I know, I know- your kids will say they will look dorky if they have a roller. I tell my daughter she will look dorkier walking around lopsided because of the damage to her back carrying around a hundred pounds of books. They make cool looking ones, and you will save your children from potentially serious back problems.
Enjoy your weekend!
-Andy
The skilled touch of a loved one can have a greater, longer lasting effect on back pain.
Thank you to Jen G. for your ‘gag’ tip of the day, and to everyone else who submitted feedback on the snow shoveling piece from yesterday. We are still digging ourselves out here in Philadelphia, and now we are expecting another 12-24 inches on Wednesday. Man I hate the winter.
Have a great day!
-Andy
When back pain occurs, it truly does affect virtually every aspect of your life. It can potentially change everything. For those of you who are familiar with my work, and my emphasis on your partner or spouse as a resource for healing, you know that I feel it is particularly important for back pain sufferers to be able to get back in touch with as much of their life before back pain as possible. One of the worst things that can happen when back or neck pain becomes a (temporary) part of your life is to abandon sexual intimacy, and all of the positive benefits that come with it.
Sex can have numerous benefits for pain sufferers;
-An endorphin release, which acts as a natural pain reliever.
-The slow mobilization of the segments of the lower back, sacrum and pelvis.
-The pleasure of intimate touch, and relief from the feelings of alienation which can sometimes accompany pain.
-The restoration of normalcy in a life which may have been drastically compromised by back & neck pain.
I did a post on this a little while back, and received many emails and messages about how couples found more comfortable ways to have sex- and it was really interesting (and sometimes entertaining really) to hear how people were able to reintroduce sexual activity into their lives. You can tell by the lengths some folks went to, to see how much of a priority this was for them. More than a few of my viewers have swings installed their bedrooms- an elegant- if complicated solution.
I was contacted by a website, sensuouswife.com about some of the products they sell to help couples achieve comfortable sex. Their site is very interesting, and it is couples-friendly (ie: there are no threatening images of impossibly thin or chiseled models to make either of you feel inadequate.) Their product line is clearly aimed at heterosexual couples, but the products I described below could offer benefits to pretty much anyone. I have attached a few images from their site (with their permission of course) and some descriptions. The company provided some descriptions as well which are included under the images:
Wedge-ramp combination.
The Ramp/Wedge combo (or the individual Wedge and Ramp, for those who don’t want to buy both at once) is probably the best starting place for couples working to make sex less painful. They give excellent support in a number of configurations, and they are designed to change the height or angle to make penetration easier and more comfortable. Sex is much less strenuous for both partners – the person lying on the shapes has much better support, and the person on top usually finds that they can get things lined up without supporting himself or herself in odd positions or angles. The angling also bring the couple closer together, so that they can look into each others’ eyes and talk to each other without straining.
The Esse
The Esse.
The Esse is also designed to give support in a variety of positions, allowing both spouses to relax and enjoy each other. Most users find that the support allows the spine to curve naturally and comfortably. The Esse also has the advantage of being narrow enough to straddle, which many couples find is easier on the hips and knees, since the legs can be used efficiently and naturally.
The Whirl.
The Whirl is less well-known, but many people find it very helpful, especially if they are dealing with hip or knee pain, since it can support the movement of thrusting by rolling back and forth.
Each of these products are covered in a velvet-like microfiber fabric, which is very soft and comfortable, but also “grips” other fabrics. So unlike most pillows, the Liberator Shapes won’t slide around on the bed during use. This also means that if a couple wants to customize the support by adding another pillow or two (for example, some people find the Ramp more comfortable if they have a pillow behind their head) the pillow will stay put on the shape and not slip around.
In looking over the products, they seem to offer some simple solutions to some ergonomic issues sexually active partners can encounter when trying to find comfortable ways to have sex. The two most useful from a low back pain standpoint would be the Whirl, and the Esse- which has the added benefit of offering neck support for neck pain sufferers. I really like these products- give them a look.
For those looking for more information on sex and back pain, I have posted on this before, but there is also an excellent book available entitled The Joy of Comfortable Sex by Pierre Angier, D.O. (available on Amazon)
I am so happy that there are people and companies out there which are addressing this problem. Sex is way to important to give up. Bringing sexual intimacy back to a relationship which may have even be ravaged by back and neck pain can really help to get things back on track, and help further your quest to get back pain out of your life.
Thanks for visiting, and be well,
-Andy
Donna uses many relaxation techniques to help the couples she works with in her natural childbirth classes, to deal with the pain of labor and delivery. I asked Donna to outline how the technique works, and how it applies to the couples-based approach of Back Together:
One of the most effective techniques that we offer laboring couples, the tension/relaxation body scan, can be a great way to promote relaxation under any circumstance. You can work this technique as a couple or alone. It works any time of day and some people find it especially helpful to promote sleep. I often used it on my daughters if they’re a little antsy at bedtime. When you work on it as a couple, you have the added benefit of the partner learning what tension and relaxation actually feel like in each of the muscle groups. I will refer to the person experiencing the relaxation as the “subject” and the person guiding the technique as the “partner.” My husband and I have found that this type of technique is great for helping with back discomfort.
This technique works best when lying down, but can work anywhere in a pinch.
Have the subject lie down in a comfortable position. Beginning with the forehead as them to tense up the muscle group. Then say something like, “This is tension. This is what we want to eliminate.” Then ask the subject to relax and affirm that action with, “This is relaxation. This is what we want.” Next, take the subject through the following body areas, using the same procedure of tension/relaxation and the same script: Have them: scrunch up and then relax their nose and cheeks, clench and then relax their jaw, tense and relax their neck, shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, hands, chest, stomach, groin, buttocks, thighs, calves, feet and toes. When you have completed this body scan, have them tense and relax their full bodies. Remind them that they are in a state of physical relaxation and that this is good.
Many people find that it helps if the partner touches each of these areas. This helps both because it physically guides the subject and because it teaches the partner what tension and relaxation feel like in the subject’s body areas.
You may find over time that you can alter the script a bit, making it your own. The key is to work together to promote a sense of relaxation for both of you. I also urge you to reverse the roles every once in a while. This benefits both the partner, who then gets to receive the relaxation and both partners by promoting a sense of empathy. Have fun with this and happy relaxing!
Thanks Donna.
This is just one relaxation ‘script’- I found a website which outlines a whole bunch, and while they are kind of crunchy, they do seem helpful. Take a look here.
It sounds like telling someone to relax would be an obvious help for pain conditions, but you would be surprised how few people take the initiative to give themselves the gift of a few minutes of relaxation a day. Keep in mind that physical relaxation and mental relaxation can both have positive benefits and that some activities can relax both the body and mind. One thing I do is try to set aside a small portion of every day to play the piano, and both my body and mind are acutely aware of the days when I don’t find the time.
The magnificent Black Forrest Steinway.
One of my favorite tips EVER is to purchase a phone headset for your cell phone and your home phone. Whenever I see someone cradling their phone between their ear and their shoulder, it actually drives me a little nuts. Whenever I see a patient who has been complaining of neck or upper back pain cradling their phone that way it drives me a LOT nuts.
There are very few suggestions I can make which will have as positive an impact as this one thing. Holding you phone that way is just setting your cervical and thoracic spine up for pain. A headset will largely alleviate this concern.
Cell phone headsets can be purchased for less than 5 bucks pretty much anywhere, and the ones which connect to your home phone now pretty much all use the same connector. Buy one- it is worth ten thousand times more than the initial outlay.
Be well,
-Andy
Smoking and back pain:
As if I needed yet another reason to convince my patients to quit smoking- a new Finnish study finds a link between smoking and back pain. The study does not suggest that smoking causes back pain, but that it potentially exacerbates already existing pain. The study suggests that the pain-augmenting effect may have to do with decreasing the blood supply to the spine. It is also likely that there are some analogous functions shared by pain receptors in your nervous system and those receptors which respond to nicotine.
Long and short of it- if you have back pain, and you smoke, now you have more reasons than ever to quit.
Philadelphia Eagles: When you cut the heart out of your team, you are left with a heartless team….
Saturday saw the Philadelphia Eagles’ painful loss to their arch-division-rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. Now it would be reasonable to think that the Eagles could lose 1 or 2 games to the Cowboys, but until now- 3 would have been unthinkable.
I have already elaborated on my thoughts on how the team did this to themselves. You can have a team full of competent players, but in the absence of locker room leadership, no amount of raw talent is likely to help. Sorry to harp on this, but allowing Brian Dawkins to finish his career in Denver was the leadership equivalent of cutting out your own heart. THEN to make matters worse, bringing in dog lover Michael Vick injected a hearty helping of bad Karma into the mix. Perhaps he can help secure a trade for a draft pick for a quarterback replacement for #5- but who’s really out there worthy of cultivation? Now we can look forward the team management rewarding quality play with allowing players to leave. Leonard Weaver was something the Eagles have needed for a long time- and he proved his worth again and again this season. I wonder who he will be playing for next season?
The Eagles management makes it so hard to be a fan…
As always, best to you and yours,
-Andy
Eagles Training Camp- Lehigh University, Lehigh Pennsylvania
It can be so easy to fall behind in your sleep. There are so many distractions and obligations in our lives, that sleep is frequently not considered a priority. There are numerous studies, and TONS of anecdotal evidence that regular sleep is essential in reducing back pain and it’s effect on your life.
Here are a couple of considerations with regards to sleep and back pain:
1) Make sure you are sleeping on a supportive mattress. Also, be sure your mattress isn’t too old- even a top-brand mattress will eventually become less supportive with age.
2) On days that you exercise, try to have at least 4 hours between exercise and sleep, and on those exercise days be particularly defensive of your sleep- that is essential to your exercise recovery.
3) Avoid sleeping on your stomach. If you sleep on your back, keep a pillow under your knees. If you sleep on your side, keep a small pillow between your knees to keep your hips in a neutral position.
Here is a great article by Dr. Frank Lipman on Huffington Post about how to get better quality sleep by paying attention to common sleep mistakes. It doesn’t address back pain, but anything that helps you to get better sleep will have a payoff in less back pain.
Be well,
-Andy
No- it's not a museum. This is from the rock and mineral department at Harrod's Department Store, London.
Thanks for the feedback on Deb Rasansky’s ‘One Thing.’ The thing about asking someone to summarize their very best suggestion in 90 seconds or less is that I may have to elaborate a little on their suggestion so you get the ‘meat.’ Here’s a follow up on Deb’s post….
The video shot is a little wonky- No tripod!!!!
Welcome to Miami…
My family made the long drive down I95, from Philadelphia to Miami- 23 hours in the car- and it was rough. There is pretty much no way to make that kind of trip in a spine friendly way. However, in spite of being quite stiff and sore, I am grateful to be here. The weather is certainly a step up from what we had when I left Philadelphia, and I’ve heard it has only gotten worse since we left.
Lincoln Road Miami- The Van Dyke- home of the oldest elevator in Florida.
Upcoming Guests…
While I am here, I will be revisiting my friend Jorden Gold of the Stretch Zone to get his ‘One Thing’ segment and maybe some other goodies.
I am also really excited to announce that my wife Donna has agreed to occasionally contribute pieces here on BackWords. Donna has a PhD. in anthropology, and teaches natural childbirth as well. Much of her work with couples teaches them ways to help relax and work through the discomfort of childbirth. I am really looking forward to seeing what she brings to the table, as I know it will be interesting and useful. Look for her first piece on using the observation of beauty as a way of getting in touch with your pain-free self.
Prayer & Back Pain…
Now- I want to take a moment to address some of the feedback I received on the role of faith & prayer on recovery from back pain; Some people seemed to think that I was being dismissive of prayer as a pain relief modality when I suggested that meditation or deep breathing was a substitute for prayer.
Let me be very clear- I don’t think of it as a substitute per se- I was reminding folks that if religion is not part of their makeup, either because they are not religious, or because that do not feel that prayer has any role in recovery from pain- that the small part of their day which would otherwise be devoted to prayer might instead be used for meditation or ‘quiet time.’ There have been studies galore which demonstrate conclusively that meditation and focus can help reduce pain. I am a quietly religious person, and a small part of my day is devoted to prayer (right before bedtime, usually)- and when I have had to deal with pain- be it back pain resulting from a car accident, or from kidney stones- prayer did help.
Twitter Feed Coming Soon….
I am putting the final touches on our new Twitter feed- expanding on the ways for you to get tips and information from Back Together. As of January 1st- you will be able to get information here on backtogether.org, from the Back Together fan page on Facebook, via the direct link to the blog at thebacktogetherblog.com, backtogethertv on YouTube, and via Twitter. Basically, there will be no excuse for you to not be chock full of great pain relief ideas, suggestions, and news.
Thank you again for visiting,
-Andy
What a weekend! The snow started on Friday, and didn’t stop until Sunday morning- the whole area got blasted. With the blizzard, came the flood of emails recommending that I do a post on the safe shoveling of snow. I thought about it, but as I watched the news I realized that EVERY news outlet was already running their respective pieces on shoveling snow- how to avoid back pain, how to not have a heart attack, how to stay warm while shoveling- and my personal favorite: How to shovel out your car without getting wrangled into digging out your neighbors’. A little selfish, I think.
In this case, I will be the rebel, and not say anything about shoveling and back pain- I’ll leave that one to the ‘experts.’ Partially because it has already been played out ad nauseum, and partially because my back is pretty sore from shoveling yesterday. If you can figure out a way to shovel 2 tons of snow and not affect your back- congratulations. You are either a magician, own a plow, or paid the neighborhood kids to do it for you. Nuff said.
The sprawling grounds of stately Chez What were blanketed with snow…
Football Players & Head Traumas…
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a response to a mother who had concerns about head and neck traumas their child might incur playing soccer. I told her of a growing number of parents who allow their children to play soccer, but are specifically instructing coaches to not allow their children to ‘head’ the ball. I caught some flack for advocating this, as there are plenty of folks who feel that changes the nature of the game. My response is that it does change the nature of the game- but the flip side is that by ignoring this problem, you run the risk that the game will change the nature of your children- increasing their likelihood of neck pain and brain injury. There are people who will disagree with me on this, but this is where I stand.
I mention this specifically because of a new long term study being proposed by a partnership between the NFL and Boston University to try and better understand the risks to the central nervous system caused by repeated head traumas. The study is actually asking players in the NFL to donate their brains to science upon their demise, in an effort to study the long term anatomical changes which occur from play in the NFL. This is particularly poignant here in Philadelphia where Brian Westbrook- arguably one of the best running backs in football, has been saddled by back to back concussions which have taken him out for several games. There have been numerous calls from players, physicians and fans for him not to return and risk more serious trauma. I don’t know enough about his particular injury to say he should retire, but I am glad that the NFL is taking this problem seriously.
A new study suggests that psychology plays a role in recovery from back pain…
A friend sent me a link to a new study which basically states that ‘mental therapy’ can help a person improve their back pain- that is, psychology is part of the overall picture of back pain. Well, DUH- Really?- this is a surprise? Bottom line: if you don’t address all of the facets associated with back & neck pain, it will never really go away. There is a triad of pain which I have elaborated on numerous times. If you take care of the physiological aspect of the pain without touching upon the ergonomics or lifestyle issues which compromised you in the first place, your pain won’t stay away. If you are recovering from an injury or trauma, and you don’t pay attention to your psychology, you are not likely to fully recover either.
If you are on the East Coast of the US- I hope you had a chance to dig yourself out-
Be Well,
Andy
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