Why MedX Can Prevent Back and Neck Pain
By Sarah Sotoodeh
On a cloudy August morning in Marina del Rey, CA, spine and neck rehabilitation specialist Dr. William “Bill” Bergman is in the far left corner of the Soft Tissue Center, working with a patient on a medical exercise (MedX) machine. Dr. Bergman, who began working with MedX in 1989, uses a computer to monitor and analyze all of his patient’s movements when using the machine.
Located on the third floor of DISC Sports & Spine, the Soft Tissue Center has two MedX machines: the lumbar extension, which works on strengthening the lower back, and the cervical extension machine, which strengthens the neck.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dr. Bergman first learned of the MedX machine in 1988. At this time, Dr. Bergman, who suffered from intense pain in his back after years of competitive body building and construction jobs, used MedX and was finally relieved of the pain.
Dr. Bergman realized he wanted to work with the MedX machine and with that decision, he headed to Florida to obtain certification and was personally trained by MedX inventor Arthur Jones.
By November 2008, Dr. Bergman received a call from Dr. Joseph Horrigan, Director of the Soft Tissue Center, who asked him to join DISC. Since then, Dr. Bergman has been doing MedX on athletes, celebrities, Olympians, executives, bankers, teachers and more.
“A lot of the time, when people come here, they have a lack of flexibility and they don’t have strength,” Dr. Bergman said. “What’s happening is when we become cautious with our body, we move less and tendons and ligaments will shorten. My job is to help lengthen those ranges of motion.”
Dr. Bergman says most neck and back pain stems from having weak muscles, which can cause vertebrae to collapse on the disc and pinch nerves or the blood supply.
MedX machines target the paraspinal muscles, which consists of a group of deep muscles that run along both sides of the spine from the base of the skull to the sacrum. Paraspinal muscles support the spine, help maintain proper alignment, and are responsible for movement of the spine. Abdominal muscles, which are inter-relayed with paraspinal muscles, also protect the spine.
“You need balance in the musculature of the body and this is a balance of the spine,” Dr. Bergman said.
Neurological spine surgeon Dr. Robert S. Bray has seen great results in his patients after recommending MedX.
“I use MedX extensively in my practice as a means to prevent surgical intervention and, if surgery is necessary, to maximize post-operative recovery,” Dr. Bray said.
When a patient is sitting on the lumbar extension MedX, Dr. Bergman secures a belt across the legs so only the lower back muscles are being used. At the gym, a common problem with back machines is the person uses their legs or hips instead of keeping those static.
“You have to stabilize the hips, otherwise you will use your glutes and hamstrings. The paraspinals do not get enough stimulation, the same with the neck,” he said.
During the initial appointment, Dr. Bergman gathers data on your strength in the lower back and neck area. The first month of the MedX program is neuromuscular re-education, which means educating the brain and muscle to communicate with each other.
“We basically shut our cells off due to the pain and/or we limited our range of motion which may result in adaptive shortening,” Bergman said.
The second month focuses on increasing strength and stability. By the third, muscle education is the goal.
In addition to MedX, the Soft Tissue Center, which focuses on physical medicine, has acupuncturists and chiropractors, who are all board certified in sports medicine.
“Sometimes MedX isn’t the cure or sometimes its soft tissue or acupuncture or you need all three but only after we evaluate the patient. You can expedite an injury faster when you take a team approach,” Bergman said. “If it’s something more severe, you’re in the middle of DISC, which is the best surgical, neurological orthopedic center in the world.”
To schedule an appointment, call the Soft Tissue Center at: 310-574-0395
