Paul Manley Back Pain and RSI Clinic

Back pain often means more than just giving you a pain in the back. It can create difficulties with walking, sitting, bending and lifting and can even lead to depression and breathing difficulties. It can also be the cause of pain in the buttocks, groin and legs, sciatica is a good example.

Muscles are the most common causes of pain. The pain ranges from mild to severe. These can be tired and crampy-spasmy or tight and prone to strain. They may have been in a hypertense state for years and have just had their 'last straw' placed on them. Sometimes the pain comes from the joints themselves when they are swollen or contain crystals and/or joint debris. A nerve can be 'pinched' but more usually they become compressed due to swelling and/or muscle compression around them. Usually there is an area of primary trauma with a penumbra of secondary spread of pain, aching and stiffness which radiates outwards, upwards and downwards, thereby compounding the problem.

My task is to hunt down the primary areas whilst calming the secondary areas. Both atre relieved through motion and stretching and improving the circulation in the areas concerned. Pains can seem to move around as the body attempts, at first to avoid causing itself pain, then by creating distortions in the spine and muscle patterns as it tries to adapt back again after its torturous episode.

Spinal problems can also cause pains in the head, neck, shoulders and arms as well as headaches and Migraine. Back pain can be caused by long term bad posture, sudden jerking movements, a lumpy mattress or poor lifting techniques. It is frequently caused by injury in the workplace, by sporting accidents or even by muscular spasms due to drafts. It also often occurs because of decreasing flexibility as people get older.

Diseases and pathological conditions that can lead to back pain. These include arthritis, cervical or lumbar spondylosis, kidney disease, gall bladder conditions, stomach ulcers, IBS, menstrual congestion, rheumatic conditions, and spinal curvatures. Therefore it is vital that any practitioner is fully trained to 'spot' such disorders and to be able to recommend an appropriate course of action.

Our sedentary lifestyles have had a profound effect on the development of back problems. The average adult in the UK spends at least two hours a day in front of a computer screen or television. Back problems can develop quickly if we don’t sit properly or are using inappropriate furniture. Environmental ergonomics and specialised furniture can also be assessed for the needs of the individual.

Muscle manipulation techniques realign and separate muscle fibres. Adhesions and scar tissue are re-moulded as well as fibrous tissue that builds up, allowing muscle groups to glide more easily between and alongside each other. This reduces muscle pain and restores freedom of movement, increasing the oxygenation and energy reserves of muscles. This, in turn allows the joints which the muscles move to become less compressed and thus restores circulation and health to the joints. More...