Back Pain & Neck Pain – The MedX Spinal Strengthening equipment

Functional Physio is one of the foremost treatment providers in New Zealand for chronic and acute back and neck pain. This is due to the experience and expertise of our physiotherapists, our unique strengthening facility and specialised MedX Medical Spinal Strengthening equipment.

A multi-directional approach to the treatment of back and neck injuries is important in the long-term recovery from acute and chronic conditions. After a comprehensive examination we utilise treatment such as manipulation, manual therapy, massage, acupuncture and exercise prescription to treat the disorder.

A focus in our treatment of back and neck injuries is spinal reconditioning and strengthening. Research clearly shows a strong correlation between increased strength in the spinal extensor muscles and decrease in patient’s pain and neurological symptoms, if present.
Strengthening the muscles around the area of injury is imperative to help prevent the recurrence of the injury. Research shows that the local muscles around the level of the spine that is injured become switched off due to the pain and begin to waste quickly. These muscles do not return to their normal strength by themselves and instead you use other muscles to compensate. The MedX Medical Spinal Strengthening equipment  enables us to target the wasted muscles in order to strengthen them to normal or above normal strength.

Why does back pain cause muscle weakness?

Just like any in any injury, pain will stop you using the affected muscles in their full range. This reduction in activity causes the healthy muscles to rapidly decline in size and strength.

Is MedX Spinal Strengthening suitable for chronic back pain?

Yes. In chronic lower back conditions the core stabilising spinal muscles become deconditioned and weak. This can be clearly seen in an MRI. This causes excessive pressure on the passive structures of the spine such as the facet joints and discs. If this progressive weakness is allowed to persist, then the passive structures become degenerative and can often proceed on to failure e.g. bulged or herniated disc or facet joint arthropathy.
Sore backs are weak backs and weak backs become sorer backs, a vicious cycle.
Functional Physio lumbar therapy and rehabilitation breaks this cycle by strengthening and stabilising the spine, reducing and eliminating pain.

Is MedX Spinal Strengthening suitable for acute back pain?

Yes. We have had excellent results treating acute back pain with the MedX Lumbar Extension Machine. The protocols for treating patients with acute pain vary to our standard lumbar spine protocols, as we are not aiming to increase strength in the acute phase.
The aim in the acute phase is getting the muscles to lightly contract, flushing the local inflammatory exudate, breaking muscle spasm, reducing patient apprehension and encouraging early movement. The patient actively moves the machine in their pain-free range with virtually no load. This may only be 10 or 20 degrees. During the session, as the muscle spasm abates and the patient’s confidence to move increases, their range of movement usually increases. Of course the patient’s pathology and degree of pain is always taken into account.
What we have observed is that our patients are able to move more freely directly afterwards and this leads to a more rapid recovery.

Is there research supporting medical Spinal Strengthening?

Yes. There are over 75 peer-reviewed articles supporting the use of the Medical Lumbar Extension Machine in the treatment and prevention of low back pain. See Research

Does Pilates provide the same type of therapy?

No! Pilates helps stimulate and control the lower abdominal muscles to help back pain and also helps provide a degree of segmental control of the spine through range. However, Pilates cannot fully strengthen muscles such as the important lumbar extensors through range, because it does not isolate the lumbar extensors in order to strengthen them and it does not exercise these muscles to fatigue, which is a scientific requirement to regain full strength.

How long does a course of medical Spinal Strengthening Therapy take?

The usual number of treatment sessions for chronic or recurrent back pain is 12 to 18 treatments at two to three times a week. Science suggests that the muscles need to be stimulated to fatigue at least twice a week to improve their strength at the optimal rate. In the first three weeks the neural messages from the brain recruit the maximum number of muscle fibres of the targeted muscle and then the muscle begins to grow in size, strength and function. This is when the patient will notice the biggest improvement in their symptoms and function.