Why Physical Therapy Should be Your First Plan of Care for Back Pain

Nearly 80% of working Americans experience symptoms of back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is a common source of chronic pain. Physical therapy can help manage chronic back pain by strengthening muscles and joints that support the back and spinal cord, treating inflammation, addressing movement dysfunction that contributes to back pain, re-educating a patient’s nervous system to be less sensitive to pain signals, and helping patients learn to move and perform daily activities that do not aggravate previous injuries.

A patient experiencing back pain may initially receive passive physical therapy treatment as the body heals, such as deep tissue massage, cold and heat therapy, ultrasound, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENs). The physical therapy treatment would then move on to active treatment.

Physical therapy active treatment for back pain can include core strengthening exercises, posture re-training, ergonomic instruction, aerobic exercise, and aquatic therapy. Physical therapy and exercise treatment, particularly light aerobic activities like walking or using a stationary bike, are among the best ways to reduce back pain. Staying active and engaging in exercise is an important aspect of care for back pain, contrary to the popular belief that back pain should be treated with rest and inactivity.

Research has shown that by visiting a physical therapist first when experiencing back pain, a patient is:

• 53% less likely to need spinal surgery

• 52% less likely to need spinal epidural steroid injections

• 46% less likely to need expensive MRI and other imaging

• 35% less likely to need additional visits to the physician’s office

• 11% less likely to use pain medications long-term

Early intervention for musculoskeletal pain like back pain has been shown to decrease health costs and improve recovery outcomes for the patient. According to one study, patients who utilize physical therapy as the first treatment for back pain save $2,736 on medical costs than those who pursue surgery, steroid injections, MRIs, and the use of pain medications.

Physical therapy not only decreases medical costs for a patient with back pain, but also help restore movement and teach the patient how to minimize and manage pain in the future. If you are experiencing acute or chronic back pain, don’t hesitate to call our clinic and start your recovery in a supportive environment that will help you move and regain function safely!