Is Kyphoplasty an Effective Treatment for Compression Fractures?

Compression fractures occur in your vertebrae when the bone density is no longer enough to support the weight of your spine. This condition often occurs as a result of aging, injury, or osteoporosis. The vertebrae in the spine can develop cracks and fractures over time, resulting in lingering pain and lost height.

Vertebral Augmentation

Veterbral augmentation was developed in 1984 to reduce pain and loss of function from vertebral compression fractures. Prior to the invention of vertebral augmentation, patients suffering from compression fractures had only the option of bed rest until the bones healed and the pain subsided.

There are two types of vertebral augmentation – Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty. These minimally invasive procedures can provide rapid relief from the pain of these fractures, and patients undergoing these treatments are typically able to resume normal activity in the same day.

Vertebroplasty

Vertebroplasty involves injecting a cement-like substance directly into the fractured vertebrae, which stabilizes the bone and can immediately decrease the pain resulting from the fracture. This procedure is percutaneous (minimally-invasive), requiring only a local anesthetic at the area of the needle insertion. The procedure normally takes an hour, and patients can return home on the same day.

Kyphoplasty

Kyphoplasty is similar to vertebroplasty. The primary difference with Kyphoplasty is it involves a first step of inflating a small balloon (the KyphX Inflatable Bone Tamp) into the fractured area. The balloon expands the vertebrae to resume most of its original size and shape prior to the fracture. After space is created in the vertebrae, a cement-like substance is injected to fill the void and stabilize the bone.

Learn How to Lower Your Golf Score without Lower Back Pain

As much as we would like to think so, we here at SpineOne are not golf pros, but we do have some back pain tips that likely will also shave some strokes off your game.

It’s our belief that there are two types of golfers in this world; those whom have back pain and those whom will have back pain. However, you can still enjoy the game with less pain by following these simple tips before, during and after stepping onto the tee box.

NOTE: If you already have back pain or if any of the following exercises increase your back pain, you should stop and check with a back pain specialist before continuing.

Make sure you stretch and warm up before you play. Every type of athlete warms up before competition. Golf is no different. Here are a few simple stretches you can do before you grip it and rip it (the golf club, not your back).

Figure 1: Leg Swings

1. Leg Swings (Figure 1). Standing on one leg, swing the opposite leg forward and backward while keeping your knee straight. You can use a driver for balance. Swing the leg from side to side 15 times in each direction and then switch your legs and repeat.

Figure 2: Dynamic Lunge with Reach

 2. Dynamic Lunge with Reach (Figure 2). Lunges are a great way to activate key hip muscles, and since we are golfing, we also need to kick in the upper body musculature and abdominals. To begin, take and hold a golf club at both ends and while performing a lunge and reach overhead. Complete five repetitions for each leg.

Figure 3: Dynamic Lunge and Twist

Next, lunge forward and place the golf club behind your shoulders (Figure 3). Twist your body to the right five times and to the left five times.

3. Pivot Rotations (Figures 4a and 4b). To get the hips and thoracic spine involved in the rotation, take a golf club and hold at both ends with your feet shoulder width apart. Rotate the club to each side. Allow your hips to rotate with this motion and shift your weight to the opposite toe. Complete 20 repetitions.

Figure 4b: Pivot Rotations

Figure 4a: Pivot Rotations

Club up. There is no shame in moving up a club or two to get more distance with less effort, especially if you have back pain.  It is more embarrassing to swing too hard, pull your head up and miss the ball completely only to take an early ride back to the clubhouse with a sprained back and a new appointment with your back pain and spine specialist.

Practice good body mechanics.  Good body mechanics throughout your swing not only improve your game, but they also reduce stress on your low (lumbar) back, which decreases the risk for back injury and pain.  Many golfers try to rotate through their swing at the low back.  The low back is not designed for rotation and will become very unhappy if one repeatedly rotates at their lumbar spine.

Many golfers drop their hips down, tuck in their butt and hunch their shoulders when addressing the ball, causing shear stress across the lower back.  The opposite of this position is a hyper-arched back, which over extends the back muscles, creating un-needed stress on the low back.

The best solution for swinging the club with little or no lower back rotation is to make sure your back is in a “neutral” position (Figure 5) instead of an over-extended or flexed position while addressing the ball.  This is accomplished by moving your back between these two extremes until you find a comfortable and natural posture between the two positions. This allows for rotation at the middle (thoracic) back—alleviating stress, pain and possible injury to the lower back. 

Strengthen your core. As mentioned in a previous blog, 11 Simple Exercises That Prevent Low-Back Pain, prevention is the best prescription when it comes to confronting back pain.  When you are not golfing, you can implement a few simple exercises to strengthen your abdominal and gluteal muscles.  These will help strengthen your core, increase flexibility and assist with rotation in your swing.

If chronic back pain keeps you from doing what you love to do and you are unable to find a solution, it may be time to speak to spine care specialist.  SpineOne offers a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to meet the pain management needs of each individual patient. The physicians at SpineOne practice minimally invasive procedures to get you back on your feet and enjoying your life again. SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.

If you suffer from chronic back pain, get your life back by contacting us today!

8 Stretches That Can Help Ease the Pain of Sciatica

8 Stretches That Can Help Ease the Pain of Sciatica

'Finally, a provider who wants to fix the problem instead of giving drugs and masking the symptoms.'

Michael Schneider, P.A.-C.

Read what first-time patient, Luke C., had to say about his experience at SpineOne.

'My Search Stopped at SpineOne'

Read what first-time patient, Carl C., had to say about his experience at SpineOne.

"Out of 15 years of searching for a great doctor, my search stopped at SpineOne. You have the best staff I every dealt with. I have nothing to say, except your staff and facility are top notch.  Keep up the great patient relations."  -- Carl C.

http://dlvr.it/LGVCp8 

Congratulations to the Denver Broncos!

From one home team to another...

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2016 WORLD-CHAMPION 

Sciatica: All You Ever Wanted to Know & More

What is sciatica?
Sciatica (also known lumbar radiculopathy) is a type of pain affecting one or more sciatic nerve roots, which extend from your lower back (lumbar spine) down into the back of each leg. 

What causes sciatica?

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve(s) or its origins along the lumbar spine are pressured, irritated or damaged causing pain, weakness, numbness and/or tingling in the lower back and extremities. Sciatica is typically a result of other medical conditions such as a herniated disc, (Figure 1) disc degeneration or spinal stenosis.  There are also certain risk factors that may increase one’s risk of experiencing sciatica.

Figure 1: Comparison of a healthy vertebral and ruptured vertebral discs

What are the symptoms of sciatica? 

Common symptoms of sciatica:

• Lower Back pain, which may be a mild ache, or a debilitating-sharp, burning sensation
• Weakness, pain, numbness and/or tingling in the lower extremities
• Discomfort when sneezing, coughing or laughing
• Pain that may worsen at night, interrupting your sleep
• Heel walk, which is the decreased ability to bring your foot upward
• Drop foot (difficulty when flexing your ankle and bring up the front of your foot)
• Restricted ability to walk on your tiptoes, walk, drive and/or lift your heel off the ground

Figure 2: Mapped symptoms of sciatica by vertebrae number and extremity locations.

If you are experiencing any combination of these symptoms, you may have sciatica.

Watch this online video about sciatica.

How is sciatica diagnosed?
Procedures used to diagnose sciatica may include:

• A straight-leg raise test to induce pain radiating from the hip and down the leg.
• A foot-flex or Braggard’s Test to identify sciatic nerve symptoms
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to get detailed images of spinal discs. MRIs use a giant magnet that circles the body.
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan with myelogram is an X-ray used with a special dye injected into the spinal fluid. The CT scan is used to help identify the “bony” causes of spinal stenosis, while the dye helps diagnose soft tissue conditions such as disc herniation or a bulge.
• Selective nerve root block (SNRB) is when a local anesthetic is injected into a nerve root suspected of being affected by spinal stenosis. If the patient’s pain goes away after the injection, it can be determined that the compressed nerve is the cause of pain.

How is sciatica treated?
Typically, a combination of treatments works best to treat spinal stenosis. Treatment options may include:

•        Education—teaching patients spinal anatomy and basic body mechanics to help them manage their condition
•        Exercise
•        Activity modification
•        Medication
•        Physical therapy
•        Injections
•        Surgery

Does sciatica require surgery?
In some cases, surgery is required. SpineOne is dedicated to minimally invasive options whenever possible and will do everything we can to avoid surgery.

When can I expect to resume normal activities without sciatica?

Many people with sciatica are able to resume their normal activities after treatment. The goal of treatment for most patients is to have a healthy, active lifestyle free of sciatic pain. You’ll want to speak with a physician who specializes in spinal care to plan your particular treatment and get back in the swing of things.

Where can I get treatment for sciatica?
If you suffer from chronic or acute back pain and cannot find relief, you should always contact a spine specialist like the physicians at SpineOne.  SpineOne offers a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to meet the needs of each individual patient. The physicians at SpineOne perform minimally invasive procedures combined with other practices to get you back on your feet and enjoying your life again.

SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.

Visit www.SpineOne.com or call 303.500.8611 today.

Good Luck Broncos!

Good Luck to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship this Sunday!

Spinal Stenosis: All You Ever Wanted to Know and More

What is spinal stenosis?
By definition, spinal stenosis is when one’s spinal column and/or foramina (openings that branch away from the spinal canal providing pathways for root nerves) narrows—putting pressure on the spinal cord or root nerves. The word “stenosis” comes from the Greek word, “choking.” Therefore, spinal stenosis could almost be described as, “choking one’s spine.” 

Mostly affecting the cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) parts of the spine, spinal stenosis can interfere with nerve function and cause pain in one’s back and/or other parts of the body. 

Watch this video about spinal stenosis

What are the symptoms of spinal stenosis?

Symptoms of spinal stenosis depend on its location and severity of the condition. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Cervical (neck)
  • Pain, weakness, numbness and tingling in the arms/hands/fingers
  • Loss of dexterity often leading to dropping items
  • Stiff or sore neck
  • Pain around the shoulder blades
  • Tremors in the arm or hand
• Lumbar (lower back)
  • Leg pain, weakness and/or numbness
  • Difficulty or poor balance when walking; clumsiness
  • Sciatica—a burning pain throughout the buttocks and down the legs
  • Increased leg pain when walking that is diminishes when resting
  • Foot pain
  • Pain in the buttocks
  • Hip pain and/or weakness

More severe cases of spinal stenosis may include loss of bladder or bowel control. Patients experiencing these symptoms should seek emergency help right away.

How is spinal stenosis diagnosed?
The most common procedures used to diagnose spinal stenosis are:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to get detailed images of spinal discs. MRIs use a giant magnetic that circles the body.
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan with myelogram is an X-ray used with a special dye injected into the spinal fluid. The CT scan is used to help identify the “bony” causes of spinal stenosis, while the dye helps diagnose soft tissue conditions such as disc herniation or a bulge.
• Selective nerve root block (SNRB) is when a local anesthetic is injected into a nerve root suspected of being affected by spinal stenosis. If the patient’s pain goes away after the injection, it can be determined that the compressed nerve is the cause of pain.

What causes spinal stenosis?
There are a number of conditions that can cause spinal stenosis, including, but not limited to, a herniated disc(s), osteoarthritis, bone diseases, a dislocated or fractured vertebral bone, thickened spinal ligaments, excess growth of bone around the spinal nerves, an injury or blunt trauma that creating pressure on the nerve roots or spinal cord, tumors in the spine and people born with a smaller spinal canal (congenital condition).

What are the different spinal stenosis treatments?
Typically, a combination of treatments works best to treat spinal stenosis. Treatment options may include:

• Exercise
• Activity modification
• Medication
• Physical therapy
• Heat and ice therapy
• Injections
• Surgery

Does spinal stenosis require surgery?
In some cases, surgery is required. SpineOne is dedicated to minimally invasive options whenever possible and will do everything we can to avoid surgery.

Where can I get treatment for spinal stenosis?
If you suffer from chronic or acute back pain and cannot find relief, you should always contact a spine specialist like the physicians at SpineOne.  SpineOne offers a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to meet the needs of each individual patient. The physicians at SpineOne practice minimally invasive procedures combined with other practices to get you back on your feet and enjoying your life again. SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.

Visit www.SpineOne.com or call 303.500.8611 today.

Got a Pain in the Neck? It Could be Poor Posture.

There are multiple conditions that can cause neck pain, one of them being poor posture.  In the article How Poor Posture Causes Neck Pain by Gavin Morrison, PT—Spine-Health.com, you will find information about forward head and shoulder posture causing neck pain.  You will also find information about the different muscle groups that can tighten due to poor posture, which can cause severe neck pain.

Are you suffering from neck or back pain?  The experts at SpineOne can help. SpineOne offers the latest in the evaluation and minimally invasive treatment of spine-related injuries and disorders resulting from auto accidents, work related accidents, sports/recreational injuries, acute and chronic back or neck pain.

SpineOne is dedicated to providing each patient with comprehensive evaluation and treatment plan, utilizing the most effective and least intrusive medical techniques available. For more information about SpineOne please call us at (303) 800-5611 or visit us online at www.spineone.com.