Physical therapy is a type of healthcare service that aims to improve a person’s physical function, mobility, and pain through exercise, stretching, manual therapy, and other modalities. Physical therapy can be effective in treating a wide range of conditions, including back pain.
A physical therapist can most definitely help you with lower back pain. Physical therapists do this by designing and implementing a customized treatment plan to address the underlying causes of your pain. When compared to medication designed to mask symptoms, physical therapy stands out as an excellent non-surgical, non-invasive therapeutic intervention for lower back pain.
Let’s talk more about some of the different ways a physical therapist can address pain in the lower back.
Evaluation and Diagnosis
Physical therapists can assess and evaluate the possible causes of lower back pain through a comprehensive evaluation, which includes an assessment of your posture, movement, gait, flexibility, strength, joint mobility, and more. These movement experts have extensive knowledge of the body functions, and from this, they can determine what is causing your symptoms, based on signs and symptoms that may suggest specific conditions or injuries.
During your initial evaluation, your physical therapist will ask you questions about your medical history, lifestyle, and any activities that may have led to your back pain.
Stretching and Strengthening Exercises
Your physical therapist will develop an exercise program tailored to your specific needs, which will include stretching and strengthening exercises to help relieve your lower back pain. These exercises may focus on improving your core strength, flexibility, and posture.
Pain Management
Once the physical therapist identifies the cause of the pain in your lower back, they will help you manage it with different modalities, such as ice or heat therapy, massage therapy, and ultrasound stimulation. Physical therapists are trained and experienced in the use of different tools that can help you achieve relief from lower back pain.
Manual Therapy
Your physical therapist may use hands-on techniques, such as joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, trigger point release, or myofascial release, to reduce pain and stiffness in the lower back.
Education and Lifestyle Modification
Your physical therapist can provide you with education and advice on how to modify your lifestyle, such as improving your posture, using proper lifting techniques, and ergonomics, to prevent your back from hurting. They can also provide you with guidance on how to incorporate daily exercises and movement into your routine.
For patients whose lives have been limited by lower back pain, sessions with a highly qualified physical therapist can make a big difference in symptoms. In most cases, lower back pain responds well to physical therapy and can even help patients avoid surgery.
Physical Therapy for Lower Back Pain in Sherman, TX
Carrus Rehabilitation Hospital offers high-quality and personalized physical therapy services at our Sherman facility. We are a state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital with inpatient and outpatient services for patients.
Unlike other rehabilitation centers, we are proud of the world-class amenities we offer – such as walking trails, courtyards and gardens, a rehabilitation gym, an in-house pharmacy, and the services of a dietitian, social service worker, and more – which we make available to our patients according to their needs. We provide physical rehabilitation services for patients with orthopedic injuries, those who’ve had surgery, as well as sufferers of Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and more.
For any questions or to schedule an appointment with us, call us today at (903) 870-2600. Our friendly staff looks forward to your call.