subject: Believe It Or Not: A Sore Toe Can Take Out Your Back [print this page] I was worried about it at first, knowing that I didnt know where it came from, Rose said of the back pain. They said something about my toe being the [reason] Im having pain in my back. So [Im] getting my toe right. My toe doesnt have any pain in it. And hopefully my back shouldnt have pain in it. ----- Derrick Rose, Guard of the Chicago Bulls, regarding his recent back spasm.
The body moves in patterns of motion that adapt to each individuals body type, history of in injuries, and daily habits. If the body hurts to move, the body will adapt and move in order for the body to avoid pain. Is there a time, when after running, you noticed a pain in your knee that affected how you walk afterward? Or while doing bicep curls, you decided to add more reps to your regular routine. When you realized you were struggling doing the extra reps, your lower back was doing extra work. Even if you havent experienced any of the above, there has been a time when you have experienced muscle compensation.
When a certain muscle or group of muscles may be too weak to function properly, other muscles will take over in order to bring the body back to balance. Not only is compensation affecting the musculature, it can affect and put stress and tension on other joints, ligaments, and tendons.
Compensation is not always a bad thing because it can prevent an injury from becoming affected even more.
Pros of muscle compensation:
Helps protect and guard injured or weak muscles
Prevents muscles from further injury
Helps bring the body back into balance
Cons of muscle compensation:
Puts undue stress and tension on joints, ligaments, and tendons
Inhibits muscle growth of a weak muscle
Can lead to atrophy of a muscle from lack of use
Causes postural deviations that are difficult to change
If you have any questions, please e-mail me, at info@alignwc.com. We provide pain management, rehabilitation, injury prevention, and wellness programs for Chicago and the northern suburbs of Chicago including Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Glencoe, and Glenview as part of a chiropractic wellness program. To learn more about the office visit http://www.alignwc.com.
