Strength Training Can Lessen Back Pain

If you're like most people, you put up with from some kind of aches and pains. We see many office workers in our clinic whose lives are disrupted by some kind of back or neck problems. The good news is, research shows that strength training can help lessen pain.

A Danish study followed 42 women who were troubled with trapezius pain. The trapezius forms a triangle from the neck, shoulders, and upper back, and is a frequent source of neck and shoulder pain in professionals. All of the women in the study engaged in repetitive work all day at their jobs.

The women were randomly placed into one of three different groups:

• The first group practiced strength training workouts for 20 minutes, three times a week. Each workout included three out of 5 high-intensity exercises devised specifically for the neck and shoulder muscles.


• The second group did leg workouts for 20 minutes, 3 times a week. They rode stationary bikes, and allowed their arms to hang relaxed at their sides.


• The third group were given counseling on "workplace ergonomics, diet, health, relaxation, and stress management for a total of (one hour) per week but were not offered any physical training."

 

Researchers carefully recorded the womens' muscle strength at the beginning and conclusion of the study, and noted their levels of neck discomfort each week.

Though all of the women continued their jobs during the study, those who practiced strength exercises reported a 79% reduction in the severity of their pain. The women in the other groups reported no significant pain relief.

If you suffer from neck or back pain, it's important for you to know that there are natural solutions. In our office, we can work with you to build a treatment plan that incorporates chiropractic care and specific exercises to help you get out of pain.

Give our Midtown East, NY office a call today at (917) 338-7917 to schedule an appointment.

Andersen LL, Andersen JL, Suetta C, Kjaer M, Søgaard K, Sjøgaard G. Effect of contrasting physical exercise interventions on rapid force capacity of chronically painful muscles. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2009;107(5):1413-9.