HEALTH & WELLNESS The Newsletter About Your Health and Caring for Your Body
DON’T LET BACK PAIN SLOW YOU DOWN
Mechanical low back pain starts in and around the spine itself. The source of the pain comes from injury or irritation of the muscles, joints (including the intervertebral discs and facet joints), nerves or surrounding ligaments and other soft tissue. The contributing factors are often associated with back pain are: • Improper posture or prolonged positions (i.e. prolonged sitting) • Spinal muscle and tissue damage (i.e. lifting strains or trauma from accidents) • Limited hip, spine and pelvis mobility • Limited muscle flexibility • Spinal/pelvic muscle weaknesses (aka “core” weakness)
• Poor abdominal, pelvic and backmuscle coordination (i.e. compensations due to injury) Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t seek treatment when back pain arises. They might assume nothing—except for medication and rest—can solve their back pain problem. There is little to no evidence of the benefits of acetaminophen, skeletal muscle relaxants, and lidocaine patches in the treatment of chronic low back pain. Physical Therapy Is an Effective Back Pain Solution! You’re in luck: For most people, back pain resolves on its own. And for those that continue to experience pain, physical therapy can help. According to research on back pain, physical therapy treatments are effective for acute
and chronic conditions. Physical therapy treatments for back pain include manual therapy, joint mobilization manipulation, exercise instruction, education and techniques like the McKenzie Method and Therapeutic Yoga. These have all been proven to help alleviate pain and restore function. Physical therapists assess your particular condition to identify the contributing factors and address ALL of them. Rather than focusing on one cause of your pain, your physical therapist will address all of the causes. We are skilled at hands-on intervention and exercise selection for the most comprehensive and appropriate intervention to help you resolve your pain and/or restore your function.
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www.ptfairfield.com
Are you suffering from back pain? Call 641-209-1446
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