Back pain, especially low back pain, is extremely common. In fact, around 80% of the population will have low back pain at least once in their life. Common causes include muscle strains and sprains, herniated discs, arthritis, and nerve pressure caused by a misaligned vertebra. If left untreated, back pain can become debilitating and can be a chronic issue. When looking for back pain treatment in Baton Rouge, keep in mind that physical therapy has a variety of ways to reduce pain and improve motion. Seek out a physical therapist to treat your back injury and prevent future ones.
Exercises and Stretches to Strengthen
One way that physical therapy helps with back pain is to strengthen the area, as this is what prevents the injury from reoccurring. However, for many people, treatment first begins with reducing pain. Depending on the cause of the injury, treatment methods used may include blood flow restriction, trigger point therapy, and manual therapy. Once there is a reduction in pain, strengthening moves can begin.
Stretching is important for many areas of the body, and the low back is no exception. If back pain is due to overuse or poor ergonomics, the physical therapist will more than likely incorporate stretching into the treatment plan. Some of the exercises the physical therapist may recommend include bird dogs, bridges, and pelvic tilts.
During the initial treatment phase, movement may be more difficult due to pain, muscle bracing, or inflexibility. Because of this, the physical therapist will assist the client through the various moves. This also ensures the client is doing the exercises correctly and is not causing further injury. Once movement becomes easier, the physical therapist may have the client perform many of the exercises at home. If this is the case, the speed of recovery is largely up to the client. When you seek out physical therapy near me, you can rest assured that a physical therapist will recommend a customized treatment plan for your specific back injury.
Increase Flexibility and Retain Daily Routine
Even once a back injury heals and recovers, many people continue to see a physical therapist. That is because therapy improves many areas, and this helps a client remain injury free and continue to partake in daily routines. Along with continuing to improve strength, a physical therapist will help increase flexibility and balance. An individual will face various injury risks through work and life, and having a flexible, balanced, and strong body decreases the risk of receiving an injury.
Knowing a good physical therapist is also a good idea because you can quickly receive assistance for other injuries besides back pain. For example, hand physical therapy is extremely common. This treatment is not just for hands, but also wrists, shoulders, or other upper extremity injuries. Treatment and rehabilitation for this and other areas of the body are similar. A physical therapist often uses a combination of pain reduction treatments, stretches, exercises, and flexibility movements to heal the injury and prevent future pain and injuries from occurring.