Relieve Your Back Pain – at Home!
Low back pain is clearly among the most common complaints treated by private practice physical therapists. Understanding the nature of the pain described and recognizing the differences of characteristic symptoms is a result of thorough training and experience.
Back pain is a frustrating problem, but there are a number of techniques that extend the positive effect achieved in clinical physical therapy sessions. As with so many other problems, the body has the ability to heal. The role of the back pain sufferer and the physical therapist is to:
1. Eliminate aggravating circumstances
2. Engage pelvic, abdominal, buttocks and leg muscles to improve their performance.
3. Relieve mechanical pressure, and restrictions to movement.
Each time an aggravation of spinal tissue occurs, inflammation, tissue pressure and heightened sensitivity of nerve endings slows, or reverses the healing process. Sit up straight. Your mother was right. Stand, and walk with supplemental arch supports in almost all shoes. Don’t lift or pull with straight knees or a rounded trunk.
Pelvic floor exercise, and hip strength combined with improved effort of the muscles in front (abdominals) and behind (extensors of) the spine stabilize the position of its parts to control aggravation while the body resolves the inflammation and heals the injured tissue. Stretching the muscles in your legs and back is an important activity.
The effects of treatment are often remarkable. Manual therapy enhances results for almost all back problems, as well other joints. Decompression can be achieved clinically, but is also effectivel at home with a swiss ball. Some techniques are available on Accelerate Physical Therapy’s website as videos. Look for the Exercise Videos link on the left column of the home page, or go directly to this link: http://acceleratept.com/?page_id=172. Our summer intern, Jimmy DeAndrea demonstrates decompression and strengthening techniques in these videos. Jimmy has returned to The University of Wyoming for his final year. A graduate of neighboring Arvada West High School , DeAndrea will pursue a career in physical therapy after graduation.
If you have questions about more specific issues, call a physical therapist. Exercise programs have traditionally provided astoundingly successful results. A number of specific causes, including combinations of joint and nerve irritations are distinguishable, and confirmation by your physician is always advisable. If you have questions about more specific issues, call a physical therapist.
