Evolution Physical Therapy & Fitness

Lower Back

If you are like 80% of the American population, you have or have had low back pain at some point in your life. And if you are like any normal human being, this pain is not a comfortable experience. This pain can range from a general nuisance to a more debilitating condition. Low back symptoms can impair many aspects of your life including recreation and physical activities, work productivity, sleep, and even your mental outlook. But you do not need to suffer with this pain.

Low back pain can be centralized to a particular region in the low back or may radiate to the buttocks, behind the legs, and as far down to the feet. Sources of such pains are wide in nature and can include simple muscle strains, structural abnormalities such as scoliosis, pathologic conditions like osteoarthritis, and herniated lumbar discs. Causes of these conditions are also varied and may range from a traumatic event like an automobile accident, a muscle pull during a sporting event, poor posture, weak muscles, or improper work station conditions. Back pain and weakness may also be affecting the mechanics of the way you walk which, in turn, may be causing pain in the hip, knee, ankle, and/or foot. It is also possible that abnormalities or muscular weakness in the hip, knee, or foot may be contributing to the symptoms in your back.

Each person’s back condition is unique and treatments for these conditions vary depending on the specific injury, but typically therapeutic exercises to address the cause of the pain can be prescribed and done with relative ease. Such exercises are generally designed to target the abdominal muscles to create an “anatomical bracing” effect to protect the back. Other deficient muscle groups which may be causing muscular imbalances can also be strengthened. Modalities such as electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and ice can be used to alleviate some of the pain. Even conditions such as a herniated disc that is pinching a spinal nerve root can usually be managed conservatively without having to undergo surgery.

Consult a physician or a physical therapist to determine the source and cause of your back pain. A treatment plan can be adapted to the specifics of your injury. You do NOT have to live with back pain!!