When you’re suffering from debilitating back pain, it can affect your morale and your ability to perform daily activities at home and at work. Although medications and other treatments help temporarily, physical therapy may help ease your discomfort long term.
At the Spine and Orthopedic Center of New Mexico, back pain isn’t something we take lightly. Dr. Omar Osmani, who specializes in advanced treatments for all kinds of back pain, recommends physical therapy to many of our patients to reduce pain and increase mobility.
Causes of chronic back pain
Back pain is common, especially if you’re active or have a physically demanding occupation. It’s also very limiting, which can be frustrating when you can’t seem to find a treatment option that helps. The key is to find the treatment that addresses the root cause of your back pain.
But exactly what’s causing your pain? Injuries — from mild muscle strains to fractured vertebrae — are common culprits. But other conditions may also lead to back pain. Some of these issues come on suddenly, while others gradually affect your spine over time. A few of the conditions that lead to chronic back pain include:
If your back pain stems from spinal degeneration, treatment may be complicated. Surgery may be an option if more conservative therapies fail to help, but sometimes, physical therapy is the best treatment for back pain.
Physical therapy and back pain — can it help?
Physical therapy is a treatment that helps decrease your pain while improving your range of motion and flexibility. This type of treatment can be used for just about any area in your body, including your back.
Physical therapy consists of two main components — active activity and exercise and passive range of motion. Active exercises are activities you perform on your own to strengthen your back muscles and improve your mobility.
Passive range of motion is when your physical therapist uses different techniques to help decrease the amount of pain in your back. Some of the methods used in passive physical therapy include:
- Massage
- Ultrasound therapy
- Electrical stimulation
- Traction
- Heat therapy
Depending on the area of your pain, our therapist may use more than one of these to relax your muscles and improve spinal function and range of motion.
Usually, a combination of both of these forms of physical therapy is used to treat your discomfort. Therapy typically starts with passive range of motion to help ease some of your discomfort. Once your pain is at a manageable level, you move on to active movements and exercise to increase your strength and mobility.
Active therapy incorporates stretching to increase flexibility and strength training to build muscle and stabilize your spine. You may also do some light aerobic activities to increase your stamina and help stop your pain.
Our physical therapists also consider your posture when evaluating your back pain, because poor posture puts unnecessary strain on your back muscles, often leading to intense pain. Our therapists help you to improve your posture both sitting and standing to decrease pressure on your spine.
Physical therapy is one of the best treatment modalities for back pain, as it focuses on long-term pain reduction through therapeutic exercise and manual manipulation. It can also be continued long after your appointments through a home treatment regimen.
When you’re ready to kick your back pain to the curb and start physical therapy, call the Spine and Orthopedic Center of New Mexico team at 575-623-9101 or book an appointment online today.
FAQs
The goal of physical therapy is to improve your posture and your mobility, and to strengthen your body. Once we determine which movements cause your pain, and we diagnose your condition, our physical therapy team formulates a treatment plan with exercises to help alleviate the areas that are riddled with discomfort.
How does a physical therapist help back pain? ›
Physical therapy uses exercises that help relieve nerve compression and irritation. Special stretching techniques and other exercises help maintain disc alignment and keep your spine joints functioning normally, so nerves can function as they're supposed to.
How do I know if my back pain is a disc or muscle? ›
Signs of pulled back muscle are that the pain is usually dull and aching. You'll find it feels like it is in the back and often gets work if you don't rest that area. With a slipped disc, the pain is much sharper. It can even feel like it's radiating through the back, into the shoulders or surrounding areas.
What are the red flags for back pain? ›
“Red flags” include pain that lasts more than 6 weeks; pain in persons younger than 18 years or older than 50 years; pain that radiates below the knee; a history of major trauma; constitutional symptoms; atypical pain (eg, that which occurs at night or that is unrelenting); the presence of a severe or rapidly ...
What should you not do with lower back pain? ›
Do not do activities that involve heavy lifting or twisting of your back for the first 6 weeks after the pain begins. Do not exercise in the days right after the pain begins. After 2 to 3 weeks, slowly begin to exercise again. A physical therapist can teach you which exercises are right for you.
How many weeks of PT for back pain? ›
It is also important to note that you and your therapist may change treatment goals if they do not see progress. But on average, patients can expect to be in physical therapy for six to eight weeks as strength and mobility progress with every session.
What is the single best exercise for back pain? ›
Exercises for back pain
- Knee rolls. ...
- Pelvic tilts. ...
- Single knee hug. ...
- Double knee hug. ...
- Cat camel.
Your back pain is likely muscular, rather than organ-related, if the area feels sore, tight, swollen, and/or bruised. On the other hand, if your back pain feels like it's only one side of the back, it may be related to the organ in the affected area.
How do I know if my back pain is muscular or joint? ›
Joint pain usually takes longer to heal than muscle pain and may come with swelling of the affected joint. Since joint pain goes deeper than a muscle injury, it will likely continue to hurt even when you're resting.
How do you know if back pain is nerve or muscle? ›
Nerve pain can feel different from other types of back pain. Nerve pain tends to be sharp. It includes sensations of burning, tingling, and numbness. In contrast, muscular pain typically causes muscles and joints to feel stiff, achy, or tender.
If your back pain is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, head to your closest emergency room because you could be dealing with a more serious condition or injury: Sudden spike in pain, discomfort, weakness or numbness. Loss of bladder function. High fever.
When to get an MRI for back pain? ›
Your doctor might recommend an MRI if: Your history and physical exam show signs of a serious problem, such as a fracture, tumours, infection, or nerve damage. You are older than 70. Your doctor may also recommend testing if you are older than 50 and also have osteoporosis or a history of compression fracture.
What is considered bad back pain? ›
You should see a doctor if your pain does not improve after a few weeks or if any of the following symptoms happen with your back pain: Numbness and tingling. Severe back pain that does not improve with medication (see Treatment section). Back pain after a fall or injury.
What's the worst thing you can do for back pain? ›
Things like poor sitting posture, repetitive bending, lifting heavy objects, and smoking can all worsen low back pain, for example. And even if you are getting treatment, it may persist if these and other factors continue to work against you.
What to do when your back hurts so bad you can't walk? ›
A person should see their doctor if the pain is severe, does not get better, or occurs along with other concerning or debilitating symptoms. People with lower back pain should seek immediate medical attention if they experience loss of bowel or bladder control or if it affects leg movement.
Should I use a heating pad for lower back pain? ›
Heat therapy can help ease acute and chronic back pain. A person should apply heat to their back to help relax the muscles, reducing pain. Applying heat to the muscles can cause the blood vessels to dilate, improving circulation. This promotes the healing of any damaged muscle.
Is it better to go to a chiropractor or a physical therapist for back pain? ›
You see a chiropractor because there is a high chance that your spinal cord is out of alignment and a simple adjustment will fix the issue. On the other hand, if your back hurts due to a previous injury, a physical therapist will be able to help you by prescribing your movement exercises.
What do you wear to physical therapy for back? ›
If you are scheduling physical therapy for back, wear a T-shirt that allows your therapist to easily access the correct areas of your body. If you have long hair, it would be helpful to bring a hair tie to keep your hair out of these areas during the session.
Can a physical therapist adjust your back? ›
Spinal manipulation is used by physical therapists to facilitate movement, relieve pain, increase circulation, relax muscles, and improve muscle function. A common misconception is that spinal manipulation by a physical therapist is synonymous with a chiropractic adjustment.
How does physical therapy reduce pain? ›
Physical Therapy Can Improve Flexibility
Stretching elongates the muscles and increases blood flow. This helps reduce muscle tension, which can in turn reduce pain. Stretching can also increase range of motion, allowing more efficient and natural body movement.
