Back Pain and Osteoporosis

Spinal fractures that occur as a result of osteoporosis are actually quite common, occurring in approximately 300,000 people in the UK each year. The problem is that the fracture is not always diagnosed instead, the problem is often just thought of as general back pain, such as from a muscle strain or other soft tissue injury, or as a common part of aging. Because of this, approximately two thirds or 200,000 of the vertebral fractures that occur each year are not diagnosed and therefore not treated.
Spinal fractures due to osteoporosis often occur while doing something that causes relatively minor trauma to the spine, such as opening a window, an insignificant fall, or twisting while lifting. Advanced cases of osteoporosis can even lead to a vertebral fracture with routine activities that would normally not cause any trauma, such as sneezing, coughing or turning over in bed.
Vertebral fractures are usually followed by acute back pain, and may lead to chronic pain, deformity (thoracic kyphosis, commonly referred to as a dowager's hump), loss of height, crowding of internal organs, and loss of muscle and aerobic conditioning due to lack of activities and exercise.
A combination of the above problems from vertebral fractures can also lead to changes in the individual’s self-image, which in turn can adversely affect self esteem and ability to carry on the activities of daily living.

It’s important to note that fractures from osteoporosis don’t just occur in the elderly, they can also occur in people as young as 40 or 50 years old. Because osteoporosis is a “silent” disease, meaning that there are typically no symptoms until a fracture occurs, it is not uncommon for someone with back pain to be unaware of the fact that she has actually fractured a vertebra (or multiple vertebrae) in her spine.

Osteoporosis is fairly common disease, and is especially common in postmenopausal women. In fact, in a recent article published in the USA it estimated that approximately 25 percent of all postmenopausal women in the United States have had a vertebral compression fracture.

Osteoporosis also occurs in men, but is far more prevalent in women approximately four times as many women have low bone mass, or osteoporosis, as men.
Osteoporosis causes bones to thin and become more brittle and weak. When the bones in the spine weaken they can break or cave in under normal pressure. The thinning bones can collapse during normal activity, leading to a spinal fracture. These compression fractures can cause a great deal of pain and can permanently alter the shape and strength of the spine.

The type of break in the spine that is typically caused by osteoporosis is called a compression fracture, usually defined as a vertebral bone in the spine that has decreased at least 15 to 20% in height due to fracture (as seen on an x-ray). These compression fractures can occur in vertebrae anywhere in the spine, but they tend to occur most commonly in the upper back (thoracic spine), particularly in the lower vertebrae of that section of the spine (e.g. T10, T11, T12). They rarely occur above the T7 level of the spine.

With a compression fracture caused by osteoporosis, the fracture usually occurs in the front of the vertebra, collapsing the bone in the front of the spine and leaving the back of the same bone unchanged. This results in a wedge shaped vertebra. Because the majority of damage is limited to the front of the vertebral column, the fracture is usually stable and rarely associated with any nerve or spinal cord damage.

Unlike many other conditions that can be treated before a serious complication develops, usually a fracture is the first sign that someone has osteoporosis. By the time a fracture occurs, the osteoporosis is usually advanced and the individual is then susceptible to more vertebral fractures.

Rolfing

Rolfing was invented by Ida P. Rolf (1896-1979), who received her PhD in biochemistry and physiology from Columbia University in 1920. She went on to work at the Rockefeller Institute in the departments of chemotherapy and organic chemistry.

Finding the available therapy methods of her time inadequate, Dr. Rolf investigated the effects of structure on function in her search to find solutions to health-related problems. The catalyst to this search was a deal she made with a piano teacher that suffered from muscular dysfunction in the hands. Dr. Rolf wanted very much for her children to learn piano from this particular teacher. If she was able to improve and correct the teacher’s disability Dr. Rolf did improve the piano teacher’s disability and thus began to teach classes on Rolfing worldwide. In 1971 she established The Rolf Institute in Boulder Colorado. In addition, there are currently Rolfing centers in the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.

What Does ROLFING DO?
To see how Rolfing works is to look at the body in the gravitational field as a a fish in a body of water. As a fish is supported and lifted by water, we as humans can be supported and lifted by gravity. It is easy to see the lack of structural balance in an older person, bent over a cane. These imbalances don’t happen over night, they continually deteriorate the body’s capabilities. All of an individual’s history is recorded in their tissues, including falls, illnesses and psychological stress. Even the way a child copies a parent leaves a memory.

The human body’s adaptive nature will always work to integrate an injury. Rolfing helps release the body’s structure from the effects of time and trauma so that the body can do its job more effectively and efficiently. Preferably, Rolfing is used as preventive care, but when an injury is present it can enhance and expedite the healing process.

Who Can Benefit FROM ROLFING?
Rolfing can help anyone and everyone move closer to balance and vitality. The question is are you ready? In Rolfing, the client must actively participate in bringing their body back to balance in and out of the session. The session is only the beginning with increasing change continuing in the body as the client moves through their daily routine.

What Can I Expect in a ROLFING SESSION?
First of all, Rolfers are specialists in facilitating rapid and intense results. The goal is not pain instead its mechanisim is to melt the restrictions that are located at the origin and insertion points on the bone. With pressure and direction from the Rolfers hands and joint movement from the clients, synchronicity happens. Different tissues respond differently to pressure, the Rolfers job is to unlock the code for the different levels of tissure and fluide that surround the particular parts of the body. In some ways, like a hot iron press ironing out melting adheasions from dehydration, adheasions, lactic acid, injury, etc. Rolfers encourage rehydration and fluid consistancy at all spectrums of bodyily operations to support and maximize connection to the bodily fluids that promote regulartory functions for tissue health.

Clients can expect to move limbs and joints while the Rolfer with presssure, moves and holds certian tissues to create an energetic and yet physical release to allow tissues to resume a more healthy and balanced state. Every body is different so every body has it's own centerpoint, in respects to what bone alignment pattern is for them, balanced. The Rolfers job, is to help find what that is for the individual, their a guide of sorts, that facilitates growth at the mechanical level and for some also at the behavioral level. After all, there is the body, mind, spirit connection that is spoken in all tongue's, religons, cultures, myths, and legends.

To create a successful session, the client must be willing to explore new ways of operating in the body. This will help the client find a new and improved manner of movement and function that supports daily physical duties and personal expectations. This attitude will fuel the ability to interact effectively and efficiently in one’s own environment.

The Rolfing format is primarily an educational process and therefore implies an ongoing communication between the Rolfer and client. The client is often asked to make certain moves while the Rolfer is working. This helps the client to find and feel the new patterns of movement. The relationship between the Rolfer and client is a unique one. As trust, honesty and openness develop, the Rolfing process becomes an arena for personal transformation on the part of both individuals.