Stephen Becker, D.C.

One unusual cause of low back pain (LBP) involves vitamin D deficiency. Yes, that's right, a VITAMIN DEFICIENCY! One study reported on a 360 patient (90% women, 10% men) group under treatment at spinal and internal medicine clinics over a six-year time frame for LBP of 6 months or greater with no obvious cause. Doctors [..]

This question has plagued all of us, including researchers, for a long time! Could it be because we’re all inherently lazy and don’t exercise enough? Or maybe it’s because we have a job that’s too demanding on our back? To properly address this question, here are some interesting facts: The prevalence of low back pain [..]

It’s been reported that educating the patient about their condition reduces unnecessary anxiety and fear, which in turn, allows a more swift resolution of their condition. The intensity of low back pain (LBP) can sometimes be so severe, the patient can hardly move without getting a sharp, knife-like pain that stops them in their tracks. [..]

"Where does the pain come from?" is probably the most commonly asked question we hear as chiropractors and frequently, the patient is not told the answer to this simple question. The problem is, the question is not so simple. This is because there are many structures in the low back that share a common nerve [..]

You may think it’s odd to discuss low back pain (LBP) from the perspective of spinal fusion because as chiropractors, we do not perform surgery and so, why discuss it? It is important that we discuss research such as this so we can make the informed treatment decisions with our patients after we’ve considered all [..]

Have you ever been told (or at least heard it said): If you could just drop a few pounds, your low back pain would improve? It’s pretty well accepted that excess weight contributes to low back pain. So, if that’s the case, which dietary approach is "…the best?" Even though weight loss is very important, [..]

Previously, we discussed the relationship between low back pain and balance, particularly our unfortunate increased tendency to fall as we age. Let's look at ways to improve our balance by learning specific exercises that utilize the parts of the nervous system that regulate balance or proprioception—particularly, the cerebellum (the part of the brain that regulates [..]

What do low back pain and balance have to do with one another? Well, a lot! First (and most obvious), poor balance can lead to falling, which is the number one cause of injuries after the age of 70 (which includes low back pain). Unfortunately, as we age, we lose both balance AND bone density [..]

So, what does bone density have to do with low back pain? The relationship between bone density and back pain is quite intimate. In fact, when the degree of bone density declines to the point of fracture, back pain becomes very real. The classic condition and cause of spinal pain associated with the loss of [..]

Obviously, there are MANY causes of low back pain (LBP) but some may be surprising: Trauma: Let’s start with the easy one – falling down, over lifting, twisting, pushing, pulling, bending over, sporting activities, work activities, sex, sneezing, raking, shoveling, etc. We’ve all sprained an ankle or a finger and based on statistics, most of [..]