Physical Therapy Low Back Pain

Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Can Help Acute, Subacute & Chronic Low Back Pain

Low back pain is the second leading cause of disability in the United States and is among the top five medical problems for which people seek medical attention. In fact, low back pain affects 80% of the population at some point in life.

Every day in the clinic we treat many individuals suffering from acute, subacute and chronic low back pain. Through treatment, more than 90% of them get better with symptoms either resolving completely or significantly improving.

Acute (less than 4 weeks) and subacute (4-12 weeks) are the most common forms of low back pain and tend to respond rapidly to physical therapy rehabilitation. Chronic low back pain (pain longer than 3 months) also responds very well but may require a longer course of rehabilitation.

Causes of Acute and Subacute Low Back Pain

Most acute and subacute severe low back pain cases are due to mechanical issues resulting in muscle spasm and inflammation. Less than 10% of cases result from more serious causes such as herniated discs, spondylolisthesis, compression fractures of the vertebra or spinal stenosis. On rare occasions, less than 1-2% of cases are due to cancer metastasis or infection.

Skilled physical therapists, like the ones at Balance Solutions Physical Therapy, perform comprehensive evaluations to rule out the more serious causes of severe low back pain. If a cause that is not mechanical in nature is suspected, a referral back to the primary care physician or specialist is made for further assessment and testing.

Causes of Chronic Low Back Pain

Chronic low back pain can also be due to many reasons including arthritis, myofascial pain syndrome, spinal stenosis, disc problems and more. No matter the cause of your chronic pain, a physical therapy program can help improve your condition and bring you relief.

Treatment may include progressive movement exercises, McKenzie exercises, stabilization exercises, myofascial release and soft tissue mobilization, joint mobilization, massage and more.

Back pain

Physical Therapist consulting with patient about back pain.

Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Services

Whether the pain is acute or chronic, skilled Physical Therapy intervention is a highly effective non-surgical treatment option for lower back pain relief. A skilled therapist will perform a comprehensive evaluation to assess all factors contributing to your condition and begin your lower back physical therapy intervention.

Evaluation includes the following tests:

  • Sensation
  • Reflexes
  • Strength
  • Flexibility
  • Range of motion
  • Joint mobility
  • Pelvic alignment
  • McKenzie repetitive motion testing
  • Postural assessment

Your physical therapist will work with you to give you lower back pain relief, improve joint and spine mechanics, improve pelvic alignment, strengthen weak muscles and stretch the tight ones. Education, an important part of the treatment process, is provided to help improve posture, body mechanics and ergonomics to prevent recurrent injuries.

Whether you are suffering from mild or severe low back pain, it’s time to stop suffering and do something to reduce or eliminate your symptoms. Call to schedule an appointment with one of our highly skilled physical therapists today. Your therapist will develop a personalized treatment plan based on your evaluation findings to target your specific needs. Balance Solutions Physical Therapy is here to help, offering advanced manual therapy and physical therapy for low back pain, changing the quality of life one patient at a time.

Balance Solutions Physical Therapy is located at Commerce Park in Beachwood Ohio, just on the outskirts of Cleveland. Services offered include physical therapy, massage, myofascial release, Reiki, dry needling, as well as Pilates mat and reformer private and class lessons.

References:

  1. Hartvigsen J, Hancock MJ, Kongsted A, et al. What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention. Lancet. 2018;391(10137):2356-2367. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30480-X
  2. Will JS, Bury DC, Miller JA. Mechanical Low Back Pain. Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(7):421-428.
    Selkirk SM, Ruff R. Low back pain, radiculopathy. Handb Clin Neurol. 2016;136:1027-1033. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-53486-6.00053-3.
  3. Van Tulder M, Koes B, Bombardier C. Low back pain. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2002;16:761–75. – PubMed
  4. Gellhorn AC, Chan L, Martin B, Friedly J. Management patterns in acute low back pain: the role of physical therapy. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2012;37(9):775-782. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181d79a09
  5. Fritz JM, Delitto A, Erhard RE. Comparison of classification-based physical therapy with therapy based on clinical practice guidelines for patients with acute low back pain: a randomized clinical trial. Spine. 2003 Jul 1;28:1363–1371. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Wand BM, Bird C, McAuley JH, Dore CJ, MacDowell M, De Souza LH. Early intervention for the management of acute low back pain: a single-blind randomized controlled trial of biopsychosocial education, manual therapy, and exercise. Spine. 2004 Nov 1;29:2350–2356. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fritz JM, Cleland JA, Speckman M, Brennan GP, Hunter SJ. Physical therapy for acute low back pain: associations with subsequent healthcare costs. Spine. 2008 Jul 15;33:1800–1805. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]