THE MEDICAL/BIOPHYSICS GROUP

Because of its strong background in applied fluid mechanics, the Institute has been interested in conducting investigations into the various fluid mechanical considerations surrounding various medical and biophysical problems.  The Group has been active in recent years in investigating the possibility of modeling the air flow in the lungs during an asthma attack,  the dynamics of blood flow in constricted vessels, the development of implantable,  small size to power ratio energy supplies to power artificial limbs and organs, the design of selectively permeable, micro-retaining containers to hold donated insulin producing cells designed such that the hormone molecules can pass into the bloodstream of the recipient, nutrients can pass in, but attacking immune system white cells are kept out.  Recently, the Institute has completed an extensive research program into the medical and athletic benefits of water based exercises and has achieved a number of breakthroughs in this particularly important area. 

The Pacific Institute for Advanced Study was recently granted United States Patent #5,389,058 for a revolutionary back strengthening/back pain treatment device and associated exercises. One of the most common health problems in North America today and certainly one of the most debilitating, is lower back pain.   However, most of the exercises specifically designed for persons with such an affliction do not effectively exercise the most critical muscle groups in the lower spinal region, namely the muscles running vertically along each side of the spine.  Water has been recognized as a valuable medium in which to suspend the body with the user's weight removed from the spine independent of body orientation for carrying out therapeutic exercises. 

Conventional horizontal dolphin-type flippers have proven to be ineffectual in relieving lower back pain and in fact there is evidence that they may increase it.  The new patented fins are rotated by 90 degrees relative to the propulsive surfaces of normal fins, and are vertical "shark-type" motion flippers. When in the water, the patented methods of exercise  include suspension of the user's body vertically in the water, or with the user floating on his/her back, stomach or side and performing a series of slow side-to-side undulating movements with the lower back and legs, while keeping the feet closely together and the legs slightly straight. The motion may also be performed while sitting on the side of the body of water or by holding onto the railing of a small therapeutic pool.  Water exercises are isokinetic, with steady resistance that increases exponentially to the speed of motion. This is a very effective exercise approach. Clinical trials have indicated that exercises using the new fin results in a more than 30% improvement in back conditioning as compared to the use of normal fins for back exercise. 

Advantages include: Spinal instability correction through exercise and preferential strengthening of key muscle groups; No-load exercises for disk and cartilage health improvement; The exercise is affordable, effective and self-administered. 

The Pacific Institute has spun off a new company named Better Backs Inc. whose objectives are to market clinically proven effective back exercise methods employing unique patented technology that preferentially exercises and strengthens lower back muscle groups providing remediation for many muscular causes of lower back pain. 

For more information on this new breakthrough in lower back pain and athletic injury treatment contact Dr. Paul D. Tinari at: pacific@imag.net