I am a 38 year old pharmaceutical representative and I occasionally get back spasms related to riding in my car and carrying things back and forth to doctors offices. I see a chiropractor who helps me tremendously but my family doctor does not recommend chiropractic treatments. They really seem to help. What would you recommend?

I believe that chiropractic work can help with certain more acute low back and spinal problems such as yours. Chiropractic manipulation seems to help individuals get over the acute episode of back pain quicker than if they let their body heal on its own. If you continue to have these episodes I certainly would get them checked by an orthopaedic surgeon or spine specialist.

I also think it would be great for you to start certain preventive measures. A short course of physical therapy can teach you a variety of preventive exercises specifically for your back and they can also give you “back school” type information that teaches you how to lift properly, bend properly and avoid recurrent strains. Sitting, especially in a car, results in very high forces and strain to the lower back area, especially the spinal discs, so you need to be sure that your car seat is properly adjusted and consider the use of a lumbar support.

Also, avoid long rides without getting out and walking around a little bit. At the gym you should add exercises to strengthen your “core” muscles, something easily done on the large “beach balls” (known as Swiss Balls or Thera-Balls) that you might see lying around. Focus on building your torso area such as your abdominals, obliques and your spinal extensor muscles.

While I do believe that occasional chiropractic work can help, I would not recommend it long term with continuous repeat visits. I work with many chiropractors and feel that they have a tremendous amount to offer as part of the healthcare team. I am the orthopaedic consultant for the Philadelphia 76ers Basketball Team and our chiropractor, Dr. Neil Liebman, helps our players tremendously and helps keep them in the game.

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