Low Back Syndrome
A Simple Solution to a Chronic Problem

By Dr. Tim Maggs 

Statistics claim that eighty percent of all Americans will, at some point in their life, suffer with low back pain. For the twenty percent who have never experienced the likes of this, don’t get too comfortable. With man evolving from a four-legged creature at one time in our distant past to a two-legged, 21^st century, cosmopolitan athlete, no one can assume that the finger of bad luck won’t point at them, especially when we add the sport of running to our activity list. 

Low Back Syndrome

Low back syndrome encompasses many different conditions, but the one common thread between all of them is pain, stiffness, soreness, or radiation somewhere between the mid-back and the butt. All of these symptoms suggest strongly that something is wrong. Through experience, I’ve learned that most runners apply the “American Dream” approach to resolving the problem; they hope the symptoms are gone by morning. Others, however, apply the “Helpful Neighbor” approach; “it’s probably just (I love the word ‘just’) an acute spondo-hypo-lumbago-whatever, just like I had, and my doctor, who’s the absolute best in the whole world, said to apply heat, relax and it will probably go away on it’s own. No need to worry.” Needless to say, and trust me on this one, neither of these two approaches offer much hope for the future of a runner. And if any other uninformed recommendations are made by the well-intentioned but clinically inept, please walk away. Please don’t debate, question, or discuss. Just smile, thank them, and walk away. 

Low Back Protocol

When suffering with any type of low back condition, the first step is to identify the cause of the symptoms. Everyone’s back is similar to their fingerprints, i.e., very unique. And if you never identify the unique aspects of your back and spine, you will never develop the appropriate treatment and therapy needed to correct and improve your condition. For example, any symptoms can be a result of congenital problems (abnormalities in the back that you’re born with), pathological problems (some disease process that’s going on), some structural imbalance (the most likely cause), or some repetitive motion condition which causes muscles to contract and spasm, causing discomfort and pain. But, you can be sure that your back pain is due to something. And, the specific cause requires a specific treatment, especially if wellness and long term correction is your objective. Most importantly, forget the “specialist” who recommends only medication to alleviate the symptoms. This will never solve your long term problems. 

Of all the tests which can be done to determine the specifics of a low back condition, I rely primarily on the x-ray to provide the critical information. Obviously, a thorough history as well as a good physical exam will assist any practitioner in developing a working diagnosis. But, without standing x-rays of the low back, any “specialist” is shooting in the dark if they make an attempt to identify the problem. 

Solutions