Strength Training for Back Pain

If you're like many people, you put up with from some kind of aches and pains. We see many office workers in our practice whose lives are made more difficult by some kind of back or neck discomfort. Fortunately, research shows that strength training can help lower pain.

A Danish study followed 42 women who were troubled with trapezius pain. The trapezius forms a triangle between the neck, shoulders, and upper back, and is a frequent source of neck and shoulder discomfort in office workers. All of the women in the study engaged in repetitive work throughout the day at their jobs.

The women were randomly placed into one of three different groups:

• The first group performed strength training exercises for 20 minutes, three times a week. Each workout included three out of 5 high-intensity techniques designed specifically for the neck and shoulder muscles.
• The second group did leg exercises for 20 minutes, 3 times a week. They rode stationary bikes, and allowed their arms to hang relaxed at their sides.
• The third group were given guidance on "workplace ergonomics, diet, health, relaxation, and stress management for a total of (one hour) per week but were not offered any physical training."

Researchers carefully documented the womens' muscle strength at the start and conclusion of the study, and noted their levels of neck pain each week.

Though all of the women maintained their jobs during the study, the women who performed strength exercises shared a 79% reduction in the severity of their pain. The women in the second and third groups reported no significant pain relief.

If you have problems with neck or back pain, it's essential for you to know that there are non-invasive solutions. In our office, we can work with you to build a treatment plan that combines chiropractic care and specific exercises to help you get out of pain.

Give our Fleming Island, FL office a call today at (904) 425-9060 to arrange an appointment.

Andersen LL, Andersen JL, Suetta C, Kjaer M, Søgaard K, Sjøgaard G. Effect of contrasting physical exercise interventions on rapid force capacity of chronically painful muscles. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2009;107(5):1413-9.