Relieve All Those Pains in Your Back with Physical Therapy
Ready to Live Life Free of Back Pain?
According to the American Physical Therapy Association, back pain is the most commonly reported pain in the United States. In fact, one out of every four Americans has experienced back pain in the last three months! What’s the difference between back pain and sciatica? While back pain and sciatica are similar, there are some differences that are frequently overlooked.
Upper, middle, and lower back pain are the most common locations for general back pain. Sciatica pain, on the other hand, can radiate down the buttocks, thigh, and even to the feet. Sciatica is usually due to a nerve being pinched in your low back. Back pain, unlike sciatica, usually involves muscles and joints, and may or may not involve nerves.
If you wake up with back pain or have been experiencing pains in your back, buttocks, or thighs, our physical therapist in Ahwatukee, Biltmore or Tempe, AZ can help you!
Don’t rely on medications to help you mask your pain if you are living with back pain or sciatica!
Our physical therapists at Orthopedic Sports Therapy will get to the bottom of your pain so that they can help you find long-term relief without drugs or invasive procedures.
In many cases, our treatments may even eliminate the need for potentially harmful painkillers such as opioids, as well as invasive surgical procedures.
What can PT treatments do for me?
The first stages of your physical therapy treatment plan will be geared toward providing immediate pain relief. This may include hands on techniques, specific exercises and movement retraining. Following that, your physical therapist will broaden your treatment to include therapeutic exercises and stretching to strengthen your core muscle group. This improves your strength and range of motion, reducing the risk of re-injury to your spine.
Your physical therapist will also show you how to use ergonomic techniques to protect your spine while doing everyday tasks like lifting, sitting at a desk or driving.
Common conditions resulting in back pain
Sciatica is medically known as “lumbar radiculopathy.” The majority of people who develop this condition are between the ages of 30 and 50.
People with sciatica frequently lose hip and pelvic flexibility and strength, causing the hip and gluteal muscles to tighten. As a result, the mechanics of the pelvis, hips and spine are altered, compounding the sciatica problem.
The majority of the time, general back pain develops as a result of an injury. This could be due to repetitive strains, such as leaning down several times throughout the day to pick up a toddler, sitting for extended periods, or a more serious, sudden trauma, such as a car accident.
Herniated discs, as well as other underlying conditions, can cause severe back pain and radiculopathy in your thigh, leg, or foot.
Degenerative disc disease is also a common cause of back pain as we age. Those living with this condition typically experience dull, aching pain in their lower back, as well as difficulty standing or walking for long periods of time.
Stenosis, or a narrowing of the spinal canal, is another painful condition common among older people.
There are also many medical problems that can appear to be pain from your back, but are actually due to another issue, such as kidney infection or bowel problem. The physical therapists at Orthopedic Sports Therapy are trained in “differential diagnosis” — the ability to tell the difference between true back pain and something masquerading as back pain.
There are numerous reasons why you may be experiencing this type of pain, and seeing a physical therapist is the best way to find out for sure!
What’s the difference between back pain and sciatica?
Sciatica
Sciatica is a specific type of back pain that is pretty easy to diagnose, although it is reported as being highly uncomfortable. People with sciatica experience pain along the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in your body. It begins at your lower back and then splits at the base of your spine to extend further down to your buttocks, legs, and finally ends at the bottom of each foot.
The sciatic nerve can become compressed or irritated, which causes a “shooting,” “stinging,” or “burning” sensation in your lower back, buttocks, legs, or feet. The reason for this compression and irritation is what your physical therapist at Orthopedic Sports Therapy is trained to figure out and solve!
Back pain
“Back pain” is a very broad term that can be caused by an array of different conditions. For example, you may experience back pain due to having poor posture, a motor vehicle accident, or an injury sustained while lifting something heavy. You could also have back pain from poor posture.
Back pain can be described as acute, meaning it is short-term, or chronic, meaning it is long-term (typically lasting for three months or longer).
The treatment plan that our physical therapist sets up for you will depend on how you developed the back pain, in addition to its exact location and your past medical history.
While back pain and sciatica are both painful and unfortunate conditions, both can be successfully treated with physical therapy in Ahwatukee, Biltmore or Tempe, AZ. Our physical therapists will develop a personalized treatment plan for you based on your diagnosis.
If sciatica is your problem, our physical therapists will use hands-on techniques as well as specific movements and stretches as part of your sciatica treatment plan. This quickly restores the nerve’s natural health and will work to alleviate your symptoms.
Back pain can appear and disappear, but it is a wise decision to treat it as soon as you notice it! If this is not done, it can lead to poor joint movement, core weakness, and muscle coordination, all of which can lead to future injuries.
Get started on a treatment plan today
Do you have any of the aforementioned symptoms of back pain or sciatica? If this is the case, you can seek immediate assistance at Orthopedic Sports Therapy in Ahwatukee, Biltmore or Tempe, AZ. Our physical therapist are eager to help you get back on your feet!
Schedule an appointment! We look forward to helping you get back to feeling your best!