Flexion Relaxation Response & Low Back Pain

One of the most common musculoskeletal conditions that we may experience would be low back pain. During the past few years, the number of patients looking for relief of this condition has substantially increased. For those who are suffering from chronic low back pain, there are existing EMG studies that prove that it can be used as an indicator to determine if the patient is adapting psychologically to their medical situation. Flexion Relaxation Response is probably the fastest growing area when it comes to the study of surface EMG treatment in Calgary.

Dealing with Your Low Back Pain with Surface EMG Treatment Near You

Experts define Flexion Relaxation Response (FRR) as the level of muscular performance of those people suffering from low back pain (LBP). During the extension or the flexion of the patient’s trunk, there should be a decrease in the electrical activity of our back muscles. According to some previous studies, FRR is occurring among patients without chronic low back pain. However, this indicator is missing in people with chronic LBP conditions.

How Does it Work?

In an ideal situation, the lumbar spine should initiate the lumbar flexion movement. Eventually, your hips will then support your progress. During the process, your paraspinal muscles are stretched. It will then stimulate the mechanoreceptors in the passive and joint structures, followed by the activation of the person’s stress-inhibition response. This reaction allows them to remain stable. Patients who are experiencing low back pain will show a heightened level of muscular activity in their lumbar erector spine. It will then trigger overloading in their spine.

How Can this Be Measured?

The chiropractor clinic in Calgary can use a goniometer to measure your movement range. While performing your lumbar flexion exercise, they will take note of the distance between your hands and shins. They should also pay attention to the gap between your fingertips and the surface of the floor. There are also some instances when they will use 3D imaging to measure and analyze the movement of the pelvis, hip, and lumbar spine and the surface EMG. There are various devices available on the market that can measure the patient’s EMG activity, whether they are engaging in dynamic or static movement. Nonetheless, the clinic function and accuracy of these devices are still in the process of assessment.

During the analysis, the chiropractic clinic near you must determine the range of the patient, the different limiting factors, such as the stiffness and pain exhibited by the patient, and their movement in general. There are times that the problem will look apparent immediately. Still, there are instances when they need to conduct additional procedures to determine the issue.

Neutralizing Your FRR

Once the movement range in your lumbar was measured, and the chiropractor determined that there is an impairment in your FRR, they will then have to identify the restriction factors. If there is a limitation or pain associated with lumbar movement, the professional must determine the cause. During the surface EMG treatment in Calgary, the primary purpose is to promote relaxation when at the end of the movement range. If the patient is feeling pain or discomfort, then there is something wrong.

However, there are instances when some of the exercises involved in the surface EMG treatment near you will cause pain. If you can’t bear the pain, the chiropractor should guide you towards a more relaxing movement, such as lumbar rotation. It will be a perfect starting point for patients who are experiencing severe discomfort due to their back pain. It also teaches you how to breathe appropriately and have better control of your movement.