Relieve Back Pain With Acupuncture

With all of the clients I am in contact with throughout the week, it is rare that one enters the studio without ever having expereinced back pain at some point in their life.  Our spine is truly the center of our body holding together our skeleton, acting as an attachment site for muscles and providing spaces for nerves to enter and exit.  It is amazing to consider everything that happens in our backs, yet we often forget about the back body as we are so focused with our appearance from the front.  We need good posture and strong abdominals (Pilates is, of course, the ideal way to achieve these two goals) to prevent back pain.  In addition to core strength, is there anything else that could help?  Yes.  Many chiropractors, physical therapists and acupuncturists can also provide necessary relief.  

According to IDEA Fitness Journal, a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2006 found that patients with low-back pain that were treated with acupuncture had "much better back function, less pain and a higher quality of life" than others in their study.   Over 11,000 people (the largest acupuncture study to date) participated in the controlled study.  Researches divded chronic low-back sufferers into groups that either had routine care alone or routine care along with acupuncture for three months.  After the 1st three months, patients reported feeling significantly better.  Another added benefit is that patients did not have to suffer through the common side effects of pharmaceuticals.  The researchers for the study noted that despite the added fee for acupuncture, the cost was worthwhile as the patients experienced considerable back pain relief. 

Check out http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/  for general information on acupuncture or this site for more research linking acupuncture and back pain http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2002/mar/03lowbackpain.html.

 

Whether you decide to try acupuncture, physical therapy, chiropractic or Pilates, make sure you do something to take care of your back.  Joe Pilates is quoted as saying "you are only as old as your spine is flexible".  We can be "old" at 42 if our backs and bodies are out of shape.  Keep your spine healthy and young with regular exercise, proper care and strong abs!