Benign back pain due to muscle strain is a very complex subject. As the second leading cause of physician visits, it has been a highly investigated subject in medicine for the past 300 years with multiple thousands of investigators researching a remedy. While at the time it did not seem fortuitous, my knowledge base accrued over the past 34 years has allowed me to look at the subject from multiple different perspectives.
As an orderly, I changed the weights on the traction devices used for treating acute back strain. It proved a remedy both ineffective and highly cost prohibitive. Working as an ER orderly I got my first taste of the quantity of back pain seen through an Emergency Room. I secured a job as a Physical Therapy Assistant with extensive weekend responsibilities. While catching a 250 pound patient while falling, I sustained a back strain which plagued me for the next 20 years.
While at OHSU serving as Interim Director of Pain Management our department worked closely with the Neurosurgery Department for maximum treatment of chronic pain patients. When stating I would research a certain subject, a wise Neurosurgeon looked me in the eyes and stated "we are the experts". Shortly thereafter while lifting my 35 pound daughter above my head, I again strained my back for the umpteenth thousandth time. I vowed to research "everything" known about back pain due to muscle strain. Opti-stretch is the result of the past 13 years of research. Over the past 13 years of research I have worked as a general laborer, roofer, and construction worker. Opti-stretch has been invaluable while lifting 300 pound objects. I sincerely hope this knowledge base will prove equally as valuable to you.
Best of luck in finding a solution for achieving and maintaining a healthy strain resistant back for life. Opti-stretch can be helpful.
Edwin Neil MD, MS, BA, BS
Opti-Stretch versus Recurrent Back Pain class instructor for 17 years and General Manager of Opti-Stretch. Trained and taught with Dr. Neil, M.D.
Graduated from Weber State University with a B.S. in Heath Promotion, CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist) and ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.
An exciting part of teaching Opti-stretch is having former students recognize me on the street as “The Opti-Stretch Lady”. Many students have thanked me for how much OPTI-STRETCH has changed their lives by either getting rid of their back pain or at least making it more manageable. Although Opti-stretch is new and small, I believe the program has a tremendous potential for helping many people.