Greg Yingling, D.C.

It stands to reason the more an intervertebral disk herniates, the more it will compress the spinal nerves, leading to a greater likelihood for surgical intervention. But what if that isn’t the case? The current standard treatment of lumbar disk herniation (LDH) involves FIRST the initial use of non-surgical care for at least six weeks. [..]

Several studies have found that a treatment approach that combines specific exercises with spinal manipulation, mobilization, and nutrition is often ideal for reducing pain and improving function in patients with low back pain. But how does your doctor of chiropractic know which low back exercises to recommend and which to avoid? The answer: it depends. [..]

It’s common to see older adults with a slumped posture, and though there are many possible reasons for this, perhaps the most common cause is a condition called spinal stenosis. The Mayo Clinic notes that spinal stenosis can result from wear-and-tear that narrows the spinal disks. This narrowing can place pressure on the nerve roots [..]

In the past, we’ve written about the use of mechanical traction for patients with neck pain. But what about the low back pain (LBP) patient? Can traction help reduce pain and improve function for this group? Let’s see what the scientific literature has to say about traction for the lower back and whether it has [..]

The sciatic nerve is made up of five nerve roots that exit the spine in the lower back (L4 to S3) and then merge into one nerve that travels through the buttock and into the leg. At the back of the knee, the nerve divides into two nerves, the tibial and common peroneal, that travel [..]

In the past, patients may have been prescribed bed rest by their family doctor for low back pain. These days, treatment guidelines recommend staying active during the recovery process. Why the change? There are two types of muscles in the back: the superficial muscles and the deep muscles. The superficial muscles are used to perform [..]

You’ve probably heard of a friend or loved one whose back pain resulted in a spinal fusion surgery, but you may not understand what prompted surgery over non-surgical approaches, including chiropractic care. Simply put, spinal fusion is a surgical technique that aims to eliminate excessive motion (instability) in the spine by fusing two or more [..]

Since the late 1980s, researchers have embraced the biopsychosocial model (BPS) to understand both the causative and prognostic factors associated with neuromusculoskeletal disorders, which includes back pain. In order to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients with back pain, it’s important to understand the role that factors outside of the biomechanical injury model play [..]

Kinesiophobia, the fear of movement, is a common occurrence for patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP). Unfortunately, self-restricting one’s daily physical activity can result in muscle weakness and atrophy. This can lead to further inactivity and more muscle weakness, and subsequently, poor tolerance of normal activities of daily living, work absenteeism, and depression. When [..]

Low back pain (LBP) and posterior pelvic pain (PPP) are very common complaints during pregnancy. In fact, current estimates show that two-thirds of expectant mothers will experience back pain during pregnancy and one in five will report pelvic pain. These afflictions can have a significant impact on a woman’s quality of life and her ability [..]