $16.00
*T’ai Chi Chuan
Jacqui Shumway and Joe Brady, The T’ai Chi Project, Taichidenver.com, Jacqui@shumwayfordenver.com, 303-744-7676
*Franklin Method
Jan Dunn, MS, jddanmed@aol.com, 303-717-6023, DenverDanceMedicine.com, FranklinMethod.com
*Alexander Technique
Kris O’Shea, AlexandertechniqueDenver.blogspot.com, 303-522-3988, AlexanderTech.com
*Feldenkrais Method
Bethany Cobb, BCMotion@earthlink.net, 303-722-1740, Aethling.com/bc, Feldenkrais.com
