BIO4ME (Andries Lodder Biokineticists)
Rehabilitation Centre in Johannesburg

Andries Lodder (A L) Biokineticists is a cutting-edge practice based in.
conditioning and quality of life through teaching the importance of.
rehabilitation services. Although our core focus is on athletes, we also specialise in cardiac and orthopaedic rehabilitation. The practice strives to improve ones physical.
Fourways, as well as using relevant techniques in the rehabilitation, offering professional and current biokinetic and sport.
optimal health, testing and training programs we offer.

The practice strives to improve physical conditioning and quality of life through teaching the importance of optimal health, as well as perfection for the up-and-coming sporting heroes. During the biokinetics rehabilitation process we strive for optimal performance, which consists of the combined synergy of perfect posture, optimal balance and proprioception, ultimate core stability and perfect technique. The pain in the lower half of the back or lumbar region can be intense and is one of the top reasons for missed work amoung adults. As bad as all this sounds there is some good news- more often than not lower back pain can get better on its own and if it doesn’t there are many effective forms of treatment that can help. Before we look at treatments lets discuss the symptoms and some of the most common causes of lower back pain. The pain can be acute, which is a very sudden pain as a result of injury, pain that persists and last for weeks to months at a time is considered chronic lower back pain. Lower back pain caused by sudden injuries can be due to ligament and muscle injuries. If treated correctly at the onset of the injury then the back pain can be resolved in roughly 6- 12 weeks depending on the extent of the injury. Jobs that involve substantial amounts of physical activity such as, heavy lifting, pulling or any twisting movements can lead to lower back pain especially if done with poor technique. However sitting at a desk all day also comes with risks of its own. If this herniation touches and puts pressure on the spinal nerves, this can lead to sharp shooting pains, numbness and intense pain. Once the cause of the lower back pain has been identified and diagnosed by a health care practitioner then the appropriate treatment can be implemented. However, it is not recommended that a person rests for more than 2 days as this can make healing even more difficult. If the initial rest isn’t effective then activity modification can be helpful. Avoiding the aggravating activity can help reduce muscle spasms and pain and create a more healing environment. If the lower back pain isn’t due to muscle spasm or tension, but rather due to inflammation then applying ice instead of heat onto the affected area can help reduce the swelling and pain. In conjunction with the above forms of treatment it is advised that individuals start a supervised exercise program that will strengthen and stretch the appropriate muscles to help reduce and prevent further back pain. Individuals should focus on stretching the muscles of the lower back, core, hips and legs. Stabilization exercises are essential to help stabilise the spinal column during all movements to ensure that excess stresses and pressures are not places on the muscles, ligaments and joints of the spine. Core strengthening exercises are also as important as stabilisation exercises. The core acts as a corset and encloses and stabilises the spine. Core stabilisation exercises require more than just doing sit ups and crunches. Below are examples of 2 basic stabilisation exercises the can be performed to help reduce back pain. Lower your right arm behind your head while simultaneously lowering your left leg to just above the ground.