LOW BACK PAIN

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common diagnoses treated by health care professionals in the United States. Up to 70% of people will develop low back pain in their lifetime, and 5-10% of these cases will develop into chronic low back pain, which is experiencing pain for more than 3 months.
When looking at low back pain specifically, there are many potential contributing factors and terms often used: sciatica, stenosis, radiculopathy, piriformis syndrome, lumbago, spondylolisthesis, herniation, slipped disk, arthritis, etc. Many of these terms can be fear-inducing and lead to a feeling of hopelessness. Furthermore, these “impairments” show up on MRIs and lead to over-prescription of opioids and usage of injections and surgeries.
The research literature is pretty clear that conservative care (e.g. physical therapy) is the superior treatment option, and it is part of clinical practice guidelines in both physical therapy and medical practice guidelines. Additionally, even if your MRI shows those “impairments” they are often not the primary driver of pain and do not limit the ability to make a full recovery.
The good news is there’s an abundance of research that has demonstrated that physical therapy is very successful treatment strategy for treating and fixing the causes of low back pain. Additionally, as a practice, we have treated more than 50,000 low back pain patients over 15 years, which has allowed us to refine our craft to provide our patients with tailored and comprehensive rehabilitation programs that will allow them to achieve and exceed their goals.
While there are many treatment approaches available and advertised on the market, most address only short-term pain reduction. These tools can be beneficial when used appropriately, for example using a hot pack or e-stim to reduce pain, but they need to be paired with long-lasting interventions, such as therapeutic exercise, to achieve a long-lasting positive outcome.
Our physical therapists utilize a combination of education, therapeutic exercise, and manual therapy to provide evidence-based treatment approaches that will treat all underlying contributors to your low back pain. They develop a customized treatment plan using manual therapy, therapeutic exercise programs, aerobic conditioning, and more to help our patients overcome low back pain to be unstoppable.
Manual therapy is used to decrease pain and improve the mobility of patients experiencing pain. Treatment of the low back uses lumbar manipulation and/or mobilization techniques designed to help patients restore their functional movement.
Therapeutic exercise programs are developed and tailored to the patient’s specific diagnosis. These long-term programs are designed to address pain and limitations and to increase the likelihood of future injury prevention. Restoring proper strength and mobility will ensure the low back remains pain free during all the stresses of daily activity.
PT Solutions follows significant and ongoing scientific evidence found in Clinical Guidelines, Systematic Review with Meta Analysis, and Randomized Control Trials to guide its approach to physical therapy intervention for this condition.
We are committed to following research advancements for mechanical, radicular (sciatica), instability (spondylolisthesis), stenosis, and gynecological forms of the condition to continually improve our treatment methods.
If you would like to learn more about how we can help you fully recover from your low back pain, fill out the form below to request an appointment today!
PT Solutions clinics are open and taking precautions to maintain the safety and health of our patients, team members, and their families. Click here to learn more.