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I began physical training at Fit 4 Life approximately 2.5 years ago to address a problematic sciatic nerve. My range of pain was mild to intense and was limiting my ability to play tennis and engage in other physical activities. Travis was confident that with proper training my problem could be fixed. Working out 2 to 3 times a week, the pain from the sciatic nerve was gone within 2 months. I decided to continue training and truly believe that the benefits have improved my range of motion and flexibility in playing tennis. I am now playing tennis 3 times a week and give thanks to Travis and the Fit 4 Life staff for my improved physical health.
- John Scardino
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Can Spinal Surgery Be Prevented by Aggressive Strengthening Exercise? A Prospective Study of Cervical and Lumbar Patients
Brian W. Nelson, MD, David M. Carpenter, MS, Thomas E. Dreisinger, PhD, Michelle Mitchell, PTA, Charles E. Kelly, MD, Jospeh A. Wegner, MD
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Objective:
To determine if patients recommended for spinal surgery can avoid the surgery through an aggressive strengthening program.
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Setting:
A privately owned clinic, staffed by physicians and physical therapists, that provides treatment for patients with neck and/or back pain.
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Methods:
Over a period of 2 ½ years, consecutive patients referred to the clinic for evaluation and treatment were enrolled in the study if they (1) had a physician's recommendation for lumbar or cervical surgery, (2) had no medical condition preventing exercise, and (3) were willing to participate in the approximately 10-week outpatient program. Treatment consisted mainly of intensive, progressive resistance exercise of the isolated lumbar or cervical spine. Exercise was continued to failure, and patients were encouraged to work through their pain. Third-party payors in Minneapolis were surveyed for average costs. Average follow-up occurred 16 months after discharge.
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Results:
Forty-six of the 60 patients completed the program; 38 were available for follow-up and three required surgery after completing the program.
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Discussion/Conclusion:
Despite methodological limitations, the results are intriguing. A large number of patients who had been told they needed surgery were able to avoid surgery in the short term by aggressive strengthening exercise. This study suggests the need to define precisely what constitutes "adequate conservative care."
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© 1999 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
The Clinical Effects of Intensive, Specific Exercise on Chronic Low Back Pain: A Controlled Study of 895 Consecutive Patients with 1-Year Follow Up
Brian W. Nelson, MD, Elizabeth O'Reilly RN, Mark Miller, PT, Mike Hogan, PT, Joseph A. Wagner, MD, MPH, Charles Kelly, MD
Eight hundred ninety-five consecutive chronic low back pain patients were evaluated. Six hundred twenty-seven completed the program. One hundred sixty-one began, but dropped out, and 107 were recommended for treatment but did not undergo treatment for various reasons. Average duration of symptoms prior to evaluation was 26 months. Forty-seven percent of patients were workers' compensation patients. The primary treatment was intensive, specific exercise using firm pelvic stabilization to isolate and rehabilitate the lumbar spine musculature. Patients were encouraged to work hard to achieve specific goals. Seventy-six percent of patients completing the program had excellent or good results. At 1-year follow up 94% of patients with good or excellent results reported maintaining their improvement. Results in the control group were significantly poorer in all areas surveyed except employment.
From the Physicians Neck & Back Clinic, Minneapolis, Minn, and OFC Back Care Center, Mankato, Minn.
The Nautilus Lower-back was invented by me and the patent was issued in my name; to the best of our knowledge it was the first machine ever built for the express purpose of exercising the lumbar-extension muscles. Subsequently, it has been copied by a number of other companies producing exercise machines, and several slightly different variations of this machine are now being marketed.
When I designed that machine I clearly understood that it provided exercise for both the hip and thigh muscles…but I then believed that it also provided meaningful exercise for the lumbar-extension muscles; an assumption that I now realize was wrong. The machine is misnamed, is in fact a hip and thigh machine, provides meaningful exercise only for the muscles of the buttocks and rear of the thighs.
I founded Nautilus Sports/Medical Industries, Inc., in 1970, and served as chairmen until it was sold in June of 1986; selling controlling interest in the company in order to devote my full attention to the continued development of specific testing and exercise equipment for several critical areas of the body, with particular interest on the lumbar spine, the cervical spine and the knee. The project that eventually did lead to the development of safe, accurate, specific testing and exercise equipment was started more than twenty-two years ago while I was directing Nautilus; but was not successful until after I sold the company.
This clear statement of fact must not be misunderstood as an indictment of Nautilus or any other product of that company; we all make mistakes and the lower-back machine was one of my mistakes, a mistake now being copied by several companies in the field of exercise.
The Lumbar Spine, the Cervical Spine, and the Knee. Arthur Jones
Four large groups of random subjects, both male and female, were studied for twelve weeks. All subjects were tested repeatedly for the isolated strength of the muscles that extend the lumbar spine before the start of the exercise program, and were tested again in an identical manner at the end of the twelve-week period.
During the exercise program, all subjects in three of the groups were exercise once each week; one group was exercised using a MedX Lumbar-extension machine…a second group exercised with a Nautilus Lower-back machine…a third group exercised with a Cybex Lower-back machine…and the fourth group performed no exercise, serving as a control group.
As expected, the control group showed no change; but the Nautilus and Cybex groups also showed no change…while the MedX group produced very significant increases in spinal strength.
The Lumbar Spine, the Cervical Spine, and the Knee. Arthur Jones
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