Low back pain is a common occurrence in the United States, with an 75-85% incidence during any point of someone’s life. Low back pain can be quite debilitating, leaving individuals to feel worthless, unmotivated, and desperate for a remedy. It is the second most common pain cause to people missing work, only second to the common cold. In adolescent athletes, the most common underlying cause of low back pain is lumbar spondylolysis. Back pain does not have to be answered with surgery, there are conservative methods, such as physical therapy that have proven to be effective in treating low back pain.
Sports for Greater Risk of Low Back Pain
- Football
- Rugby
- Gymnastics
- Weightlifting
- Dance
Common Causes of Low Back Pain
- Herniated Disc
- Traumatic injury
- Fracture
- Sprains and Strains
- Lumbar Stenosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
What are the symptoms of low back pain?
Low back pain can present in a multitude of ways that can be activity-limiting. It may happen from any of the causes listed above.
- A dull or aching pain specific to the lower back
- Burning sensation from low back into the legs
- Numbness or tingling in legs
- Increase pain with sitting for prolonged periods of time
- Difficulty transitioning from flexion into extension
How can we help? By using evidence based practice along with clinical experience, we will go in-depth with analyzing movement, mobility, muscle strength, and pain to help create a personal plan of care. Various modalities and techniques may be used such as functional dry needling, cupping, Graston Technique, soft tissue mobilization and others to alleviate pain and improve overall function. Then we compliment that with exercise to ultimately improve strength of the muscles to protect your back.
