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Back Problems
Back pain affects more than 50 million Americans each year, and the diagnosis of the exact cause of back pain can
 be very frustrating, expensive, and inconclusive. Recent studies have shown that over half of all back pain patients responded well when treated with custom-made orthotics. If you are suffering from back pain and cannot get relief, custom-made orthotics may help you.
In the largest study on back pain, it was discovered that over 50% of all patients had one of the following problems which were not identified by the treating doctor: leg shortages, poor posture, or muscle strains and imbalances. Once the problem was properly identified and treated with custom-made orthotics, 75% of the patients showed marked improvement. Hundreds of dollars were spent on sophisticated tests when instead, with just a few simple diagnostic steps, the treating doctor could have made the diagnosis; the simplest answers are frequently overlooked!
All three of these problems place abnormal pressure and stress on the spine, causing inflammation and pain. Custom-made orthotics reduce the abnormal pressures on the spine, and act as shock absorbers, reducing the jarring of the spine as we walk. These two actions were found to relieve back pain. Why did this happen? Leg shortages: The body compensates for this by leaning towards the short leg, trying to extend it and make the short leg longer. This constant leaning puts a great deal of pressure on the spine. Eventually the spine becomes so inflamed from this pressure that pain results. By using a custom-made orthotic with a lift built into it for the short leg, the legs are then made the same length. This stops the body's need for compensation, which alleviates the abnormal pressure on the spine. No pressure... no pain!Poor posture: By standing and walking improperly, due to slouching or abnormal ways of holding ourselves erect, we place tremendous abnormal forces on our spine. This causes inflammation of the bones that make up the spine, and this eventually causes pain. After many years of standing and walking with this posture, we cannot change it just by thinking about it. Custom-made orthotics, designed with specific lifts and support, will reduce the abnormal forces on our spine caused by poor posture. No abnormal forces... no pain!Muscle strains and imbalances: Attached on either side of our spine are muscles of equal strength which keep the spine straight. If the muscles on one side of the spine become stronger than the muscles on the other side, there is a muscle imbalance. This causes the muscles on the weaker side to try and pull harder on the spine in order to keep it straight. These overworked muscles eventually become strained, inflamed, and painful. Custom-made orthotics with proper support for the foot and leg on the weaker muscle side will help to rebalance the back muscles. When the muscles in the spine are balanced, there is no inflammation... no pain!
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