Letters: Tips for next pain patients

I refer to an article titled “Medical treatment for back and neck pain,” (The Jakarta Post, Jan. 6). The problems that cause neck pain are completely different from those that cause back pain. Most people believe the same problem is at the root of both because they both involve the spine.

The truth is the spine reacts to other forces acting on it. So let’s address both separately by trying a couple of little tests. Let’s start with back pain.

Lie on your back with your legs outstretched on the floor. Rest there for 30 seconds, sensing whether your back pain gets worse or better.

After 30 seconds, bend your knees to bring your feet close to your bottom, resting on the floor. Rest there for 30 seconds. Which felt better: knees straight or knees bent? If your back felt better with knees straight then you have a problem with your back flexing too easily or too much.

If you felt better with your knees bent (as most people do) then you have a problem with your spine having too much extension. It’s simple to fix both of these conditions with a few exercises. Next, let’s talk about your neck pain.

Here’s another simple test. If you have right-sided neck pain or headaches, then place your right hand on top of your head. Make sure your head doesn’t bend or rotate. Rest there for 20 seconds. If your pain diminishes then it is caused by the shoulder blades sitting too low on your trunk.

There are muscles that attach the shoulder blades directly to the neck and skull, which irritate them when the shoulder blade sits too low. This is also easily correctable. I hope this helps you get to the root causes of your pain so you can fix it yourself.

Rick Olderman, MSPT
Denver, CO