Physical therapy vs. surgery for back pain: Which is better?

The short answer is that both options can help patients with back pain. Surgery is useful for treating many issues, and it can help reduce pain and improve your ability to move. But it’s far from the only option that can offer these benefits. 

Physical therapists are experts at treating musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain. These specialists can help you learn more about the issue that’s causing your pain. They can also help you learn if physical therapy or surgery is the more effective option for treating your back pain. 

When is physical therapy a better choice than surgery for back pain?

Many cases of back pain are minor. Often, these minor pains are caused by issues with specific structures in your back, and physical therapists are well equipped to identify the structures involved and assist you in addressing underlying issues. 

Some of the issues that can lead to minor back pain include: 

• Strained back muscles
• Sprained ligaments
• Cervical osteoarthritis
• Herniated discs

A physical therapist can help you learn which issue is causing your pain, and they can then develop a personalized therapy plan designed to reduce your pain. They’re also very successful at helping people with mild to moderate back pain. In fact, one study reports that physical therapy was just as effective as surgery for a back issue called spinal stenosis. 

When might surgery be a more effective choice than physical therapy for back pain?

Physical therapists will work with your doctor to try to decrease your back pain. However, some patients might have serious issues that don’t respond as well to physical therapy. For these people, surgery can often help address the underlying cause of their pain. 

Even so, when you have surgery, physical therapy can still be a valuable tool. For instance, pre-surgical rehab from your physical therapist can strengthen your body before your surgery. This can allow it to tolerate the procedure better. In addition, post-surgical rehab can help reduce pain and decrease your recovery time. 

Find physical therapy that can help you avoid surgery at Advent Physical Therapy

Are you ready to find a physical therapy team that can help you avoid surgery for back pain? Our therapists at Advent Physical Therapy are ready to do all we can to help you. We offer complimentary screenings that can pinpoint the source of your back pain. Our team also excels at building individualized physical therapy plans to help reduce pain and improve your ability to move and recover. 

Can’t make it in to see us in person? That’s OK! We offer physical therapy services that you can use from home, including at-home care and virtual therapy sessions. Additionally, our team can work with your doctor to find a comprehensive treatment plan for back pain; we can also assist you if you don’t have a doctor’s referral.

Contact our team today for more information about our therapy options for back pain or to schedule an initial appointment.