Many people experience lower back discomfort and are unsure how to get long-term relief. Dealing with this type of discomfort can take time away from relaxing, working, spending time with family, and generally enjoying life. It can also make a person irritated, and anxious, and lead to a range of other health problems!
According to the World Health Organization, 149 million days of work are lost in the United States owing to low back discomfort. Lower back pain is the most common cause of activity limitation and job absence in much of the world, putting a significant financial strain on individuals, families, communities, businesses, and governments.
If you’re dealing with back pain, there’s no question about it: You want relief and you want it now. A licensed physical therapist can help guide you through the necessary treatment to get back to your daily life, without pain. Contact our office today to learn more!
Why should I choose physical therapy treatment?
Physical therapy is a type of treatment that focuses on the management of injuries and disabilities. A physical therapist is trained to treat a variety of ailments, including back discomfort.
Physical therapy promotes recovery and is an excellent way to regain range of motion and functional mobility. These therapists are educated and trained in conservative management strategies, such as the rehabilitation of patients with neurologic, cardiovascular, and orthopedic disorders.
Even though each patient receives a unique treatment plan relevant to their illness, most physical therapy programs have two basic components: passive physical therapy and active physical therapy. Passive physical therapy lowers a patient’s pain threshold and makes it easier to manage. Patients who participate in active physical therapy learn how to do exercises on their own and in the clinic!
Active physical therapy
Active physical therapy is different from passive because it involves exercises the patient must do, instead of actions being performed on the patient by the therapist. These exercises are normally utilized later in treatment, once your lower back pain has decreased enough for you to do them without experiencing too much discomfort.
There are tons of exercises that your physical therapist might recommend. Many of them involve targeted stretches, stability training, and strength training. Some of these exercises can improve your range of motion, and others can build up and restore the muscles around affected areas to provide those parts of the body with proper support.
Passive physical therapy
Lower back pain can be so debilitating that you can’t be as active as you normally are. It can get in the way of literally everything! Because of this, it is imperative for a physical therapist to decrease your pain as much as possible so that you can start participating in your treatment.
These techniques and tools are commonly referred to as passive therapy because they are done to a patient by a physical therapist.
- Manual therapies
- Heat/ice packs
- Ultrasound
- Iontophoresis
- Massage
- Electrical stimulation, such as TENS Units
- Dry needling
- Hydrotherapy
Some of these techniques (such as hot/cold packs and massage therapy) enhance blood flow and restore circulation to the affected area, lowering discomfort and inflammation.
Electrical stimulation therapy is also commonly used by physical therapists. This is a painless, non-invasive treatment that sends electrical impulses through your nervous system to relieve muscular spasms and increase the production of pain-relieving hormones.
Physical therapy also includes hydrotherapy treatment. This kind of treatment involves performing low-intensity movements in water to relieve pressure on muscles. Water allows you to move your joints without discomfort.
What should I expect during my first physical therapy appointment?
Your physical therapist will ask you a number of health-related questions concerning your medical history and lower back discomfort during your initial visit to our clinic.
Your therapist will also perform a comprehensive physical assessment on you. Your physical therapist may check your flexibility, strength, balance, posture, coordination, blood pressure, and heart and respiration rates, depending on your symptoms. To assess for tightness, they may use their hands to touch and evaluate your back and surrounding areas. They will also measure your mobility visually.
Having this information will assist your therapist in developing the optimal treatment plan for you, resulting in the best outcomes!
Your physical therapist will give you customized exercises to do at home during your therapy to help you reduce pain, avoid re-injury, reduce strain, and speed up your recovery.
They may also propose certain technologies or equipment to help you heal, as well as spend time teaching you the nature of your pain and pain management techniques.
Call our clinic today and get ahead of your pain
If you’re ready to alleviate (or even eliminate!) your pain, contact our office to learn more about how physical therapy can help you live a pain-free life.
