Until I read Stabbed in the Back: Confronting Back Pain in an Overtreated Society, I didn’t realize that it was possible to write a book about back pain that was thoughtful and full of interesting tidbits, and yet had nothing useful to say to patients.
Month: March 2021
7 Ways to Support People With Sitting Disabilities
This list is meant to give well-meaning people practical ways to support their loved one with a sitting disability. To create it, I bolstered my own views with sage advice solicited from the Sitting Disability Facebook group.
Book Review: Treat Your Own Back by Robin McKenzie
After years of getting secondhand versions of his advice from websites, forums, and patient stories, I picked up Robin McKenzie’s book, Treat Your Own Back, to see what the man himself had to say.
Schmorl’s Nodes: What Are They, and What Causes Them?
At first, it seemed like mechanical damage was all there was to the question of “What causes Schmorl’s nodes?” But once the role of genetics in back pain was becoming understood, scientists decided to investigate Schmorl’s nodes as well.
The Twin Spine Study: Is Disc Degeneration Genetic?
In the late 1990s, geneticists began publishing compelling evidence that disc degeneration was indeed genetic. One of the most influential projects was the Twin Spine Study, which began in 1991
Why Does Using the Elliptical Make My Sciatica Worse?
Although I knew the elliptical made my sciatica worse, I didn’t know why. How exactly was it different from walking? Why did walking improve my pain, while the elliptical made it worse?
10 Design Ideas That Don’t Involve Sitting
The world is not designed for people with sitting disabilities. But what would a world designed for sitting disabilities actually look like?