Are You Living with Low Back Pain?

Are you living with back pain here in the Upper Valley? If you answered “yes,” you’re not alone. Low back pain is one of the most frequently treated conditions in our Lebanon clinic. It’s well known that about 8 out of 10 people will experience a significant back problem in their lifetime. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, approximately 25% of people in the US (at any given time) report having low back pain in the last three months.

Individual Approach to Treatment

There is currently limited research to support any one singular treatment that works for most back pain problems. Each person is unique, and so is the source of their low back pain. The good news is that the majority of low back pain responds well to conservative treatments such as physical therapy, medication, or injections. We believe that no two back pain problems are the same. Every person brings with them their own unique circumstances: health history, environment, and psychological factors; these all play a role in determining the best treatment approach for them. Our therapists combine various techniques, integrating manual therapy, corrective exercise, and retraining biomechanics, in order to get the best possible outcome for each person.

Study Supports Early PT Intervention

A study published in the prestigious international journal, Spine, showed that patients that were referred early to physical therapy (within two weeks of pain onset) required less need of advanced imaging, injections and surgical intervention verses those patient for whom referral to PT was delayed. Average reduction in medical costs for these patients was $2736.23.

What Causes Back Pain?

While some causes are obvious, such as sudden twisting that causes a strain, or back pain that develops after a prolonged strain of stacking wood; others can develop gradually over time and the exact cause of the pain may not be clear to the patient. Our role is to identify, to the best of our ability, the true underlying cause of the pain and provide the most effective treatment.

Our Treatment Approach

When you come in to meet with one of our Physical Therapists they will do a thorough, one-hour evaluation, and develop a customized treatment plan to meet your individual needs. We always work one-on-one with our patients, in treatment sessions that are 30% longer than the industry standard, to deliver the best possible result. Treatment will integrate many techniques and may include:

• Manual therapy, including spinal manipulation and soft tissue mobilization
• Strength training and flexibility exercises
• Use of heat, ice, or electrical stimulation is sometimes used for pain relief
• Education on your condition, and modification of activities such as workouts and your workstation ergonomics, so that they don’t aggravate your back pain
• Retraining the body on proper movement patterns for things such a bending or lifting, as well as posture for sitting and sleeping to minimize pain and the recurrence of pain

If you are living with low back pain, we can help. Our Physical Therapists are here to help you achieve your goals.

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