Exercise Therapy for Patients with Low Back Pain

Lim, Kil Byung

Abstract

Low back pain is one of the most popular disorders in the industrized country. About 80% of adults will experience low back pain at some time in their lives. Low back pain is a symptom that can be caused by various disease entities and can be affected by various factors. To treat and prevent low back pain we have to educate patients about proper position and exercise. Exercise can improve muscle strength and flexibility. Spine consists of 33 vertebrae. The 33 vertebrae of the spine are divided into five regions : cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Between each of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae lie intervertebral disks that act as important shock absorbers for the spines. The major ligaments are the anterior longitudinal, the posterior longitudinal, and the supraspinous. The muscles that extend the spine and rotate the vertebral column can be classified as either superficial or deep. The superficial muscles extend from vertebrae to ribs. The deep muscles attach one vertebrae to another and function to extend and rotate the spine. To prescribe exercise to patients with back pain, it is essential to evaluate the patients status such as duration, cause, age, and muscle condition. The components of exercise prescription include type, intensity, duration, and frequency of exercise. Muscle groups for stretching include hamstrings, back extensors, lumbar rotators, lumbar lateral flexors, and hip muscles. Stretching exercise should be performed gently and slowly at first. Back extension exercise reduces neural tension and load on the disk which in turn decreases its pressure. Furthermore the exercise increases the strength and endurance of the extensor muscles. Flexion exercise has many positive effects. It reduce the articular stresses on the facet joint and stenosis of the spinal canal. Increasing intraabdominal pressure increases abdominal muscle strength and tone. Exrcise is essential for treating low back pain and patients should take proper exercise prescription from doctor.