Don't Become a Statistic
One quarter of the U.S. population will experience back problems sometime in their lives, often with no obvious cause. Of those, approximately 80 to 90 percent will re-injure their backs. Most back problems result from cumulative stress, muscle weakness, and poor posture and body mechanics. Unless the underlying causes of low back problems are addressed, the risk of re-injury remains high.

Back in Balance: A Back Program to Meet Your Needs
The Institute for Athletic Medicine's Back in Balance program specializes in treating low back problems.
These problems often are the result of weak trunk muscles that link the pelvis and spine at the center of the body, also known as the “core.” Physical therapists who understand the complexities of the back and trunk, train and educate you to care for your back to minimize your risk of future back problems.

Who Benefits from Back in Balance?
People of all ages, occupations and activity levels benefit from this program. You’ll learn healthy back care strategies that you can put to work immediately in your daily life and in your favorite recreational activities. We help you to help yourself through a personalized program that includes:

• MedX, state-of-the-art computerized testing and training equipment that isolates and strengthens your back muscles
• Supervised and self-guided exercises to improve you’re your core strength, fitness, coordination and flexibility
• Balance and body awareness training to help you understand your body and how you move
• Fundamental to advanced exercises that simulate day-to-day activities, helping you to learn safe movement patterns
• Education to teach you self-care techniques and skills to improve your understanding of body mechanics
• Strategies to increase your daily physical activity, which research shows helps to reduce risk of re-injury
• A complimentary stability ball to use at home with your exercise program

A Personalized Program
Our physical therapists complete an initial evaluation to determine your current level of strength using MedX, a medical device that is specially designed to test and improve your muscle strength. Based on your evaluation, you’ll participate in one of three Back in Balance programs: Essential Core, Advanced Core or Maximal Core.

Each program features exercises to help strengthen your deep abdominal and back muscles while training one-to-one with a physical therapist. When you are stronger, you’ll progress to more challenging exercises.

• Essential Core is the foundation of Back in Balance. Here we focus on trunk strengthening using MedX and supervised exercises, basic body mechanics, stretching, balance drills and fitness activities to improve your overall movement in every day and recreational activities.
• Advanced Core builds on Essential Core and offers more challenging trunk strengthening using MedX and balance exercises. People in Advanced core have mastered basic movement mechanics, have developed stronger trunk muscles and are ready for more difficult exercises. Participants include athletes (recreational, amateur and professional) and individuals who work in physically demanding environments.
• Maximal Core emphasizes sport- and work-specific exercises that push core strength to peak performance. MedX, Pilates and yoga techniques are used to challenge participants at this level.

In addition to strengthening your core muscles, Back in Balance helps to improve fitness. All participants receive a pedometer to use during the program to monitor the number of steps taken in a day. With that information our team works with you to develop strategies to increase your daily physical activity and fitness level, contributing to a healthier back.

How to Get Your Back in Balance
Back in Balance is offered at Institute for Athletic Medicine clinics throughout the Twin Cities metro area. For information about a program near you, call 612-672-7100.

Your doctor's referral is recommended, but self-referrals are welcome. Most insurance plans provide coverage for Back in Balance. Check with your health plan.