Archive for category stretching
Living with Back Pain: Self-Education review KBNI Houston, Woodlands, Sugarland, Spring, Katy, Pearland, Kingwood, Humble, Memorial, Conroe, Beaumont
Posted by admin in back injury prevention, back pain, baytown, beaumont, car accident, chiropractic, chiropractor, chiropractor near me, core strengthening exercise, exercise, facet joint, houston, injury, katy, lifting techniques, low back pain, nerve damage, personal injury, physical therapy, preventive lifestyle, sciatica treatment, spinal injury, strengthening, stretching, woodlands on April 17, 2015
Living with Back Pain: Self-Education

back pain, low back pain, spinal discs, physical therapy, chiropractic, injury, personal injury, chiropractor, pain levels, nerve damage
Living with Back Pain: Self-Education review KBNI Houston, Woodlands, Sugarland, Spring, Katy, Pearland, Kingwood, Humble, Memorial, Conroe, Beaumont
Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for missing work in the modern world, yet many still believe its origins are a mystery. Normally, low back pain is caused by a set of very predictable (and unfortunately, all-too-common) conditions. Too much strenuous activity (bending, heavy lifting, twisting, fast or repetitive articulation of the spinal column) accelerates the natural wear on spinal discs as well as the cartilage covering the ends of the facet joints (the joints that allow for articulation of the spinal column). Too much sedentary activity (sitting at an office computer monitor, standing for excessive periods of time) depletes the oxygen supplies of tensed muscles in the back, often leading to painful muscle spasms and an increased chance of compressed spinal nerves. As such, back pain patients need to take steps to educate themselves on how to best maintain the stability and pain-free articulation of their spinal columns as they age.

back pain, low back pain, spinal discs, physical therapy, chiropractic, injury, personal injury, chiropractor, pain levels, nerve damage
Self-education is vital not only to mediating back pain levels, but also for maintaining a high quality of life as you age. Too many people give up on activities (such as physical therapy or yoga) that boost strength and flexibility. As a result, they gradually lose mobility and their pain levels continue to rise during activities that they once found quite manageable. Perhaps the most important tenet of living with back pain is an understanding that regular exercise is essential to mediating pain levels. Core strengthening exercises develop muscles along the spinal column and throughout the torso, lessening the shocks and stresses of everyday movement for compromised spinal discs and facet joints. Stretching is also very important to loosen the muscles, and gently stretch the tendons.
Beyond physical therapy designed to strengthen the core, however, it’s important that back patients understand their own bodies. Know which activities represent a higher risk of back pain and how to avoid them, and prevent back injury. Learn the difference between muscle soreness (such as from a vigorous workout) and sharp back pain resulting from compressed spinal nerves and herniated discs (which, over time, can lead to muscle weakness, loss of sensation, and nerve damage and sciatica ). Communicate honestly and often with your physician regarding your progress in your physical therapy program or chiropractic program. Are certain exercises causing too much (or the wrong kind of) pain? Which exercises seem to be most effective at getting you through your routine? What elements of your lifestyle have you had to change in order to mediate pain levels and how have these changes helped? Giving your doctor all of this information will help in making specific adjustments to your physical therapy regimen or chiropractic regimen in order to give you the best chances of retaining your long-term mobility.

back pain, low back pain, spinal discs, physical therapy, chiropractic, injury, personal injury, chiropractor, pain levels, nerve damage, Houston, Woodlands, Sugarland, Spring, Katy, Pearland, Kingwood, Humble, Beaumont, Memorial, Conroe
Physician spine experts at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI) in Houston have significant expertise treating many patients suffering from low back pain and neck pain, without the need for surgery on the spine. When surgery is necessary, the latest techniques in minimally invasive surgery of the spine are available. Neurosurgeon experts will evaluate patients, and review images of the spine, and help the patient to try to get through the pain they are experiencing, and return them to a normal and healthy lifestyle, when possible.
Patients may have suffered a car or truck motor vehicle accident, or been in some other type of motor vehicle accident or other personal injury. Many patients may recall a specific injury to the spine, which had caused the onset of pain, while others don’t recall any type of injury, but have had a gradual onset of pain. Some patients may simply have turned the wrong way, or got up out of bed the wrong way. No matter what the cause of pain is, physician experts at the KBNI will be happy to evaluate any patient experiencing neck pain, low back pain, or pain in the arms or legs.

back pain, low back pain, spinal discs, physical therapy, chiropractic, injury, personal injury, chiropractor, pain levels, nerve damage, Houston, Woodlands, Sugarland, Spring, Katy, Pearland, Kingwood, Humble, Beaumont, Memorial, Conroe
The Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI) in Houston TX takes care of patients in Houston and the surrounding areas, including Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sealy, Baytown, Pearland, Beaumont, Galleria, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Port Arthur, Galveston, Texas Medical Center (TMC) and other Texas TX cities including Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin.
If you have SUFFERED AN INJURY, you can contact the Kraus Back and Neck Institute at
……. 281-713-6296
……. Or visit www.SpineHealth.com to schedule an appointment online
……. KBNI VIDEO
Keywords: back pain, low back pain, spinal discs, physical therapy, chiropractic, injury, personal injury, chiropractor, pain levels, nerve damage, Houston, Woodlands, Sugarland, Spring, Katy, Pearland, Kingwood, Humble, Beaumont, Memorial, Conroe, Sealy, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas
Spine Health Core Strengthening with Spine KBNI Houston, Katy, Woodlands, Sugarland, Memorial City, Texas Medical Center TMC
Posted by admin in back injury prevention, baytown, beaumont, chiropractic, chiropractor, chiropractor near me, core strengthening exercise, disc degeneration, healthy diet, herniated disc, houston, injury, katy, lifting techniques, nutritional supplements, physical therapy, recover, smoking, spinal injury rehabilitation, spine health, stretching, sugarland, woodlands on July 6, 2014
SPINE HEALTH CORE STRENGTHENING HOUSTON
Spine health maintenance is imperative for a healthy body. A number of factors are important for maintaining proper spine health. Proper posture, core strengthening, rest, nutrition, cessation of smoking, and proper shoes are a good foundation. The spine is integral to all of our routine movement. Even when we are standing still or simply sitting, the spine is still responsible for bearing much of the stresses placed on the body. Like other parts of the body, the spinal column is a collection of ligaments, muscle tissue, tendons, articulated vertebrae (the bones of our spine), and spinal discs (shock-absorbing pads that are between vertebrae and assist in load-bearing stress and movement). With so many components in constant use, it is easy to see why spine health is essential to a high quality of life.
The spinal column also protects the spinal cord, which in turn houses the central nervous system’s spinal nerves, which wind through the vertebrae and transmit sensation and signals for voluntary muscle control to the rest of the body. Protecting these sensitive spinal nerves from trauma is crucial for high function. This involves proper hydration and nutrition for the spinal disks, as well as core strengthening exercises to build the support network of ligaments, tendons, and muscles in the torso to assist the spinal discs in bearing the stresses of movement. Core strengthening will thusly decrease wear on the spinal disks, which significantly reduces the possibility of the vertebrae compressing spinal nerves and causing extreme pain. Core strengthening exercises can be done alone, or with the expert guidance of a physical therapist for physical therapy, or a chiropractor for chiropractic training. These experts will also guide patients in the proper use of good body mechanics for bending, lifting and twisting.
Choosing comfortable, well-fitted shoes is another simple way of maintaining spine health. Shoes are so common they are often overlooked as a source of pain, but improperly fitted or worn shoes are much less effective at providing shock absorption for the body. Spinal joints and discs, as a consequence, receive more load-bearing stress in all daily movements. A healthy, varied diet, nutritional supplements, and proper weight management will all also aid the spinal column in managing the stress of everyday movement. Excessive weight can actually displace disks within the spinal column, causing them to rupture or compress nearby spinal nerves. Through weight management, a healthy diet, and a regimen of core strengthening exercises, patients can maximize spine health while minimizing pain levels and wear on the spinal column.
Physician experts at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI) in Houston TX have significant experience at taking care of patients with back problems, back injuries and other sources of back and neck pain. Many times, proper guidance from an expert as to body mechanics, posture, core strengthening and nutrition may improve spine health and reduce spine pain.
The Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI) in Houston TX takes care of patients in Houston and the surrounding areas, including Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sealy, Baytown, Pearland, Beaumont, Galleria, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Port Arthur, Galveston, Memorial City, Texas Medical Center (TMC) and other Texas TX cities including Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin.
REFERENCE SITES
Patients suffering from neck pain or back pain, or who have been told they may require a spine surgery, can contact the Kraus Back and Neck Institute at
……. 281-713-6296
……. Or visit www.SpineHealth.com to schedule an appointment online
……. KBNI VIDEO on Back and Neck Pain Treatment : Don’t Live in Fear and Pain
Keywords: spine health, core strengthening, spinal health, Houston, Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy, Spring, Sealy, Baytown, Pearland, Beaumont, Galleria, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Port Arthur, Galveston, Memorial City, Texas Medical Center, TMC, Texas, TX, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin
Sacroiliac Joint Injections SI Joint and Lower Back Pain Treatment in Houston, Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, Memorial City, Humble, Conroe, Beaumont, College Station, Galleria
Posted by admin in low back pain, nutritional supplements, physical therapy, sacroiliac joint / SI joint, stretching on May 19, 2014

sacroiliac joint injection, SI Joint, lower back pain, physical therapy, corticosteroid, Houston, Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, Memorial City, Humble, Conroe, Beaumont, College Station, Galleria
The sacroiliac joints ( SI joint )are formed between the sacrum (a triangular bone that forms the base of the spinal column) and the ilium (hip bone). A thin layer of cartilage helps the joints articulate, as is the case with the intervertebral joints. Due to their fundamental role in load-bearing and motion, the sacroiliac joints are susceptible to degeneration resulting from repetitive motion, stress, lifting, and excessive use. Patients who suffer from chronic lower back pain may be candidates for sacroiliac joint injections, but accurate diagnosis is essential, given that sacroiliac joint injections administered to a patient with a different condition may be completely ineffective in addressing a patient’s back pain. Diagnosis is very important in the treatment of lower back pain. It is not sufficient to treat the symptoms of lower back pain, but it is best to make the best efforts at finding the cause of the lower back pain, and then treat that casue.
Lower back pain experts at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute in Houston TX, have significant experience in helping patients who have been suffering from lower back pain for a short or long period of time. They treat patients throughout the Houston area, as well as areas neighboring Houston such as the Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, Memorial City, Humble, Conroe, Beaumont, College Station, and Galleria. Patients also travel from Austin, Dallas / Ft Worth, and San Antonio.
Physicians typically administer several different physical exams to help them reach an accurate diagnosis: the Gillette test, the Faber maneuver, the Fortin finger test, and the Gaenslen test may all be used, depending on where a patient reports pain in the spinal column. All of these physical exams deal with the sacroiliac joints performing a specific kind of motion—if the patient’s mobility is compromised, he or she may be a candidate for sacroiliac joint ( SI joint ) injections. Further consensus is reached by specific imaging tests: CT scans, X-rays, or magnetic resonance imaging, which also help to rule out other causes of lower back pain.

sacroiliac joint injection, SI Joint, lower back pain, physical therapy, corticosteroid, Houston, Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, Memorial City, Humble, Conroe, Beaumont, College Station, Galleria
The procedure itself typically involves the injection of a corticosteroid into the sacroiliac joint ( SI joint ). A local anesthetic numbs the injection site, while dye accompanies the injection to ensure coverage of the sacroiliac joint injection (SI joint ). Corticosteroids act as an anti-inflammatory agent within the joint, ideally reducing pain from load-bearing stress for up to a year. A regimen of physical therapy, proper weight management, and healthy dieting with proper nutrition and nutritional supplements will further help to maximize the positive effects of the procedure. If a patient does not engage in physical therapy to strengthen the support network of muscles around the spinal column, further degeneration of the sacroiliac joint will occur at an accelerated pace. This could lead to worsening or more chronic lower back pain. Core strengthening is very important to preventing and improving lower back pain. If one would eventually require a lower back surgery which involves a fusion, it is important to stop smoking before the spinal fusion surgery, as smoking will decrease likelihood of a successful fusion of bone occurring.
Since the corticosteroid’s effectiveness will eventually wear off, sacroiliac joint injections are viewed as a short-term solution to reducing a patient’s back pain. Long-term focus must be placed on living a healthy, preventative lifestyle designed to maximize the life of the joint and minimize pain. Physical therapy may include instruction on new ways of lifting, standing, walking, and load-bearing. If lower back pain is persistent, and the SI joint injections improve the pain, then one can consider rhizotomies (burning of the nerves to the SI joint) of nerves to the SI joint, or SI joint fusion.
The Kraus Back and Neck Institute (KBNI) has vast experience in treating patients with lower back pain. Patients suffering from lower back pain can call the KBNI to arrange for an evaluation. Patients do not need to have had any types of imaging or other studies. Lower back pain experts at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute will order the appropriate studies. In the majority of cases, lower back pain can be treated without the need for surgery. If surgery is needed, neurosurgeons at the Kraus Back and Neck Institute have tremendous experience in utilizing the appropriate surgery on the lower back, to get patients back to their normal life as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
Patients in the Houston and surrounding areas (Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, Memorial City, Humble, Conroe, Beaumont, College Station, Galleria) are welcome to be evaluated, or come in for questions.
Keywords: sacroiliac joint injection, SI Joint, lower back pain, physical therapy, corticosteroid, Houston, Woodlands, Katy, Sugarland, Memorial City, Humble, Conroe, Beaumont, College Station, Galleria
Reducing Neck Pain…… Houston, Katy, Woodlands, Spring, Kingwood, Humble, Memorial City, Galleria…. 281-713-6296
Posted by admin in cervical, neck pain, physical therapy, stretching on May 15, 2014
Reducing Neck Pain

neck pain, stretching, physical therapy, muscle tension, spinal column, Houston, Katy, Woodlands, Spring, Kingwood, Humble, Memorial City, Galleria
Along with low back pain, neck pain is one of the most prolific afflictions of the modern workplace. Millions of workers across the globe work in positions that are mainly sedentary, many of which requiring long hours in the sitting position. This translates into increased stress on the cervical vertebrae (upper spine) and the intervertebral discs (shock-absorbing pads between each vertebra), as well as elevated levels of muscle tension in the upper spinal column. As the duration of muscle tension increases, the muscles themselves are deprived of blood and oxygen. They can eventually begin to spasm, which leads to sharp pain and a chance of compressing spinal nerves that run through the vertebrae.
The Kraus Back and Neck Institute located in Houston, TX, has vast experience treating patients with neck pain. Conveniently located with offices through the Houston area, patients are seen from Katy, Galleria, Memorial City, Sugar Land, Pearland, Inner Loop, the Woodlands, Kingwood, Humble, Splendora, Conroe and Magnolia. For those patients traveling from Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, San Antonio, or other cities across the United States, travel accommodations can be arranged.
Fortunately, due to most incidence of neck pain being the result of sedentary work, there are many ways in which to reduce most patients’ pain levels. First, patients are advised to be conscious of their daily activity. If you find yourself staring at your computer monitor or desk for extended periods of time, give your body frequent breaks. Take five to ten minutes of every hour and get up, walk around, and rotate the neck and shoulder blades. Light aerobic activity and muscle movement will increase blood circulation, bringing nutrition and oxygen to your muscles. This will help prevent cramping and muscle spasms in addition to reducing neck pain.
Other common neck strengthening exercises include slow, deliberate stretches, head rotations / neck rolls, and shoulder shrugs. This will help develop the network of supporting muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the upper spinal column. Some patients, however, may suffer from more than simple hypomobility (low mobility). If a regimen of physical therapy does not significantly improve a patient’s range of motion and decrease pain levels, a structural deformity, disease, or spinal fracture may be the cause. Physicians typically employ imaging exams—CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging, and X-rays—to determine whether structural problems are the problem. Neck surgery may be necessary, in addition to a lengthy post-operative period of physical therapy and rest.

neck pain, stretching, physical therapy, muscle tension, spinal column, Houston, Katy, Woodlands, Spring, Kingwood, Humble, Memorial City, Galleria
The Kraus Back and Neck Institute sees patients who have neck pain, arm pain, and other disorders of the spine. Patients do not need any imaging studies or other tests. Appropriate testing can be ordered after patients are evaluated. Most patients suffering from neck pain can be treated successfully without the need for surgery.
Keywords: neck pain, physical therapy, muscle tension, spinal column, Houston, Katy, Woodlands, Spring, Kingwood, Humble, Memorial City, Galleria,