PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR LOW BACK PAIN

WHAT IS LOW BACK PAIN?

LOW BACK PAIN IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS, AFFECTING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. WHETHER YOUR PAIN DEVELOPED AFTER LIFTING SOMETHING HEAVY, DURING SPORTS, FROM LONG HOURS AT A DESK, OR WITHOUT AN OBVIOUS CAUSE, IT CAN INTERFERE WITH WORK, EXERCISE, SLEEP, AND EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES.

THE LUMBAR SPINE RELIES ON THE COORDINATED FUNCTION OF VERTEBRAE, INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS, FACET JOINTS, LIGAMENTS, MUSCLES, FASCIA, AND NERVES TO PROVIDE BOTH STABILITY AND MOBILITY. WHEN ANY PART OF THIS SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING OPTIMALLY, PAIN, STIFFNESS, REDUCED MOBILITY, AND DECREASED FUNCTION MAY DEVELOP.

AT OUR CLINIC, OUR DOCTORS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY FOCUS ON IDENTIFYING THE ROOT CAUSE OF YOUR SYMPTOMS THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE MOVEMENT ASSESSMENT RATHER THAN SIMPLY TREATING THE PAIN.

COMMON CAUSES

LOW BACK PAIN CAN RESULT FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF CONDITIONS INCLUDING MUSCLE STRAINS, LIGAMENT SPRAINS, DISC IRRITATION OR HERNIATION, FACET JOINT DYSFUNCTION, SACROILIAC JOINT DYSFUNCTION, DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE, SPINAL STENOSIS, ARTHRITIS, REPETITIVE BENDING, POOR LIFTING MECHANICS, PROLONGED SITTING, HIP MOBILITY RESTRICTIONS, CORE WEAKNESS, GLUTEAL WEAKNESS, ALTERED MOVEMENT PATTERNS, SPORTS INJURIES, OCCUPATIONAL DEMANDS, AND OVERUSE. MANY INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCE A COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS RATHER THAN A SINGLE DIAGNOSIS.

COMMON SYMPTOMS

SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE ACHING OR SHARP PAIN IN THE LOWER BACK, MORNING STIFFNESS, MUSCLE SPASMS, PAIN WITH BENDING OR LIFTING, LIMITED RANGE OF MOTION, PAIN DURING WALKING OR RUNNING, RADIATING PAIN INTO THE HIP OR LEG, SCIATICA, NUMBNESS OR TINGLING, DIFFICULTY SITTING OR STANDING FOR LONG PERIODS, OR REDUCED ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE.

HOW PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN HELP

PHYSICAL THERAPY IS CONSIDERED A FIRST-LINE TREATMENT FOR MANY TYPES OF LOW BACK PAIN. OUR GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY THE UNDERLYING MOVEMENT DYSFUNCTIONS CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR SYMPTOMS WHILE IMPROVING MOBILITY, STRENGTH, MOTOR CONTROL, JOINT MECHANICS, NEUROMUSCULAR COORDINATION, AND FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT.

RATHER THAN FOCUSING ONLY ON PAIN RELIEF, WE DEVELOP A PROGRESSIVE REHABILITATION PLAN DESIGNED TO IMPROVE YOUR ABILITY TO MOVE, WORK, EXERCISE, AND RETURN TO THE ACTIVITIES YOU ENJOY.

YOUR PHYSICAL THERAPY EVALUATION

YOUR INITIAL VISIT INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE ORTHOPEDIC AND MOVEMENT ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR PAIN. THIS MAY INCLUDE A REVIEW OF YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY, FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT ANALYSIS, LUMBAR RANGE OF MOTION, JOINT MOBILITY TESTING, MANUAL MUSCLE TESTING, CORE STABILITY ASSESSMENT, HIP MOBILITY, POSTURAL ANALYSIS, GAIT ANALYSIS, NEUROLOGICAL SCREENING, BALANCE TESTING, AND ORTHOPEDIC SPECIAL TESTS WHEN APPROPRIATE.

THIS THOROUGH EVALUATION ALLOWS US TO DEVELOP AN INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLAN BASED ON YOUR GOALS, LIFESTYLE, AND MOVEMENT PATTERNS.

OUR TREATMENT APPROACH

EVERY REHABILITATION PROGRAM IS CUSTOMIZED TO THE INDIVIDUAL. DEPENDING ON YOUR EVALUATION, YOUR PLAN OF CARE MAY INCLUDE MANUAL THERAPY, THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE, PROGRESSIVE STRENGTHENING, CORE STABILIZATION, NEUROMUSCULAR RE-EDUCATION, MOTOR CONTROL TRAINING, MOBILITY RESTORATION, FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT RETRAINING, RUNNING OR SPORT-SPECIFIC PROGRESSION, ACTIVITY MODIFICATION, PATIENT EDUCATION, AND A PROGRESSIVE HOME EXERCISE PROGRAM. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP YOU MOVE MORE EFFICIENTLY, REDUCE THE RISK OF RECURRENCE, AND RETURN TO YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES WITH CONFIDENCE.

WHY CHOOSE US?

OUR DOCTORS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE, EVIDENCE-BASED CARE CENTERED AROUND MOVEMENT QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, AND LONG-TERM RESULTS. WHETHER YOUR GOAL IS RETURNING TO WORK, WEIGHTLIFTING, RUNNING, RECREATIONAL SPORTS, OR SIMPLY LIVING WITHOUT PAIN, WE CREATE A REHABILITATION PLAN DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU.

SCHEDULE AN EVALUATION

IF LOW BACK PAIN IS LIMITING YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES, DON'T WAIT FOR IT TO WORSEN. A COMPREHENSIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY EVALUATION CAN IDENTIFY THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF YOUR SYMPTOMS AND HELP YOU BEGIN AN INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN FOR RECOVERY. CONTACT OUR CLINIC TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR INITIAL EVALUATION.