Here's the latest article in my series "Why Does My Back Still Hurt?". Read all of the articles at www.performancepractic.com/blog.

Dr. Jerome

Take x-rays (for numerous reasons) at the time of the examination. Having proper x-rays brings life to your patient's intake and history.

X-rays can provide a fantastic correlation to the current symptom and how past injuries have caused degeneration, previously missed pars fractures, spondylosis, structural misalignments, etc. And the #1 reason I take the below standing pelvic x-ray on 100% of all new patients (pain or not, I still take my standard FIT X-ray series) is to identify and correct an anatomical short leg.

The anatomical short leg identified in the two examples above is common, but the severity and compensatory changes vary greatly. If the difference is relatively slight (3/8" or less), an internal lift works well. I do not like using a heel lift to correct femur head height in ideal neutral only. I apply a full-length lift, so the entire foot is elevated in a standard position when walking, running, etc. A greater than 3/8" difference from right to left is worth changing the shoe's sole. A cobbler or pedorthist (not a pediatrist) is my preferred local choice.

Dr. Jerome's Fitness Integration Technique (F.I.T.)® Level 1 System teaches how to evaluate the 4 FIT® X-rays and how to make a 2 dimensional x-ray a 3 dimensional Brain/Body Map® for patient education and priority correction.

Educate your patients about low back pain with Dr. Jerome's Digital Marketing Slides, available at www.performancepractic.com