When my doctor told me I had severe osteoarthritis of the spine, I was relieved to at last have a diagnosis for my back pain. This condition is also known as Degenerative Joint Disease and is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 20 million Americans. I would rather not have surgery, so I collected some tips on the treatment of this chronic condition. For me, weight loss and back strengthening exercises appear to be the best options for now. I hope these exercises can be useful to some of you. As always, check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.


BACK STRENGTHENING EXERCISES

(I lie down on my bed for the exercises that begin "Lie flat on your back". Floor exercises are too painful for me.)

1) Wall Squats. Begin by standing flat against the wall and walk your feet out 12-14 inches. Bend your knees to a squatting position and hold that position 15-45 seconds. Repeat exercise 10 times or as you are able.

2) Heel Raise. Stand in front of a wall using one hand against the wall to balance yourself. Rise on your toes, then lower heels. Repeat 10 times.

3) The Ankle Pump. Lie flat on back, and point the toes away from, then towards your upper body. You will feel the muscles of your calves contracting. Repeat 10 times.

4) Abdominal Contractions. Lie flat on back with feet flat on floor, knees bent, and hands clasped across the abdomen. Contract your stomach muscles and raise your head from the floor. Hold for a count of 5 seconds. Breathe while doing the exercises. Repeat 10 times.

5) Straight Leg Raises. Lie flat on your back with hands on abdomen and one leg bent. Raise the straight leg up and hold 5 seconds then lower. Repeat for each leg 10 times.

6) Hamstring stretch. Lie flat on back with one leg bent. Using both hands, pull the bent leg towards your chest and hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 5 times for each leg.

7) Leg Roll. Lie on back with both legs bent and held close together. Bring both legs to your left, hold, then take both legs to the right and hold briefly. Repeat indefinitely.

8) Leg Lift. Lying flat on the back, lift both legs simultaneously about 6 inches, and hold for a count of 5. Repeat 5-10 times, as you are able.

9) Pelvic Tilt. Lie flat on your back with your legs bent and your hands at your sides, right next to your butt. You will keep your hands, feet, and upper back on the floor or bed while raising your butt and pelvic area into the air. Hold for a few seconds.

On www.backpainforum.com I found these words of advice:

"Avoid staying too long in any position which causes the natural curves of the spine to be distorted. Change positions often, whether sitting, standing or lying down. Sitting can actually put a moderate amount of strain on the low back, and it is important to get up and walk around frequently. Sit straight up, not hunched over. A lumbar support may help with this. When standing for a long period of time, keep the spine straight, again aligning the center of gravity over the feet. It is often helpful to place on foot on a box or some other object, as it takes pressure off the low back and the sacro-iliac joints. Also remember to shift legs. Switch feet periodically, every thirty minutes. When sleeping, if on one's side, a pillow between the knees can take strain off the low back. When driving, sit straight up, not slumped. Keep the seat far enough forward, so that your knees are slightly bent."

Straight Leg Toe Touches are not recommended for those of us with spinal problems. Stretch exercises should be done gently.

BoomBoom

[ August 02, 2005, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: BoomBoom ]