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Siouxland's Physiatrist

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) - Doctors and nurses have all different kinds of specialties. And there's a new doctor in Siouxland with a specialty you may never have heard of before. He's a physiatrist.

Dr. Michael McHenry says his job is to focus on the body as a whole, as he works with patients in the physical medicine/rehabilitation area of CNOS. "We try to either restore function or maximize function," said Dr. Michael McHenry. And by doing that, Dr. McHenry can improve quality of life for someone of any age... young or older. The most common problem he sees... low back pain. In fact, it's the second most common reason people go to the doctor. "It can be just a strained muscle, it can be a degenerative condition in an older person, it can be a disc herniation, where the disc material comes out and touches the nerves," said Dr. McHenry.

As a physiatrist, his job is to determine what the problem is, and how to fix it. To do that, Dr. McHenry looks at the entire body from top to bottom. "It's all connected. People with ankle pain will then develop back pain because they're walking a little different; or knee pain or shoulder pain. It's all part of the connectic chain," said Dr. McHenry. Dr. McHenry says the pain will never go away if you don't identify and address the root of the problem. And many times that will mean strengthening your core muscles, and making yourself more flexible. But one has to come before the other. "If you're not flexible it makes no sense to strengthen up the muscles. You want to be as flexible as possible so that you don't strengthen muscles that are not at their optimal length for best function," said Dr. McHenry.

Now, Dr. McHenry says you should stretch a minimum of twice a day. And when it comes to the core, that area in the center of your body, you need more than sit-ups. You also need to work the back and the sides of your stomach. But if you do start working on those areas, start small and consult a professional.