Anecdotal Evidence

As bad as the statistics were in the previously cited article in 1993, I fear that is just the tip of the iceberg.  We already have an epidemic of back problems in the U.S,, but unless we utilize more effective interventions, the epidemic is going to grow exponentially.  I have been practicing physical therapy for 25 years.  During that time, I have focused mostly on the spine.  Twenty five years ago, I routinely saw patients with 'hunched over' postures in their 50's and 60's and older.  Now, I am seeing those same postures in patients in their 20's.  The reasons, I believe, are clear.  Americans, have become more sedentary.  Personal computers didn't even exist 25 years ago and have become a major culprit in facilitating poor posture.  Couple that with the fact that Americans are becoming more and more obese and a mega epidemic is born.  When we first began to use the Fitch-O'Rielly protocol, it was our goal to just stop the progression of "Creep".  We have since found that in many instances, we can reverse the effects of "Creep".  At Progressive Physical Therapy, we almost routinely reverse patients in stages 2, 2 ½, and even 3 to stage 1.

Note:  There are several problems of the spine that are not directly related to instability.   For all but the most serious we have other programs for these that may or may not include components of the stabilization program. These problems include, but are not limited to the following:
  • Congenital deformities
  • Scoliosis
  • Spondylisthesis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Cancer
  • Painful entrapment
  • Stuck Facet joint

There are others that are a direct consequence of instability, but have progressed to the extent that a stabilization program may be of little value and even contraindicated.  These include, but are not limited to the following:
  • Multilevel disc herniation
  • Stenosis

Still, as stated earlier, the vast majority of back problems of Americans today originate from a localized instability.  One group of researchers concluded that the human spine is inherently unstable.(3)  While we at Progressive feel that this may be overstated, the take home message is that the spine is more dependent on its surrounding musculature for stability than any other joint in the body.