Tired of lower back pain? Here’s what a physical therapist can do

Lower back pain, or lumbar pain, is the nemesis of many. That familiar ache can limit time spent working, relaxing and enjoying life. It can lead to irritability and a whole host of other health problems. And yet it’s surprisingly common.

The World Health Organization estimates that in the United States, 149 million days of work are lost due to lumbar pain. This makes it the leading cause of inactivity and loss of work, and it appears in 60% to 70% of people in industrialized nations.

If you’re experiencing this type of pain, you know how important it is to find relief. Fortunately, a qualified physical therapist can guide you toward a pain-free life. 

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy includes treatments that focus on the management of disabilities and injuries. It helps to alleviate lower back pain, encourage healing, and bring about restored function and movement. It is performed by a trained physical therapist. These specialists are able to evaluate you and treat you with conservative management methods.

Most physical therapy programs have two components: 

1. Passive physical therapy to reduce the patient’s pain so that it becomes more manageable
2. Active physical therapy that includes exercises that the patient engages in independently

Passive physical therapy

When you’re suffering from lower back pain, it can be debilitating and make it so you can’t be as active as you would like. As such, it’s important for a physical therapist to reduce your pain as much as possible. Additionally, less pain can allow you to actively participate in your treatment. 

These tools are often used as a form of “passive therapy” because they are done to a patient by the physical therapist:

• Manual therapy
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)
• McKenzie Method®
• Pelvic floor rehabilitation

Active physical therapy

Active physical therapy treatments are exercises performed by the patient and are often used in the later stages of physical therapy. Therapists won’t begin active therapy until your lower back pain has subsided enough that exercises can be performed without excessive discomfort. 

There are many different types of exercises that your physical therapist may recommend. Some commonly used exercise types include:

• Stretches
• Stability training exercises
• Strengthening exercises
• Range-of-motion exercises

What to expect during an Advent Physical Therapy appointment for lower back pain

When you first visit our clinic, your therapist will ask you questions about your health, medical history and lower back pain specifically. Having this information will help your therapist provide you with the best treatment plan possible so that you see long-lasting results as quickly as possible.

Your therapist will also provide a free screening. Depending on your symptoms, your physical therapist may assess your strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, posture, blood pressure, and heart and respiration rates. This may include using their hands to palpate your back and surrounding area, as well as a visual examination of your mobility.

You may learn special exercises to perform at home so that you can minimize pain, avoid re-injury, lessen strain and speed up your recovery time. Your therapy specialist may recommend special equipment. They’ll also spend a great deal of time educating you about your source of pain and pain management strategies. Additionally, they may perform one or more manual therapy techniques intended to provide immediate pain relief.

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