The Good Back Rack

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THE GOOD BACK RACK

The acclaimed film “Shine”, painted a painful portrait of the life of Australian piano genius David Helfgott and his struggles with his war-traumatized, cranky father and his obsession with the “Rack 3”:  the demanding and virtually unplayable Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3.  While most of us don’t have to contend with the bad “Rack”, we often do have to contend with a cranky bad back.  Believe it or not, there is a good back “rack” treatment available.  This treatment is called “mechanical spinal traction”.

BACK TO THE PAST

The word traction is a derivative of the Latin “tractico”, which means a pulling apart.  Spinal traction refers to the “pulling apart” of the vertebral bodies and little facet joints in your low back.  Various forms of spinal traction have been used since the time of Hippocrates, for relief of low back pain.  For example, ancient near east artifacts describe treatments where people’s low backs would be stretched, usually by having a big guy pulling your legs while another big guy held down your torso.  Middle Age practitioners used a variety of rack contraptions to accomplish the same effect.  (And in case you’re wondering, the answer to your question is, “No!”  Hooking someone’s arms and legs up to a bunch of wild horses pulling in all directions was not treatment, it was torture!)  Around the turn of the 20^th century, many clinicians utilized a form of bed traction where a patient would be hooked up with a harness on a bed and have some weights stretch the low back on a continuous basis.

BACK TO THE PRESENT

Today, physical therapists use a sophisticated form of mechanical spinal traction where, when correctly performed, can greatly help a number of musculoskeletal problems which cause low back pain.  These problems include:

·         Disc herniation with a minor protrusion

·         Degenerative disc disease

·         Facet joint stiffness

·         Minor spinal nerve root and sciatic syndromes

BACK TO THE FUTURE

If you are suffering from a bad back, and stuff you have tried on your own hasn’t really helped, don’t obsess. Be the genius you know you really are and contact your physical therapist.  He will do an exam and let you know if you are a suitable candidate for the “good rack.”  If you are, chances are that spinal traction, in combination with a bit of exercise and adjunct therapy, could have you back sitting at your ol’ piano taking another crack at that rotten Rachmaninoff.

Brent Kassian, BScPT, MCPA, MCPTA

Executive Director

Capilano Rehab Centre

phone:  466-1104

check out their groovy website @ www. caprehab.com