Back Pain Treatment
Back pain is one of the most common reasons individuals seek physical therapy. Twenty-five percent of Americans report experiencing back pain at some point in the last three months. Back pain can be acute (lasting less than 3 months) or become chronic (continuous pain for 12 weeks or more after initial injury). Physical therapy offers a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment option for back pain to help patients restore mobility, reduce pain, and strengthen the back, spinal, and abdominal muscles to stabilize the back and prevent future injury.
Spinal Health
The spine supports the body in all daily activities and movements with nearly every movement originating from the spine. Maintaining the strength of the upper and lower spine is critical for optimal function and to prevent injury.
The spine protects the spinal cord and associated nerve roots, provides structural support and balance to maintain an upright posture, and enables flexible motion. The spine is used by the nervous system to transmit sensory information between the brain and the rest of the body. If the spine is damaged, this interrupts the neural responses and negatively impacts the transmission of sensation throughout the body.
Physical Therapy and Spinal Health
Disorders or injuries to the spine affect nearly 80% of Americans at some point in their lives with the most common complaints being back or neck pain. Mechanical spinal pain is related to poor posture and alignment, incorrect body mechanics, lack of muscular strength around the spine, or trauma to the spine from a sport, work, or accident.
Physical therapists treat spinal disorders, reduce back and neck pain, and help to maximize spinal health, strength, and stability through spinal stabilization, manual therapy, and a therapeutic exercise program. Physical therapists specifically target the abdominal, trunk, and back muscles to build strength, endurance, balance, and control in these muscle groups to take the stress off of the spine.