Guest Blogger
Nick Nordtvedt PT, DPT, CIMT, Cert. DN
VP of Clinical Development
Back pain is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal injuries diagnosed in the United States. According to the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, nearly 65 million Americans have reported a recent episode of back pain, and over 16 million Americans suffer from chronic back pain. Back pain accounts for the most common reason why employees miss work, and people with back pain are more likely to suffer from other health problems including obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. According to a recent publication by the National Institutes of Health, about 90% of back pain is thought to be mechanical in nature.
Physical therapists are qualified medical providers to determine why a patient’s back is hurting (mechanical, inflammatory, spasm, etc.), and to provide high-quality treatment based on a patient’s mechanism of injury or pain, functional limitations, and response to certain movements or positions. Physical therapists take this information and design a personalized treatment plan based on his or her assessment of a patient’s tight or weak muscles and joint dysfunction. Once a therapist has helped a patient move more freely, the patient can begin a graded return to full movement and functionality.
A physical therapy treatment plan typically includes modalities such as manual therapy (spinal mobilization and myofascial release) and dry needling to reduce muscle tone and improve joint movement followed by specifically prescribed exercises for pain relief, range of motion, and strength.
Not every episode of mechanical back pain is the same, so it’s important to get your own personal physical therapy assessment. There are often stages of recovery from an acute episode of back pain that require changes in what you are doing to recover. It is important to keep your physical therapist up to date with any changes in what increases/decreases your pain so he or she can make the necessary changes in your treatment plan.
Dynamix Physical Therapy has licensed physical therapists at all locations in West Tennessee. To schedule a free consultation at the closest clinic to you, visit our website at dynamix.life.