Two treatment options for lower back pain in Ada, MI

Lower back pain is a common issue in Ada, Michigan. It’s no wonder, since the National Institutes of Health estimates that about 80% of U.S. adults will deal with lower back pain during their lifetime. Your lower back discomfort could be the result of weak or injured back muscles. It could also stem from an injury to a spinal disc in your lower back. No matter what’s causing your lower back pain, there are two treatment options that physical therapists in your area can offer. 

1.   Cupping

Cupping is a treatment technique that can be very helpful for lower back pain. This treatment involves a therapist placing silicone cups on the painful area of your back. A pump is then used to create a vacuum inside the cup, and this draws the skin under the cup upward. The upward movement of the skin helps increase the space available for blood flow. 

Therapists can also move the cup around to massage sore or tight lower back muscles. Three types of movements are used for cupping massage. The first of these movements is longitudinal, and this type of movement is performed with the grain of the muscle to help stretch it. Cross-fiber movement can also be used to help lower back muscles. This type of movement is done across the grain of the muscle fibers, and it can help break down areas of scar tissue in the muscle. The third type of cupping movement is circular movement. Typically, the therapist will use this type of movement at the end of a session to ensure that they’ve worked on all the painful areas of your lower back. 

2.   Ergonomic evaluation

An ergonomic evaluation is another lower back pain treatment option that your local physical therapy specialist can offer. Ergonomics is a discipline focused on helping people move their bodies in healthier ways. A physical therapist can use ergonomic principles to evaluate your workspace or the movements you typically do at work. 

This evaluation can involve questions about items like your keyboard, mouse, monitor, chair or tools you use for your job. An example would be your therapist asking you questions about your office chair. These questions can help them determine if the chair’s design is part of the reason you have lower back pain. Your therapist can then use your responses to make recommendations that might help ease your pain and prevent it from coming back in the future. 

Find out how Advent Physical Therapy in Ada, MI, can treat your lower back pain

Advent Physical Therapy in Ada offers many treatment options for lower back pain. Our clinic offers free screenings, and this service gives you an easy way to begin your treatment. We also use the information gathered during your screening to build a personalized treatment plan for you. The benefits of your plan could be huge, due to the many therapy techniques we have at our disposal, including: 

• Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)
• Cupping
• Manual therapy
• Ergonomic recommendations
• McKenzie Method^®
• Kinesiology taping

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment to start treating your lower back pain.