Low Back Pain
Common Low Back Problems
- Low Back tightness/pain
- Herniated Disc
- Joint Dysfunction
- Stenosis
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Sciatica
- Sacro-iliac Dysfunction
At Westwood Physical Therapy, your Physical Therapist will prescribe exercises that focus on developing the strength of the torso without putting stress on the spine. The deep muscles of the trunk must stabilize the spine in both sustained postures (standing and sitting) and dynamic movements (squatting, getting in/out of car, playing sports, doing household chores).
Neuromuscular control, the interaction between nerves and muscles, plays an important role in coordinating the activity of the deep trunk muscles. We focus not only on strengthening your trunk muscles but also on retraining the neuromuscular system to improve muscle coordination and motor patterns. This retraining is used to correct any muscle imbalances caused by injury, surgery or poor posture.
At Westwood Physical Therapy, our physical therapists can help you recover faster and stronger from spinal pain, injury or surgery. We spend one-on-one time with our clients ensuring that they are not only doing their exercises, but doing them correctly.
Lower Back Pain during Pregnancy
Low back pain during pregnancy that interferes with normal daily activities or sleep warrants care by a physical therapist. Your physical therapist will begin by examining your back and pelvic joints. A treatment program will be designed to address your individual needs and may include joint and soft tissue mobilization, exercise, bracing (if needed) and body mechanics training. Other conditions that may warrant treatment by a physical therapist are pelvic joint pain (sacroiliac or pubic pain), upper back and neck pain, headaches, musculoskeletal issues related to prolonged bed rest (if your physician recommends bed rest), diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles) and coccydynia (tailbone pain).
Low Back Pain from Sitting at Computer
Bodies are meant to move. Healthy joints and muscles need to go through their complete range of motion to prevent the stiffness and soreness that we often experience when being inactive.
Sitting with muscles active or “working” is the ideal. Most of us, however, slouch and slump into the shape of the chair and our muscles are not activated. The abdominal muscles are the body’s natural support for the back. Tightening and relaxing the abdominals while you are sitting and standing is a good start to relieving that back pain. Nine hours of non-stop desk work can produce tension. Give your body a break regularly. Get up and move hourly. Roll and shrug your shoulders. Stretch your arms toward the sky. Take a short walk on your lunch break.
Workstations that are ergonomically incorrect in regards to height and size often encourage the “slouch” posture. A physical therapist can help examine your workstation and make it more ergonomically correct. In addition, a physical therapist can prescribe stretches and strengthening exercises to improve your posture, decrease stress on the lower back and help you avoid pain.
Calling for BACK UP:
The right taping technique can also help patients tackle back problems.
The position in which the tape is applied, the tape’s tension, the kind of cut and the directional orientation of the tape affect the way lower back pain is treated. Your physical therapist will decide what taping technique is best to manage your lower back symptoms.
If you have pain or limitation in your back, we can help! Call Westwood Physical Therapy to schedule an appointment with one of our therapists.
