Physical Therapy May Provide Relief for Back Pain

A study shows that customized physical therapy may provide relief to people with lower back pain.The study involves 300 patients who were given two guidance sessions on proper lifting and was explained on what causes pain. About half of these patients were given with customized physical therapy sessions for over 10 weeks.

The group that had received physical therapy sessions had reported to have a decrease in physical activity restrictions at 10, 52, and 26 weeks. The group has also experienced less back pain at weeks 5, 10, and 26.

According to one of the researchers, the guidance works for a lot of people but the personalized physical therapy leads to rapid decrease in back pain. The only shortcoming of the study is that the guidance group had fewer meetings compared to those in the physical therapy group with the healthcare providers.

About Back Pain

Almost everyone has experience back pain. It's a common problem experience by people especially as the age progresses. It's a multi-factorial problem and can be caused by poor bad posture whether sitting or standing, incorrect position when lifting, or bending awkwardly.

Some people experience back pain for just a couple of weeks while there are also those who experience back pain for a couple of months.

Back pain is oftentimes a symptom of another problem. The following may lead a person to suffer from back pain:

Slipped Disc
A condition caused by damage to one of the discs in the spine. This disc can press on the nerves, causing back pain.

Sciatica
A condition that occurs when the sciatica nerve is compressed. It leads to numbness, pain, and tingling sensation that travels down the leg.

Frozen Shoulder
A painful condition caused by inflammation of the shoulders.

Ankylosing Spondylitis
A chronic condition that leads to pain and swelling on the hips, back, and even knees.

Alleviating Pain Through Physical Therapy

The purpose of a physical therapy program for alleviating pain, improve the function of the affected site, and educate the patient to prevent re-occurrence. 

The physical therapy program for back pain is typically comprised of passive physical therapy and active exercises. 

Some of the methods used for passive physical therapy include using cold/heat packs, lontophoresis, and the use of ultrasound. As for active physical therapy, it may be a combination of stretching, muscle strengthening, and low-impact aerobic conditioning. 

Back pain is not life threatening but the distress it brings to the patient can greatly affect the quality of life and restrict the patient's movement.

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy is a type of treatment you may need when health problems make it hard to move around and do everyday tasks. It helps you move better and may relieve pain. It also helps improve or restore your physical function and your fitness level.

The goal of physical therapy is to make daily tasks and activities easier. For example, it may help with walking, going up stairs, or getting in and out of bed.

Physical therapy can help with recovery after some surgeries. Your doctor may suggest physical therapy for injuries or long-term health problems such as arthritis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).

Physical therapy may be used alone or with other treatments.