The Program

The initial evaluation consists of a 45 minute appointment with a Chiropractic Physician. A complete history is taken, an appropriate physical exam performed and imaging studies are reviewed. A screening spinal strength test is often performed as part of the evaluation under the direction of our MedX certified physicians.

Patients entering the program typically are seen 2-3 times per week. A typical visit involves passive care (for pain management), chiropractic treatment (for restoring pain-free range of motion) and MedX spinal rehabilitation (for strengthening and stabilization). The first appointment time is 9:00 AM and the last at 6:00 PM. Utah Spine Center physicians actively monitor each patient and every 3-4 weeks a visit is scheduled to retest and chart progress.

The program averages 8-10 weeks (16-24 visits) to complete, depending on individual needs. The goal is to reduce inflammation, restore pain-free range of motion and increase your spinal strength levels. Upon completion, each patient is put on a free once a month maintenance program. This is vital in order to maintain the strength gains and symptom improvement achieved as a result of the program. Anyone interested in an initial evaluation should contact our office to schedule an appointment (801.944.9222). Our staff can discuss insurance eligibility at that time.

We also treat Worker‘s Comp and Motor Vehicle injuries, as well as most other private insurance plans. You will be responsible for any co-pays and deductibles associated with your insurance. In addition, we have interest free financing and cash plans to fit the needs of our patients.

Below is an actual test of lumbar strength and the explanation.

Click on Image above to enlarge

Purpose and Justification of Treatment

Most chronic musculoskeletal pain problems are as a result of a weak link about a joint in the spine, arms or legs. This weak link is in the soft tissues, and frequently cannot be clearly identified by diagnostic studies. When diagnostic studies show that the soft tissue injury or degeneration has left the joint completely incompetent, surgery is often necessary to correct it. Most of the time, however, the extent of the soft tissue abnormality is not so severe that surgery is necessary. Nonetheless, the injured or degenerated soft tissue is not competent to do its job. Thus, progressive weakness develops related to that joint. Therefore, there is justification for a strengthening program. The basic principle for all therapeutic exercise is the same.

To start an exercise program, one must measure the joint range limits and strength to find out how much below expected normal they might be. Next, an effective resistance exercise program must be provided with sufficient intensity that tissues are challenged to strengthen, but not to the extent that tissues are injured and become more painful. To achieve this goal, specialized equipment is necessary.

At this facility, the goal is to improve strength, joint range, and endurance through therapeutic exercise on equipment which isolates the weak link effectively. The patients are coached in this treatment program by well trained therapists. We expect that pain will diminish with improvement in the joint function. If this does not occur, the patients are referred back to the physician for re-evaluation. It is our philosophy that passive treatment has no opportunity to create the necessary structural change to improve spine and joint function. Even joint manipulation which can achieve short term relief of pain, cannot change the soft tissue incompetence unless it is associated with a progressive resistance exercise program.

We expect the patients to be motivated to participate in this exercise program by their desire for improvement in function, as well as relief of the pain which led them to seek medical attention. Because of this motivation, they are willing to strengthen the soft tissues by a progressive exercise program. This commitment will allow them to tolerate the routine aches which are associated with healthy exercise.

The program has no magic. It merely utilizes modern physiological principles of tissue repair to achieve improvement in function and significant reduction in pain. The MedX Rehabilitation room is the hub for chronic low back and neck strength and range-of-motion assessment as well as strengthening exercise. This area serves as a commons where patients can elect to socialize and meet others with similar problems.

Our MedX Rehabilitation room is the only one of its kind in the state of Utah, featuring three MedX Medical Machines: Lumbar Extension, Cervical Extension, and Rotary Torso. The old saying, "No pain--No gain" is realized here. All complaints are left at the door!

The Lumbar Extension Machine

The MedX Lumbar Extension Machine provides functional testing and spinal therapy. A unique method of pelvic stabilization provides true isolation of the deep muscles of the lumbar spine (erector spinae and multifidus). Weakness of these muscles can be responsible for chronic disability and persistent or recurring pain.

The Lumbar Extension Machine can provide resistance over a full range of isolated lumbar motion (72 degrees), or over a selected, limited range. In exercise mode, a compound weight stack provides resistance from 10 to 400 pound feet in increments of one pound foot. The machine is capable of setting isometric test points every three degrees. The software plots a strength curve from test data. The software also offers other useful clinical features such as comparison to age- and gender-matched norms and the ability detect a lack of reasonable effort by the patient. Various reports can be generated, both for individual patients and selected patient groups or categories.

Accuracy and reliability of testing is addressed by the machine's ability to factor out of torque assessment the effects of both torso mass and stored energy. Torso mass is eliminated via an adjustable counterweight offsetting gravitational pull. To determine net muscular torque (NMT), stored energy (SE; tissue compression and/or joint elasticity) is measured at each testing angle and then deducted from total functional torque (TFT). Therefore: NMT=TFT-SE.

The Cervical Extension Machine

The MedX Cervical Extension Machine is highly reliable and specific for the quantification of isometric cervical extension strength and dynamic variable resistance training. Isometric testing can be performed every three degrees through a 126 degree range of motion.

Validity is achieved by effectively stabilizing the torso to achieve cervical extension muscle isolation. Counterbalancing the mass of the head is performed to ensure accurate torque assessment by eliminating the effects of gravity.

Because the cervical muscles must continually support the weight of the head, headache and neck pain are common clinical complaints. These ailments often originate as a result of muscular weakness or traumatic injury. This machine features dual weight stacks with a stroke length of only 1.5 inches during a full-range dynamic contraction. This short stroke length reduces internal friction and lowers the risk of impact forces. Weight can be selected at 3 pound inch increments from 30 to 900 pound inches of resistance.

The Rotary Torso Machine

The MedX Torso Rotation Machine evaluates and trains the rotary muscles of the torso, the internal and external obliques. This is extremely important for any patient who relies on a twisting or turning motion for their job. The stabilization devices of the machine eliminate extraneous contractions from the legs, hips and shoulders. The oblique muscles move a torso through the full range of 108 degrees of rotation; 54 degrees on each side. Like the Cervical Rotation machine the Torso Rotation machine also measures each side of the torso independently of the other. The stroke length of the Torso Rotation machine is 3 inches. The resistance offered by the machine can reach a maximum of 200 pound inches at 0.5 pound foot increments.

Several important concepts are inherent to this treatment program.