At our East Beltline clinic we have specialised machines aimed at strengthening neck and low back muscles. These machines are called MedX machines and they have been proven to help strengthen hard to target muscle for over 2 decades.
The Lumbar MedX machine is designed to provide resistance over the full range of motion of the lumbar spine (72 degrees), or over a selected limited range of motion. The goal is to activate and strengthen the lumbar paraspinal muscles, while at the same time blocking pelvic rotation and limiting lower body muscle involvement. If pelvic rotation is not blocked, then the hip and leg muscles tend to produce force, so your low back muscles are not needing to work as hard.
The Cervical MedX machine is designed to provide resistance over the full range of motion the the cervical spine (126 degrees), or over a selected limited range of motion. The goal is to activate and strengthen the cervical paraspinal muscles, while blocking compensatory movements. The shoulders are strapped in place so that they can not lift up and assist the cervical spine in producing force.
The MedX machines are able to used with patients dealing with many types of back issues. Some examples are chronic spinal pain, disc injuries, degenerative disc disease, facet syndrome and headaches. We evaluate each person when they start therapy to see what the best course of action is for them in PT. If a patient is suffering from one of the above issues, or others that cause them to have back or neck pain, we may decide to utilise the MedX as one part of their rehab.
For more information about the MedX machines, you can go to www.medxonline.com
- Albie DeVries, PTA @ our East Be!dine Office
If you like what you see, don’t hesitate to subscribe to get our biweekly updates! Dont hesitate to leave a comment before you go as well! This blog needs your voice!
