MedX - Back Training

Another highly successful therapy that Joint Rehabilitation & Sports Medical Center, Inc. employs is MedX. Frequently, back and neck injuries occur from structural weakness. Studies by prominent orthopedic surgeons have proven that MedX strengthens the back and neck, alleviates pain, and prevents surgery.

MedX is a computerized back and neck-strengthening machine that tests the exact level of weakness and then provides a built in therapy that brings those areas to optimal strength. A MedX workout twice a week for several weeks has been proven to be so effective that it is covered by insurance and Medicare.

A person using the machine sits upright in a chair while several pads and belts exert pressure on the thighs and hips to prevent them from moving. Then a weight is determined through a static testing procedure and an exercise protocol is designed for each patients needs. The goal is to increase strength levels and active range of motion to get the patient back to full function in their daily activities.

Joint Rehabilitation & Sports Medical Center, Inc. has the top MedX exercise physiologist in the world, Dr. Bill Bergman, PhD. Dr. Bergman studied under the MedX inventor, Arthur Jones, who also invented Nautilus exercise equipment.

Over the years, he has trained over 10,000 patients. In this group he has seen professional bodybuilders, football players, wrestlers, surfers, volleyball players, golfers, Olympic athletes, track and field participants, marital artists, and the list goes on. They are among the best athletes in the world, but still tested below what is considered a healthy back and neck strength for their ages, weight and gender. These areas just aren't addressed in training programs. With this in mind, just consider how important MedX is for the less active person.

MedX Machines:
Hi-Tech Rejuvenation of the Back and Neck

MedX machines are unique, computerized back- and neck-strengthening machines that have been widely studied in the university setting. They were developed by Arthur Jones, the inventor of Nautilus exercise equipment. A simple test procedure shows one's strength compared to normal individuals. It also tracks a person's progress during each visit.

A MedX workout twice a week for several weeks can alleviate back pain and prevent back injuries, and a recent study inidcates that the MedX might even prevent back surgery. In the study, 60 patients who were surgical candidates did resistive extension exercise on the MedX. Forty-six of the 60 participants completed the program, with only three of them requiring surgery.

The MedX works by strengthening the musculature of the back and increasing its range of motion, both of which have been found to decrease back pain. While exercising the lower back, the MedX restraints inhibit the use of the pelvis and legs. "This is key, since the major extensors of the back are the buttocks muscles and hamstring muscles," says Marc Darrow, Medical Director of the Joint Rehabilitation and Sports Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. "The muscles surrounding the vertebrae are usually weak even when the gluteus and hamstring muscles are strong. Once these muscles are strengthened and range of motion with MedX is increased, pain diminishes."

References
Brian Nelson, MD; David Carpenter, MS. Can Spinal Surgery Be Prevented by Aggressive Strengthening Exercises? A Prospective Study of Cervical and Lumbar Patients. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 80 (Jan 1999): 20-25.

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