Physical Therapy for Back, Neck and Spine Pain
Physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy or PT, is an important part of many treatment plans to address back, neck or spine pain. Physical therapy can help you recover from injuries, manage chronic conditions and improve your overall quality of life. Whether you’re dealing with back pain, recovering from surgery, or seeking to enhance your physical performance, you can trust the skilled physical therapy team at Summit Orthopedics in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to help manage your symptoms.
What Is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy helps you restore and maintain physical function and mobility after an injury or illness. It can also improve quality of life and well-being. Physical therapists use a wide range of treatments and techniques designed to address various musculoskeletal, neurological and other conditions.
Physical therapy is a medical field that requires specialized training. Just like nurses and physicians, physical therapists go through years of education and clinical training before working with patients. Physical therapists usually have Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) or Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degrees, as well as state licenses. The American Physical Therapy Association, or APTA, establishes standards for physical therapists in the U.S.
There are many types of physical therapy specialties, including cardiovascular and pulmonary, neurology, oncology and pediatrics. Summit Orthopedics employs several board-certified clinical orthopedics specialists who help ensure our PT team has a broad base of knowledge to treat even the most complicated cases.
How Physical Therapy Helps Back Pain
Whether caused by injury, poor posture or chronic conditions such as sciatica or herniated discs, back pain can significantly impact daily life. That’s why back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek physical therapy.
Physical therapy can be highly effective in treating back pain. If your job contributes to your back pain, physical therapy can help you strengthen your back and legs with the goal of preventing future injury.
Common reasons people are referred to a physical therapist for back pain include:
- Management of chronic lower back pain
- Prehabilitation before surgery to improve outcomes
- Rehabilitation after spinal surgery
- Rehabilitation after an injury, such as a fall, or a neurological condition such as a stroke
- Treatment after a car accident
- Treatment of sports injuries
- Treatment for age-related spine pain caused by degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, spondylosis or other conditions
- Workers’ compensation care
Physical therapy can be helpful in many other situations that lead to back pain.
Our Approach to Physical Therapy for Back Pain
Summit Orthopedics believes in collaborative care for back pain. When you come in for an appointment, decisions will be made as a team. If one of our physical therapists wants to consult with another team member about your care, we don’t ask you to set up another appointment—we step outside the consultation room, have a conversation with your doctor and come back with the answer that best moves your recovery forward.
Available Treatments
Our physical therapists will create a tailored exercise program designed to resolve your pain and prevent it from recurring. We provide a range of specialized services to address various conditions that cause back and neck pain. We offer many types of typical and advanced techniques, including:
- Aquatic therapy: During aquatic therapy, you perform exercises in a pool, which can be particularly beneficial for people with joint pain or mobility issues.
- Dry needling: This technique involves inserting thin needles into trigger points to alleviate pain and improve muscle function.
- Electrical stimulation: This technique uses electrical currents to reduce pain, improve muscle strength and promote tissue healing.
- Manual therapy: A cornerstone of physical therapy, manual therapy uses hands-on techniques to manipulate joints and soft tissues, improving mobility and reducing pain.
- McConnell taping: This technique uses elastic therapeutic tape to support muscles and joints while promoting circulation and reducing pain.
- Myofascial release therapy: This type of manual therapy targets myofascial pain, which is common in the back, shoulders and neck.
- Therapeutic exercise: Your physical therapist will develop customized exercise programs designed to improve strength, flexibility and function. You will need to do some of these exercises at home daily for best results.
Your physical therapist will use one or more of these treatments as part of your treatment plan to ensure you receive effective care for your condition. By working closely with your physical therapist and following their recommendations, you can maximize the benefits of your treatment and enjoy improved physical well-being.
What Happens During Your Session
A physical therapist specializing in back pain will typically meet with you over the course of several weeks, often two or more times a week. Over this time, your therapist will:
- Conduct a thorough assessment of your condition
- Develop a personalized treatment plan
- Guide you through specific exercises and stretches
- Use manual therapy techniques to improve mobility and reduce pain
- Teach proper body mechanics to prevent future issues
As you progress through your sessions, the types of activities you do may change.
Benefits of Physical Therapy
Physical therapy offers a wide range of advantages that extend beyond muscle strengthening, including:
- Enhanced overall well-being: Through improved mobility, physical therapy facilitates easier movement, enabling you to engage in your favorite activities.
- Injury prevention education: Physical therapy sessions often include valuable information on avoiding future back injuries and understanding potential pain triggers.
- Lower risk of surgery: Many people discover that their neck or back pain can be successfully treated without any invasive procedures such as surgery.
- Reduced need for medication: By addressing various forms of back and neck discomfort, physical therapy can decrease the need for pain medications, including opioids.
- Saving money: Opting for physical therapy to address back pain may lead to significant savings in medical expenses and lost wages.
Find out if physical therapy at Summit Orthopedics could help your back pain. Contact us today.
