By Lisa Snow
EFT Personal Training

Is neck or back pain stopping you from reaching your weight loss goals?  The good news is, most back pain is treatable.  Follow these 5 steps to get “back” on track.

1) Get a different second opinion.  Most patients get a second opinion from the same type of practitioner, which is usually a waste.  Two people from the same field are very likely to tell you the same thing.  So, if your first opinion was from an orthopedist, get a second opinion from a chiropractor. Or, if your first opinion was from a chiropractor, get a second opinion from a phsycial therapist.

2) Stay in treatment at least 2 days/week.  Whatever treatment you choose (physical therapy, chiropractic, accupuncture), patients who go in 2 or more days per week get far superior results to those who only go once a week or once every other week. 

3) Consider adding massage to your treatment plan.  While I wouldn’t recommend massage as a stand-alone treatment for severe neck or back pain, it can be a brilliant addition to other treatments, like chiropractic or physical therapy.  Make sure whoever you work with is licensed (they are an LMT).  

4) If you DO get medical clearance to exercise, choose a personal trainer who has post-rehab experience or specialty certifications like the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).  Ask for names and phone numbers of other clients that trainer has worked with during or after rehab.

5) If you do NOT get medical clearance to exercise, you can still get started losing weight by working with a nutritionist.  Be sure to choose someone with a reputable nutrition certification, like Precision Nutrition or Institute of Integrative Nutrition, not someone who took a weekend course.