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September 17, 2012

Ask the Practitioner: Back Pain

Written by Dena Evans

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Dr. Waite holds a B.S. in Exercise Science from Creighton University and a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine from Palmer College.  She has treated the knees of professional cyclists, the hands of musicians, the backs of police officers, the shoulders of golfers, and the feet of marathon runners.  Dr. Waite is a certified Active Release Techniques (ART) and Graston Technique provider, and specializes in the treatment of all manner of soft tissue and repetitive strain injuries.  




rc: Many recreational athletes struggle with periodic back pain.  What
are a few of the most common problems you see as people seek treatment
in your office?


AW: Low Back Pain due to Psoas (long muscle along the lumbar region) tightness, Paraspinal Lumbar tightness (knots in the low back in muscles adjacent to the spine), and Sacroiliac joint pain due to ankle instability
rc: What are some common situational factors the average person can
avoid to in order to reduce the chance of developing periodic back
pain?

AW:  Common causes of low back pain include sitting for long periods of time and continuing to use your running shoes beyond 300 to 400 miles.  Since running is a repetitive motion exercise which can lead to repetitive strain injuries, don't put off making an appointment for myofascial release such as Active Release Technique.  Make sure you stay hydrated and don't over train!

rc: What can you do at home to encourage maintenance of a healthy back?

AW:  Simple things we can do include maintaining a daily stretch routine, getting up and moving around every 20 minutes if you have a desk job, going to a Pilates or Yoga class once a week, using your foam roller on the hamstrings, adductors, quads, and IT bands, and making sure you cross train as an increase in overall strength and core strength will give you a more efficient stride.
Last modified on October 04, 2012
Dena Evans

Dena Evans

Dena Evans joined runcoach in July, 2008 and has a wide range of experience working with athletes of all stripes- from youth to veteran division competitors, novice to international caliber athletes.

From 1999-2005, she served on the Stanford Track & Field/ Cross Country staff. Dena earned NCAA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year honors in 2003 as Stanford won the NCAA Division I Championship. She was named Pac-10 Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2003-04, and West Regional Coach of the Year in 2004.

From 2006-08, she worked with the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative, helping to expand the after school fitness programs for elementary school aged girls to Mountain View, East Menlo Park, and Redwood City. She has also served both the Stanford Center on Ethics and the Stanford Center on the Legal Profession as a program coordinator.

Dena graduated from Stanford in 1996.

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