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Acute Back Pain:
At The Back Clinic we conduct a full assessment and
then use the most up-to-date manual physiotherapy
to relieve acute symptoms and establish normal function
as early as possible.
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Chronic Back Pain
Patients whose symptoms persist beyond 6-8 weeks
or patients who experience recurrent episodes of significant
pain separated by periods of various durations can
be accurately described as having a chronic or sub-chronic
condition. With such patients we conduct a full assessment
including a strength test using the MedX equipment.
As well as using excellent manual physiotherapy techniques
to deal with their acute symptoms we treat them with
the MedX equipment to strengthen their back and eliminate
the instability that is common to chronic and recurrent
conditions.
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Addressing the Underlying Causes of Back Pain
Medical evidence shows that the majority of patients with
chronic spinal pain are significantly "deconditioned".
This means their spinal musculature has lost strength and
the joints of the spine have become stiff from disuse. In
effect the spine has become "fragile", it is unable
to withstand everyday demands without "going out"
or giving increased pain. The Back Clinic directly addresses
deconditioning through a supervised intensive and specific
strengthening program of the lumbar spine using the MedX®
Lumbar Extensor Machine. This approach has been successful
for patients with many different types of spinal disorders.
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Our Staff
Our practice is staffed by experienced physiotherapists
who have received special spinal rehabilitation training. All practitioners are chartered
and state registered and recognised by private medical insurers
(dependent on the nature of your individual insurance policy).
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Medical Advisory Board
Our Medical Advisory Board includes experts from the fields
of Orthopaedic Surgery and Occupational Health. [click
here to read CVs...]
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Quick Reference Guide to Treatable Conditions
See: Quick Reference
Guide to Treatable Conditions
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MedX® Lumbar Extensor Machine Treatment
for Low Back Pain
- YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED -
In 1993 Newton & Waddell criticised so-called dynamic
"isomachines" for their lack of standardised protocols and
undocumented outcomes. In fact several studies have since
established the reliability of full-range isometric lumbar
extension testing and dynamic strengthening using the MedX®
equipment.
The outcomes that are being achieved at The Back Clinic
and in more than 1000 clinics worldwide treating chronic
low back pain patients with aggressive strengthening exercise
combined with pelvic immobilisation suggest that this treatment
has a major role to play in the rehabilitation of chronic
low back pain.
Do MedX® results vary according to diagnosis?
It appears not.
A study made a comparison of treatment of 412 patients
with chronic back pain at two separate centres using the
same (MedX®) treatment protocols and outcome measures
with a one-year follow up. [more...]
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Does MedX® work better at strengthening the lower
back than other exercise devices?
Yes, much better. MedX® uses a patented method to immobilise
the pelvis and isolate the lumbar extensors. Research has
shown that pelvic stabilisation is indispensable
when strengthening the lumbar extensor muscles. [more...]
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How do we know that the strength measurement of the
MedX® Lumbar Extensor Machine is reliable?
The MedX® Lumbar Extensor Machine is the first and
only machine capable of isolating the lumbar extensor muscles,
and producing an objective measurement of a patient's lower
back strength and range of motion. [more...]
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Does strength increase correlate with pain decrease?
Yes, it appears to. Although more studies are required
to establish the precise nature of the link studies show
that there is a good association between improved strength
and function and reduced pain. [more...]
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What sort of results does MedX® treatment produce?
Several studies have documented outcomes for groups of
chronic low back pain patients treated using intensive specific
exercise using a firm pelvic stabilisation (MedX® Lumbar
Extensor Machine).
Risch's study (SPINE 1993) reported that specific exercise
for isolated lumbar extensor muscles substantially increased
low-back strength in chronic low back pain patients versus
a wait-listed control group. [more...]
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Are the benefits lasting?
Studies report that the benefits of treatment are sustained.
Nelson reported that at 1 year follow up to 94% of patients
with good or excellent results from their treatment reported
maintaining their improvement. [more...]
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Can treatment at The Back Clinic be an alternative
to surgery?
Very possibly. A recent study followed the progress of
a group of 38 patients who had been recommended by their
doctor for surgery but first completed a course of treatment
using the MedX® Lumbar Extensor Machine. [more...]
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Medical Research
Copies of the research cited here plus additional relevant
research are available by request. Please don't hesitate
to contact us. Click here for
more research references.
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How To Refer Patients
We would very much like you to consider referring your
low back pain patients to us. Several leading orthopaedic
consultants and GPs are already referring patients to us
regularly and seeing excellent results.
At The Back Clinic we recognise the importance of keeping
you informed of your patient's results and progress in the
treatment programme. Click here to see examples of an initial
report and patient charts.
We want to make it as easy as possible for you to refer
patients to us, so please do not hesitate to e-mail
us, or use our referral
form.
Click to download Excel versions of 'before and after'
patient charts:
Before
After
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More Information / Open Evenings
If you require any further information or would like to
visit The Back Clinic and see MedX® for yourself, please
do not hesitate to contact us.
We have regular open evenings for medical practitioners
to enjoy a glass of wine and learn more about our treatments.
If you would like to receive an invitation for one of these
events please contact us.
We look forward to receiving your referrals in the near
future and to helping your patients to make back pain a
thing of the past.
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Research Projects
We recognise the importance of continued research. We are
a privately funded and growing business and would be keen
to hear from Primary or Secondary Care Groups in either
State or Private Sectors with an interest in back pain who
would like to discuss the funding of new research.
If you would like to discuss establishing a study please
don't hesitate to contact us.
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