The following
program presents principles
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designed to promote good health
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and is not
intended to take the place
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of personalized
professional care.
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The opinions and
ideas expressed are those
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of the speaker.
Viewers are encouraged
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to draw their own conclusions
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about the information presented.
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Welcome to our program today.
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We are so pleased
that we can be with you.
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We are indeed
most wonderfully made.
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As we live in our
bodies and we live our lives
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we find that we
sometimes have difficulties.
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And today we are
going to be talking about
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a difficulty that
has affected probably
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four out of five
Americans at least
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in their life time.
It's a disorder that
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has caused people to
expend billions not just
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millions but billions
of dollars in health care
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whether they have had
to pay that for paying
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medication or to see
their physicians to see
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their chiropractors,
health care providers,
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physical therapists.
Billions of dollars are
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expended on the topic we
are going to discuss today.
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It is a pity that we
do have to suffer sometime
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from back pain.
With me today I have
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Stoy Proctor who is
personally acquainted
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with back pain but
he has a success story
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to bring to us.
And are hoping that as
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we have our discussion
and we discuss the ways
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and means to improve
and alleviate back pain.
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You will benefit and
be able to apply some of
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these lessons in your own life.
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Stoy, I would like
to welcome you to the
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program today. Good to be here.
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Thank you. Stoy could
you describe back pain?
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I could my own back
pain but I will tell
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you if someone who has had it,
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it's a little
difficult to explain yet it's
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you know when you have it.
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There is no question about that.
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It's a pain that
usually occurs in the lower part
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of the back maybe the
lower part of the after
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the ribs and before
the legs top of the legs
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in the lumbar
section that's the last
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part of the spine.
That's where it starts
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hurting and that's
the problem but that's
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not where it stops.
You maybe, you maybe
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hurting the and the
pain maybe extending
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down your legs it
makes you like a headache
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feel bad all over. So
if you've had it you know
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you've had it and you
don't need a definition
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nor description of its
pain. But unfortunately
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I found some ways to
not only alleviate my pain
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but really
almost eliminate it and
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but as a physician
Allan I would like to ask
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you that maybe give
us a description of the
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lower spine. And
what the potential is for
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problems in that
particular area as
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we get older
especially? Well, you know our
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vertebral column
and that's what we name
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this spinal column.
The vertebral column
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it carries more
than one function.
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First of all it
supports our body and gives us
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the ability to
walk erect, to balance
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and it so it has to be flexible
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it has to be able to move.
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Secondly, it is a
protective canal that
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protects the nerve
of the chief spinal cord
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that is running out
of the brain and protects
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those nerve cables
that come out of the lower
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end of the spinal
column, the spinal cord.
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Now because of those
two functions sometimes
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you get a problem
between the two of them.
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So if we were to
take a single vertebrae,
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which is the single
bone. And there are many bones,
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seven in the neck,
twelve in the thorax,
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five in the lumbar
spine. And then as we go down
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to the sacrum we will
find five fused bones.
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And the little coccyx
which is just protecting
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the lower portion
of the pelvis that
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has a fusion of, in a kid
we call that the tailbone.
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Yeah the tailbone
and that's exactly right,
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it has three bones
that are fused together
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usually there. As we
look at this spinal cord
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the problems that
are classically seen are
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either in the neck
or as you have said
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in the lumbosacral
area. Now there are two sorts
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of problems between
the vertebral bodies
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of the bony supports
there are little cushions.
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These cushions
contain a little dense nodule
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of cartilage
which acts when we run
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or when we jump
that's where we will get
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a little flexibility in
our spine, little spongy.
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It's held in place by a
circular ring of fibrous
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tissue but sometimes
it bulges or protrudes
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or as your doctor
may say herniates.
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And if it does that and
it presses on a nerve that
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is coming from
the back side of the
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support column, it
will then cause very severe
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pain both locally and radiating.
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So you'll feel the
pain in the area that the
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nerve is distributing
now that type of pain
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is made worst
when you bent forward.
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There is another sort
of the pain that people
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can have in their
back or another source
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of pain that people
can have in their back.
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And that is
arthritis, now it's not
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rheumatoid arthritis
and we will talk about
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arthritis in a future program.
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But the pain of the
osteoarthritis can also be
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appreciated and an
individual who bends
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backwards. So when
the person who bends
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backwards and gets
pain that is usually because
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of the arthritis in
the small joints of the
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posterior position
and there are many little
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joints there. And on
these little surfaces
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they may become
roughening or erroneous
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because of wear and
tear. And so we find that
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there are two sorts of pains.
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We have the joint
pain or the articular pain
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or we have the
nerve compression pain
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that comes from the
prolapsing of the nucleus.
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So we have two types,
two major types of causes
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for this pain.
That's right and the back of
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course you know is
different in humans from
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other animals,
most animals are walking
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on forelimbs, we are
walking on two limbs.
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And so we are
transmitting the forces
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of the gravity up
the spine where of course
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the forces of gravity
in an animal are usually
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transmitted across the spine.
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And so some of our
problems are related
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to the fact that
we do walk erectly
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and we stand tall
we hope. So we better
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if we walked on arm
for rest. I don't think so,
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no, no, I am not
saying that but I am just
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distinguishing the
differences between
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as we find in
other. The weight, oh the
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gravitational
weight. And the forces that
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are applied to the
spine. Now there's some other,
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there's some
other causes, you have
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mentioned two major
causes but there's another
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you know lifestyle
causes that might contribute
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to back pain. Like I am
thinking of weak muscles.
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Yes. Is that a,
is that a problem?
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Well, I think that in
a society such as we have
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in North America,
very often we live a
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sedentary
lifestyle. So sedentary lives.
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And that means
that we don't strengthen
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our backs and our
exercise is not good.
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Many times we are
sitting at a desk I mean
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if you seeing us
sitting on the stools
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and then we, you
know, we tend to stoop
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a little bit, to
slump a little bit.
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I know being a student
for I must have studied
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for may be 14-16
years of studying.
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Bent over the
desk that tends to make
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you become
stooped and your muscles
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don't get the workout
that they really need.
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In Africa, when I was
in Africa I wouldn't see
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the complaints of back
pain nearly as commonly
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because many
Africans were very physically
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active and mobile
and so there muscles
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were much
stronger, and that's very
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important thing.
The other thing is
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of course 60% of
North Americans are obese.
00:08:41.46\00:08:46.18
And if you have ever
watched a pregnant lady,
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I have watched many
pregnant ladies being
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an Obstetrician. They
would walk into my office
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with what I used
to call the proud gate
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of pregnancy.
Leaning back a little,
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putting her shoulders
back the tummy of course
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is protruding
with a gravid uterus,
00:09:02.71\00:09:05.15
they got all the
contents of the fluid
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in the placenta,
and the baby in there.
00:09:06.91\00:09:08.91
And so they would
walk back and they were
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really not
proud. But the balance.
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They were getting
trying to get the balance.
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They were trying to
get balance, now you put
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obesity there, you
know if somebody has a big
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beer belly or
sometimes it's not a beer belly
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it just sometimes a
bread belly you know.
00:09:20.22\00:09:21.98
Or it just sometimes
any kind of belly that shows
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they are eating,
eating too many of calories.
00:09:25.07\00:09:26.56
Yes, people who are
like that they can have
00:09:26.57\00:09:28.79
back pain. Women
too can have back pain
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from obesity
associated with large breasts
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and they will often
get an upper back pain
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or shoulder pain from that.
00:09:38.12\00:09:39.39
So there are many different.
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There are some others
too contributing to sports.
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What part of sports
play in this type of pain?
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There is a
difference between a sport
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in general and
exercise in general.
00:09:54.29\00:09:56.92
Of course, you want
exercise just to play
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a sport well but many sports are
00:09:58.88\00:10:01.13
competitive
sports. And contact sports.
00:10:01.14\00:10:03.26
And contact sports.
And really we pay an
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awful price. I saw
a young man walking
00:10:07.16\00:10:10.13
through the
office just the other day
00:10:10.14\00:10:12.05
and I said to him my
goodness have you hurt
00:10:12.06\00:10:13.90
yourself, you got a
limp. He said I have had
00:10:13.91\00:10:16.00
a knee replacement
but I said. Young man?
00:10:16.01\00:10:18.78
Young man, I
said how old are you?
00:10:18.79\00:10:20.31
He said, I am only 45.
I said that is dreadful,
00:10:20.32\00:10:23.48
you must have played sports.
00:10:23.49\00:10:24.77
He said yes he
played a lot of sport.
00:10:24.78\00:10:27.09
And you the tackling
the contact it causes
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damage. And yes
injuries sustain to the back.
00:10:30.09\00:10:33.89
In fact, nurses in
particular have a lot
00:10:33.90\00:10:37.40
of back problems
because they often
00:10:37.41\00:10:39.18
lifting patients,
and, so improper lifting.
00:10:39.19\00:10:42.79
Improper lifting,
we will talk about that
00:10:42.80\00:10:44.08
little later. We will
talk about that little later.
00:10:44.09\00:10:45.34
Now, you know what
amaze me as I was preparing
00:10:45.61\00:10:49.08
for this program
tobacco, how does tobacco
00:10:49.09\00:10:53.27
play in this? I am
not quite sure how tobacco
00:10:53.99\00:10:58.15
plays in this but it
does play. I have not a
00:10:58.16\00:11:01.49
slightest doubt that
people who smoke have
00:11:01.50\00:11:04.70
worst spectrum. It
seems as those the coughing
00:11:04.71\00:11:06.88
maybe throws there
back out sometimes.
00:11:07.29\00:11:09.22
Another reason
that they maybe have
00:11:09.23\00:11:12.30
it is because of
the osteoporosis we know
00:11:12.31\00:11:14.69
that there is a loss
of bone in the people
00:11:15.13\00:11:17.45
who smoke. And so it
maybe that their bones
00:11:17.46\00:11:20.08
are not as strong
but coughing and most
00:11:20.09\00:11:23.12
smokers have a
chronic cough seems to
00:11:23.13\00:11:25.55
exacerbate the back
pain. Anything to do with
00:11:25.56\00:11:28.32
lack of
circulation because tobacco
00:11:28.33\00:11:30.03
constricts,
restricts circulation?
00:11:30.04\00:11:32.35
Well, of course once
imagination can go wildest
00:11:32.36\00:11:34.71
to what it could be
but I really don't matter.
00:11:34.72\00:11:36.57
Anyway we just know
that appear that's one thing
00:11:36.58\00:11:39.22
you shouldn't be
doing if you want to avoid
00:11:39.23\00:11:41.37
the back pain. Now
alright let's suppose a person
00:11:41.38\00:11:45.36
has back pain
when do I know to go
00:11:45.37\00:11:49.56
see my physician?
Most back pain that
00:11:49.57\00:11:54.59
is of significance
is either severe enough
00:11:54.60\00:11:58.49
or chronic enough
that you begin to say you
00:11:58.50\00:12:01.68
wanna do it. I mean
just think about yourself
00:12:01.69\00:12:03.30
you had back pain.
I actually stood it
00:12:03.31\00:12:06.70
as long as I could.
Yes and what did you do?
00:12:06.71\00:12:08.80
And after few days
then I said look it's not
00:12:08.81\00:12:10.72
getting any better
so I have got to do
00:12:10.73\00:12:12.87
something so I
want to see a doctor.
00:12:12.88\00:12:14.27
And I believe you
gave him an ultimatum.
00:12:14.68\00:12:16.37
Well, that was my
second doctor, oh I see.
00:12:16.78\00:12:19.18
The first doctor
was a regular physician,
00:12:19.19\00:12:21.59
and that's what
can you do for me?
00:12:21.60\00:12:23.28
Well you use some painkiller.
00:12:23.29\00:12:24.36
Well I tried that
for a few days and that
00:12:24.92\00:12:27.02
didn't help and mean it you know
00:12:27.03\00:12:28.40
it helped reliving the
pain but as soon as the,
00:12:28.41\00:12:30.88
wore off I still
had the problem yet,
00:12:31.42\00:12:33.34
I said well I have heard
of doctors of osteopathy.
00:12:33.35\00:12:37.76
That they I heard that they may,
00:12:37.77\00:12:39.17
I was a little
concerned about a chiropractic
00:12:39.18\00:12:41.94
so I said well I
was to go to the doctor
00:12:42.34\00:12:43.86
of osteopathy and
see what they will say.
00:12:43.87\00:12:46.88
And this was not my
first episode I had you know
00:12:47.29\00:12:50.72
pain last maybe my
pain last for a few days
00:12:51.57\00:12:55.33
to a few weeks.
And finally I get over
00:12:55.34\00:12:58.44
it but then I
couldn't come back again.
00:12:58.45\00:13:00.50
And it was
getting really disgusting.
00:13:01.03\00:13:03.27
Because I didn't think
anything was structurally
00:13:03.83\00:13:06.84
wrong a herniated
disc or pinched nerve
00:13:06.85\00:13:10.12
or something like that.
I just knew I was hurt it,
00:13:10.13\00:13:12.30
in fact it got so bad
that I that I would have
00:13:12.31\00:13:14.95
to lay right flat on
the floor and I will go
00:13:14.96\00:13:17.22
into that just in
minute what some of these.
00:13:17.23\00:13:18.42
You won't lie on the floor here.
00:13:18.43\00:13:19.68
No, I won't lie on
the floor here but I have
00:13:19.69\00:13:21.42
to lay on the floor.
And then he would take me
00:13:21.43\00:13:22.96
maybe an hour get up
off the floor when I need
00:13:22.97\00:13:25.68
to get up. And how old are you?
00:13:25.69\00:13:27.26
I was about
eighteen. Oh, my goodness!
00:13:27.27\00:13:29.78
And so I went to
this doctor, who is a DO
00:13:29.79\00:13:33.35
and I said you know
I have been struggling
00:13:33.76\00:13:36.57
with this long
enough. I am going to give you
00:13:36.58\00:13:38.99
on treatment one of
his visit to help me
00:13:39.00\00:13:42.46
and we can't I
think, I am gonna have to go
00:13:43.24\00:13:44.87
with surgery. He says
well I don't know I can't
00:13:44.88\00:13:49.03
promise you but I
think I can help you.
00:13:49.04\00:13:50.65
So he stretched
my muscles little bit
00:13:51.40\00:13:54.24
and then pulled
rather my back little bit
00:13:54.25\00:13:56.35
is it alright I have
done my part now you gotta
00:13:56.36\00:13:59.25
do your part. Your part
is follow these exercises
00:13:59.26\00:14:03.38
do them several
times a week maybe at
00:14:03.39\00:14:05.12
beginnings a couple of
times a day several times
00:14:05.13\00:14:07.56
a week and in a month
or so you are gonna be
00:14:07.57\00:14:10.29
strengthening
your muscles enough.
00:14:10.30\00:14:11.66
So that you're,
you're not gonna have to come
00:14:12.08\00:14:13.87
and see me again.
You were very fortunate
00:14:13.88\00:14:16.43
to go to your
physician, yes, who recognized
00:14:16.44\00:14:19.76
the route cause.
Rather then just a symptom,
00:14:19.77\00:14:22.35
rather then just
giving you I mean
00:14:22.36\00:14:23.50
he couldn't give you
all kinds of medications.
00:14:23.51\00:14:25.21
Oh! Yeah in fact
the first one did.
00:14:25.22\00:14:27.15
Yeah but you saw
somebody who was able
00:14:27.16\00:14:30.28
to say let's look
at the route cause
00:14:30.29\00:14:32.45
of this pain and
let's address the route
00:14:32.46\00:14:35.61
cause by addressing
the route cause he was able
00:14:35.62\00:14:37.93
to give you some good support.
00:14:37.94\00:14:39.86
Now there are
some unusual conditions
00:14:40.39\00:14:43.38
and you know not
normal conditions
00:14:43.39\00:14:45.08
why that cause back pain too.
00:14:45.09\00:14:46.71
And when we have it
we may need to go see
00:14:47.28\00:14:51.42
a doctor what are some of those?
00:14:51.43\00:14:52.66
Well you know
there are some serious
00:14:52.67\00:14:54.62
conditions that
can cause back pain.
00:14:54.63\00:14:56.15
Beside exercise lack of
exercise besides arthritis,
00:14:56.32\00:14:59.49
besides posture
and some of those.
00:14:59.50\00:15:01.58
We are talking about
here, we are talking about
00:15:01.59\00:15:04.10
forms of back
pain that are common.
00:15:04.79\00:15:09.46
But if you've had a
history of cancer then
00:15:10.27\00:15:13.31
it would be
necessary for you to have your
00:15:13.32\00:15:16.30
back carefully
checked and even with some
00:15:16.31\00:15:19.39
investigations
because you would want to be
00:15:19.40\00:15:21.77
sure you didn't have
maybe as secondary cancer
00:15:21.78\00:15:26.43
or metastasis in
the spine. If you've had
00:15:26.44\00:15:29.28
an injury it's very
important to check out
00:15:29.29\00:15:32.14
that there hasn't
been a broken bone there.
00:15:32.49\00:15:34.97
Some times there
are congenital problems
00:15:34.98\00:15:37.40
people can be born
with the defective spinal
00:15:37.41\00:15:42.27
structures so that
the spine may have slipped
00:15:42.91\00:15:46.04
forward on itself
it's a condition called
00:15:46.05\00:15:47.91
spondylolisthesis.
Sometimes back pain
00:15:47.92\00:15:52.49
is a result of an
injury that may have not been
00:15:54.29\00:15:58.51
noted as being too
major. My wife has had
00:15:59.13\00:16:02.14
a lot of trouble
when she was a child
00:16:02.15\00:16:04.12
she was tobogganing
and the toboggan went down
00:16:04.13\00:16:07.27
it seemed to me like
it was going over about
00:16:07.95\00:16:09.69
a 90 degree angle and
then there was a perfect
00:16:09.70\00:16:12.54
drop right on to
the tip of spine.
00:16:12.55\00:16:14.80
And she has had pain in
the coccyx which we call
00:16:14.81\00:16:17.32
coccydynia ever
since. So you need to be seen
00:16:17.33\00:16:22.27
for that a sudden
acute onset of the pain
00:16:22.28\00:16:24.83
that come suddenly
may mean that something
00:16:25.24\00:16:27.87
sudden has
happened to the spine.
00:16:27.88\00:16:30.36
So there are many
reasons and we would
00:16:30.37\00:16:33.27
recommend very
highly that a person with
00:16:33.28\00:16:35.77
chronic or severe
back pain should be checked
00:16:35.78\00:16:38.72
by a competent
physician, in fact
00:16:38.73\00:16:41.74
probably somebody who
specializes in back pain.
00:16:41.75\00:16:44.34
Now what would they
do how would they besides
00:16:44.66\00:16:47.42
just looking at you
and listening to you,
00:16:47.43\00:16:49.73
complain about all that
pain? What could they do
00:16:49.74\00:16:52.52
to sort a look into
your back and see what
00:16:52.53\00:16:54.89
is really going on? It
might depend on who you got
00:16:54.90\00:16:56.82
to see you know years
ago when I was working
00:16:56.83\00:17:00.97
with a back pain
specialist in Toronto
00:17:00.98\00:17:03.07
we would do
ordinary plain x rays because
00:17:04.66\00:17:07.44
that was the best we
had. And we sometimes
00:17:07.45\00:17:10.66
we would look
at them and imagine
00:17:10.67\00:17:12.09
or see things on those
plain films but to look
00:17:12.10\00:17:15.91
at the spine and come
up with a very concrete
00:17:15.92\00:17:17.91
diagnosis is not an easy task.
00:17:17.92\00:17:19.68
Now chiropractors tend
to use a lot of x rays.
00:17:20.17\00:17:23.16
And in so doing,
they maybe give lot of
00:17:23.64\00:17:27.54
radiation to the
back. Today with MRI's
00:17:27.55\00:17:32.68
it's possible to
very, very clearly delineate
00:17:33.30\00:17:37.21
the spinal column,
and the spinal cord
00:17:37.89\00:17:41.62
and to be able
visualize and view many
00:17:42.32\00:17:45.55
of the foramina. Now
those are the little holes
00:17:45.56\00:17:47.84
through which the nerves go.
00:17:47.85\00:17:48.97
And to make a
very precise diagnosis
00:17:49.48\00:17:52.91
so today depending
up on just the nature
00:17:53.39\00:17:57.42
and severity of your
pain, the doctors first
00:17:57.43\00:17:59.17
they are going
to take a history,
00:17:59.18\00:18:00.27
the history and
the follow it with a
00:18:00.98\00:18:03.18
physical examination.
He's going to see if when
00:18:03.19\00:18:06.60
he lift you lie down
to and he lifts your leg
00:18:06.61\00:18:08.50
if there's a
stretching of this sciatic nerve
00:18:08.51\00:18:10.47
if that causes pain.
Because as you stretch
00:18:10.48\00:18:13.07
that nerve over
maybe a protruding disc
00:18:13.08\00:18:15.75
it will give pain. He
may want to know whether
00:18:15.76\00:18:19.56
the pain is when
you bend backwards
00:18:19.57\00:18:20.94
when you bend forwards,
he looks to see if there
00:18:20.95\00:18:24.16
is muscle spasm
because a lot of back pain
00:18:24.17\00:18:26.58
is muscle spasm. A lot
of the pain of back pain
00:18:26.59\00:18:29.57
is muscle spasm and
that where chiropractic
00:18:29.58\00:18:31.88
or manipulation
may very well help that
00:18:31.89\00:18:34.49
muscle spasm. How
long if spasm is a problem
00:18:34.50\00:18:38.35
what about muscles relaxants?
00:18:38.36\00:18:39.72
Well they may work but
again on the short term
00:18:40.36\00:18:44.00
medication for back
pain is really not my first
00:18:44.47\00:18:48.09
choice I would
prefer that something more
00:18:48.10\00:18:51.19
definitive be done
then just trying to cover
00:18:51.20\00:18:53.74
the pain. Now let we
talk about some other
00:18:53.75\00:18:55.68
area that's people
have chronic back pain
00:18:55.69\00:18:57.99
that means they have
almost continual back pain.
00:18:58.00\00:19:00.27
Now they start out
with thyronol, aspirin
00:19:00.84\00:19:02.90
or something like
that then they may go to
00:19:02.91\00:19:04.36
the muscle relaxant
and then they graduate
00:19:04.37\00:19:07.86
till they are real
serious pain medication
00:19:08.23\00:19:11.37
what are some of those
and what are the dangers
00:19:11.90\00:19:14.82
of getting
addicted? First of all we have
00:19:14.83\00:19:16.74
to understand back
pain is a real problem,
00:19:16.75\00:19:19.21
it's really a major problem.
00:19:19.78\00:19:21.70
And people who have
a severe pain do look
00:19:22.37\00:19:26.28
for a relief from that pain.
00:19:26.29\00:19:27.60
And when they
start getting on to
00:19:27.61\00:19:29.11
the codeinones and the codeines.
00:19:29.12\00:19:31.55
And maybe even the
more potent pain relievers
00:19:31.56\00:19:34.75
you know you they
are gone to the percocets
00:19:34.76\00:19:36.17
and ended up to
the, maybe even opioids
00:19:36.18\00:19:39.14
morphine, there's a
real risk of addiction.
00:19:39.64\00:19:42.57
So physicians are
very aware of these
00:19:42.98\00:19:45.26
and sometimes patients
shot from one physician
00:19:45.67\00:19:48.35
to another. We
need to be very careful.
00:19:48.36\00:19:50.61
They are varying
prescriptions for more
00:19:50.62\00:19:51.59
than one. More than
one, we need to be very
00:19:51.60\00:19:52.77
careful, yes this is
where people need to be
00:19:52.78\00:19:56.05
aware of. Alright
what about if you really
00:19:56.06\00:19:59.68
have a serious
structural problem what
00:19:59.69\00:20:01.67
about surgery?
When then how do we know
00:20:01.68\00:20:03.89
that we need a
surgery? If there is a
00:20:03.90\00:20:06.40
definitive lesion, if
you can find a degenerative
00:20:06.41\00:20:11.50
disc that some people
call it or a prolapsing
00:20:11.51\00:20:13.73
of that disc that
is compressing a nerve.
00:20:13.74\00:20:17.16
Maybe surgery can remove that
00:20:17.81\00:20:19.88
but there is a lot
of surgery that is done
00:20:21.09\00:20:23.07
that doesn't result
in benefit so it's a very
00:20:23.08\00:20:26.97
tricky question you
have to have somebody
00:20:26.98\00:20:28.81
who is highly
competent and whom you really
00:20:28.82\00:20:31.27
trust when you are
thinking about surgery.
00:20:31.28\00:20:33.04
Some of the surgery
is not reconstructive
00:20:33.05\00:20:36.78
but relatively
destructive and that they may
00:20:36.79\00:20:39.55
need to fuse a segment
so it just doesn't move
00:20:39.56\00:20:43.41
or bent so that there
won't be pain in that zone.
00:20:43.42\00:20:47.09
But when you do that
you actually diminish
00:20:47.56\00:20:50.19
the natural function.
So surgery has a definite
00:20:50.20\00:20:53.25
place for intractable
pain that's pain that
00:20:53.26\00:20:56.15
people can't cope
with. And that there is a
00:20:56.16\00:20:58.35
specific lesion for
but sometimes the surgery
00:20:58.36\00:21:03.27
is done when it
would be better not to have
00:21:03.28\00:21:05.43
been done. That's
good, you know I in my own
00:21:05.44\00:21:08.15
case I did need
to go into use pains,
00:21:08.16\00:21:12.58
pain medication very
long because of this doctor
00:21:12.59\00:21:15.85
who has given
me these exercises.
00:21:15.86\00:21:17.28
And you know there
are a number of things
00:21:17.72\00:21:19.60
we can do to relieve this pain.
00:21:19.61\00:21:21.11
Perhaps you share
with us what the exercise
00:21:21.12\00:21:23.26
were because I
think it's good for the
00:21:23.27\00:21:24.66
viewers to see. First
of all you know many times
00:21:24.67\00:21:27.81
laying flat on the
back on the floor on a rug
00:21:27.82\00:21:30.31
on a carpet or
something like that
00:21:30.32\00:21:31.91
will give you pain.
But some of the simple
00:21:31.92\00:21:34.53
exercises I wish we
can demonstrate them here
00:21:34.54\00:21:36.42
but we can't. But I
think I can explain them,
00:21:36.43\00:21:38.23
first of all just
stretch out on your back
00:21:38.63\00:21:40.98
and then push your
back here that you bottom
00:21:41.45\00:21:45.82
for you lumbar section
toward just push towards
00:21:45.83\00:21:48.99
the carpet. And then
raise the both legs about
00:21:49.00\00:21:52.77
three or four
inches and hold it there.
00:21:52.78\00:21:54.90
The first time you do
this you may not be able
00:21:54.91\00:21:57.10
to hold it very
long but you will get up
00:21:57.11\00:21:59.69
and when shall
you do it 4-5 times.
00:21:59.70\00:22:02.00
You will hold it, you
will raise them up 4-5 inches
00:22:02.49\00:22:05.09
hold it up for 10
seconds to count of 10 then
00:22:05.10\00:22:07.98
drop and relax. Do it
again for 3 or 4 times
00:22:07.99\00:22:10.79
as long as several
times then you could that
00:22:10.80\00:22:13.19
a couple of times a
day several times a week.
00:22:13.20\00:22:15.33
And that would begin
to strengthening these
00:22:15.65\00:22:17.17
muscles and plus
giving you a little relief.
00:22:17.18\00:22:19.04
Another thing you can
do is to lie flat on the
00:22:20.19\00:22:23.14
back again and then
leave your legs on the floor
00:22:23.15\00:22:26.50
flat on the floor but
raise your shoulders up,
00:22:26.51\00:22:28.80
put your head and
shoulders up just a
00:22:28.81\00:22:30.47
little bit be sure to
keep the head straight
00:22:30.48\00:22:32.30
though just don't
be moving the head.
00:22:32.31\00:22:33.99
But you wanna,
wanna move all the that up
00:22:35.19\00:22:37.67
together if you can,
now at first that's gonna be
00:22:37.68\00:22:40.31
hard to do for some
people because those
00:22:40.85\00:22:42.78
muscles are weak
that's why you may have
00:22:42.79\00:22:44.82
the back pain. And you
don't want to be really
00:22:44.83\00:22:46.82
doing this sit
ups a lot of people.
00:22:46.83\00:22:48.23
No that's too
strenuous. That's too strenuous,
00:22:48.24\00:22:50.66
yes. Now the thing
is to turn over on your
00:22:50.67\00:22:53.25
stomach and do
basically the same thing raise
00:22:53.26\00:22:56.50
you head and
shoulders together up just
00:22:56.51\00:22:58.57
a little bit up, up a
little bit and hold it to
00:22:58.58\00:23:02.29
count of 5 or so and
then relax and then try
00:23:02.30\00:23:05.80
that again. And the
other is then pull have
00:23:05.81\00:23:09.70
your stomach and
your chin on the floor.
00:23:09.71\00:23:11.25
And then raise your
legs off while you are
00:23:11.59\00:23:15.28
on your stomach.
This is just two very
00:23:15.29\00:23:18.43
simple exercises
that will, will help.
00:23:18.44\00:23:22.22
Now the other thing
we got a few minutes
00:23:22.23\00:23:24.30
left it might
help to strengthening
00:23:24.31\00:23:27.79
your muscles is while
we are like we are here
00:23:27.80\00:23:30.15
we can be slumped
over or we can straighten
00:23:30.16\00:23:33.14
our back up. Now if
you are sitting for long
00:23:33.15\00:23:35.54
periods of time
just every few minutes of
00:23:35.55\00:23:38.64
self 15 to 20 minutes
take it just strengthen up
00:23:38.65\00:23:42.07
and hold that for
just a little bit you start
00:23:42.49\00:23:44.32
strengthen those
muscles. When you are sleeping
00:23:44.33\00:23:47.01
maybe sleep on your
side and into a fetal
00:23:47.81\00:23:51.69
position maybe put up
pillow between your legs,
00:23:51.70\00:23:55.22
your knees so
that's something you can do
00:23:55.76\00:23:58.54
while you're,
while you're sleeping.
00:23:58.55\00:24:00.27
And another
important thing I think is when
00:24:01.23\00:24:04.22
we are lifting objects
be sure we use our knees
00:24:04.23\00:24:07.20
to lift our objects
not, not the back don't bent
00:24:07.21\00:24:10.37
the back over and
then pull up the object
00:24:10.38\00:24:13.36
especially if the
object is maybe a foot away
00:24:13.37\00:24:15.99
from your feet. Yes.
Be very careful to let the
00:24:16.00\00:24:20.00
knees do lifting. So
these are things that you can
00:24:20.01\00:24:25.66
certainly do that
simple things you can do that
00:24:25.67\00:24:28.10
might strengthen
those muscles and give
00:24:28.11\00:24:30.19
you little relief.
When we were married
00:24:30.20\00:24:31.70
my wife insisted
because she had been thought
00:24:31.71\00:24:33.89
the importance of the
firm bed, she insisted
00:24:33.90\00:24:37.05
that we have a hard
bed. And then there maybe
00:24:37.06\00:24:38.86
some of you who
are sleeping on a hard
00:24:38.87\00:24:41.54
bed because you
have heard that a firm
00:24:41.55\00:24:43.11
bed is important
for you. I think that
00:24:43.12\00:24:46.18
what we need to
emphasis is not the
00:24:46.19\00:24:48.94
hardness of the bed
it's the supportiveness
00:24:48.95\00:24:51.60
of the bed that is important.
00:24:51.96\00:24:53.95
We don't really
want to have a sagging
00:24:53.96\00:24:56.93
type of hammock like
bed. We bought a cottage up
00:24:57.58\00:25:02.70
in Canada I think you
slept in some of those
00:25:02.71\00:25:04.64
Beds, Stoy. The beds
came. It's like a hammock,
00:25:04.65\00:25:07.46
with them and the
springs are like hammock.
00:25:07.47\00:25:09.56
And when you get in
there, there's the bed.
00:25:09.57\00:25:11.21
And we have to
take some boards in fact
00:25:11.22\00:25:14.01
I got some of
those 4 by 8 boards that
00:25:14.02\00:25:17.31
we trimmed them
down. And put those under
00:25:17.32\00:25:20.57
the bed to give
the support but then
00:25:20.58\00:25:22.09
we would hope that the mattress
00:25:22.10\00:25:23.68
would be not
sagging. That's 4 by 8 feet
00:25:23.69\00:25:26.27
doesn't it? That's
right not 4 by 8 inches.
00:25:26.28\00:25:28.96
No, no not that
would do really very much.
00:25:28.97\00:25:30.97
Alright. Yes
that would be the feet
00:25:30.98\00:25:32.28
and of course we
are cutting down to
00:25:32.29\00:25:33.59
about 6 by 3. And
so that's important to
00:25:33.60\00:25:37.51
appoint to have
is that your sleeping
00:25:39.76\00:25:41.20
should be good. I like
the pillow soft coverings
00:25:41.21\00:25:44.33
on a nice
supportive mattress because
00:25:44.34\00:25:46.18
it gives you a
sensation of comfort and yet
00:25:46.19\00:25:50.76
there is the
support. And of course,
00:25:50.77\00:25:52.56
so that means we probably go out
00:25:52.57\00:25:54.05
and buy a 100
dollars mattress right?
00:25:54.06\00:25:55.36
And that will give
us all that support?
00:25:55.78\00:25:57.23
No 100 $ mattress won't do it.
00:25:57.24\00:25:59.15
You know when you
think about how much
00:25:59.16\00:26:00.59
time you're spending
in bed you going to sleep
00:26:00.60\00:26:02.68
maybe a third of
your life. So if you live
00:26:03.40\00:26:06.96
for 75 years you
gonna spend 25 years in bed.
00:26:06.97\00:26:09.91
And it's a very
important investment.
00:26:10.31\00:26:12.55
Oh yes. To get a
good bed. And they last,
00:26:12.56\00:26:15.27
and they last. They
could last for 20 years maybe.
00:26:15.28\00:26:17.17
you know It was one
of the things I found
00:26:17.56\00:26:19.10
and that is flexibility
and strength building
00:26:19.54\00:26:23.09
exercises that has
helped tremendously because
00:26:23.10\00:26:26.49
especially as we
get older and you know
00:26:26.90\00:26:28.55
our range of motion, we
lose that range of motion
00:26:28.56\00:26:32.97
unless we keep, unless we keep
00:26:32.98\00:26:34.13
exercising it
and keep it, give it
00:26:34.14\00:26:36.33
attention to it. Very important.
00:26:36.46\00:26:37.43
So range of motion
is very important in
00:26:37.44\00:26:39.34
flexibility
exercises and there is lot of
00:26:39.35\00:26:41.81
flexibility exercises.
Another strength building
00:26:41.82\00:26:45.00
exercise now we all
know that anaerobic exercise
00:26:45.01\00:26:47.84
is very important
but when we are talking
00:26:47.85\00:26:50.08
about the back
flexibility and strength
00:26:50.09\00:26:52.17
are more important
for back to alleviation
00:26:53.06\00:26:56.51
or prevention of back
pain than aerobic exercises.
00:26:56.52\00:26:59.80
But let's not
have one or the other
00:26:59.81\00:27:02.11
let's have all three.
You know I worked with
00:27:02.41\00:27:05.05
the what is you
heard a book called
00:27:05.06\00:27:07.25
The Back Doctor,
Dr. Hamilton Hall
00:27:07.26\00:27:09.83
form Toronto. And
he wrote a book on that
00:27:09.84\00:27:12.26
and he used to always
emphasis strengthening
00:27:12.27\00:27:14.07
the abdominal
muscles. And that's becausev
00:27:14.08\00:27:15.07
as you strengthen
the abdominal muscles up
00:27:17.01\00:27:19.60
in the front you also
strengthen the muscles
00:27:19.61\00:27:23.38
to the front of
the spinal column.
00:27:23.39\00:27:25.98
And this way you
end up with four muscles
00:27:26.53\00:27:29.86
supporting the
spinal column front and back
00:27:30.34\00:27:33.21
very important. I
think that we're coming
00:27:33.56\00:27:37.40
towards the end of our
program so I would like
00:27:37.41\00:27:39.35
to thank you very much
Stoy that you have been
00:27:39.36\00:27:43.29
able to share your
own personal experience
00:27:43.30\00:27:45.47
with our viewers. Thank
you. Many of the viewers
00:27:45.48\00:27:48.39
will have experienced
back pain and will have
00:27:48.40\00:27:50.06
been pleased. And fortunately
00:27:50.07\00:27:51.27
I have been free of
back pain for many years now.
00:27:51.28\00:27:53.62
And I can lift
anything I can, I am better
00:27:53.63\00:27:57.30
now I was when I was 18.
00:27:57.31\00:27:58.65
Well, that's a
wonderful testimony.
00:27:58.95\00:28:00.38
You know we are
fearfully and wonderfully made
00:28:00.75\00:28:04.23
and if we will only
keep good stewardship
00:28:04.95\00:28:08.63
of our bodies we
can exist in very happy
00:28:08.64\00:28:12.80
and a very contended way.
00:28:13.42\00:28:15.28