Chronic Back Pain

Low back pain is very common. Most people experience it at least once in their lifetime. For most, the pain is temporary. But, back pain can become long-lasting (chronic) if a person has ongoing poor posture and body mechanics, weak core muscles leading to motor control problems and decreased spinal stablity, ongoing walking (gait) issues, or is under stress and/or depressed.

Low back pain can happen anywhere below the ribs and above the legs. The lower back bears most of the body’s weight, and is load sensitive. Therefore, there can be many causes for pain such as injury, aging, pregnancy, herniated disc, compression fractures, joint issues, illness, genetic spine issues, overuse, or sustained habitual (poor) postures (e.g. too much sitting in a poor ergonomic setup). Because nerves in the legs exit the spine in the low back region, sometimes back problems can have associated nerve symptoms such as pain, numbenss and/or tingling in the legs and feet.

Your physical therapist will work on the physical aspects of your pain (may include manual therapy, various approaches to specialized exercise, posture and positioning etc), and help you with education about Pain Sciences and how your nervous system can be trained to decrease its pain response in a variety of ways.

If you find yourself working from home now during the COVID pandemic, in a less-than-optimal ergonomic situation, remember to take consistent breaks to change postion, breathe, and reduce stress. 

If you have been struggling with aches, pains, or an inability to do the things you enjoy, call us today to find out how one of our physical therapists can help you reduce your pain and get back to a more active lifestyle.