Pain Relief and Physical Health
Physiotherapy for back pain can bring enormous relief to many sufferers. Rather than using surgery, it uses a range of techniques and technologies to treat pain at its source.
Has your back pain got so bad, or gone on so long, that you’re considering surgery? Around 30,000 Canadians each year decide their only option is to go under the knife. It can bring relief for some, but first, it’s good to try other options.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of physiotherapy for back pain.
How Physiotherapy Works for Back Pain
Physiotherapy is a discipline that uses multiple different techniques. It all begins with a thorough, individual assessment. The physiotherapist will talk to you in detail about your problems.
He or she will also discuss how your back pain impacts your daily life. They’ll want to know about your medical history and any other health concerns you currently have.
Once they’ve built a complete picture of you as a whole person, they can begin to plan your treatment. The goal of physiotherapy is to restore physical function and body movement. Giving you the confidence to go about your everyday activities without the limitation of back pain.
The Cause of Back Pain
Back pain can have many different causes. Maybe you sustained an injury at work or playing sports, and know what caused your issue. For other people, back pain may begin for no apparent reason.
Even something as mundane as sneezing can trigger back pain! Most back pain stems from muscular strains and sprains.
If your back pain has a muscular cause, physiotherapy can help. Physiotherapy helps by strengthening the muscles, helping them to be more flexible. This, in turn, lowers your risk of injuring your back again.
Physiotherapy for Back Pain
A physiotherapy session for back pain will look different for each person.
Do you have mobilization issues? Part of the session will focus on mobilization or manipulative physiotherapy. This technique finds the source of the pain and helps to increase the range of movement in it.
Another aspect of physiotherapy for back pain is stabilization. This focuses on strengthening the muscles around the affected area. This helps to strengthen muscles that have been weakened or used improperly.
Physios will provide advice and specific exercises to do at home to help strengthen your back.
For many people, the work they do at home or in the workplace makes their back problems worse. An ergonomic assessment can help you to identify issues with your workstation or activities that you commonly do at work. Physios can educate you on how to do your work or daily activities without injuring yourself.
Posture can also have an impact on back pain. Physios can give you tailored advice to correct any postural issues you may have.
When Should I Get Physio for Back Pain?
It’s normal for everyone to get twinges in their back from time to time. These usually go away in a few days without treatment.
But if you’ve had an injury, or have back pain for more than a week, then you need some professional advice. You can discuss your issue with your family physician. You can also directly book a session with a physiotherapist for an assessment.
Benefits of Physiotherapy for Back Pain
Physiotherapy for back pain is very effective. That’s because it gets to the root of the problem. Physios also have a wide range of different techniques at their disposal.
These include:
- Dry needling
- Joint mobilization
- Massage
- Stretching
- Exercises
- TENS machine
Better than Medication
Medication may mask symptoms and help you to cope with daily life. The problem is that for muscular issues like back pain, it is not treating anything. If the problem is serious, it will not go away on its own.
Medications also come with side effects. The only side effects of physiotherapy for back pain are positive ones. You’ll be stronger, more flexible and in less pain!
Personalized Treatment
Physios spend time with you. They devise a truly personalized treatment plan. You can have confidence that each session is focused on helping you to heal.
The exercises the physios prescribe will help you to build strength and flexibility. By working through the exercises each day, you can benefit beyond the sessions.
Strengthen and Stabilize
Physiotherapy doesn’t just target a single issue. By helping you to build the strength, stability, and flexibility of the surrounding muscles, it helps you avoid repeat injuries. This can break the cycle of back pain that continues recurring.
Reducing physical pain also has benefits for mental health! It’s very hard not to become down when we’re suffering long-term pain. Gaining relief – and techniques to control pain can be an empowering experience.
Referrals If Needed
Physiotherapy can make a huge difference to many back pain sufferers. But physios also recognize that support from other professionals may be needed.
If you have significant injuries, physios may recommend that you consult other therapists. This could include a sports physician or a chiropractor.
Trust Newleaf Total Wellness Centre for Physiotherapy for Back Pain
No one wants to live their life hampered by chronic back pain. By helping you strengthen and mobilize your back, physiotherapy for back pain can give you a new lease of life!
To get the best results, you need to visit the best physiotherapist in Abbotsford. At Newleaf Total Wellness Centre, we have two highly qualified and experienced physiotherapists. Our team is dedicated to helping you live your best life – without back pain!
Call us now on 604.850.2511 or book an appointment online with one of our physios!
Therapy Options Explained
Choosing a physiotherapist can be challenging. You want physios who are highly trained and educated in the field they work in. It is also important that you have therapists who can provide you with education for injury prevention and lifestyle changes.
Over half of all physiotherapists in Canada are working in a community setting. These outpatient clinics treat many people each year for injuries or illnesses.
If you need help finding quality physiotherapy services near you, then keep reading on for more information.
What Is a Physiotherapist?
Physiotherapists are health care workers. They specialize in treating various diseases, illnesses, and injuries through a hands-on approach. These therapists also use different manual techniques and exercises for patients.
Through these tools, they help promote health education and wellness.
Physiotherapists do not use invasive techniques. All of the hands-on approaches and modalities are non-invasive and safe.
These techniques are not limited to hands-on assessments. They can include modalities, exercises, and at-home programs.
Physiotherapists also work in different settings. The type of clinic you choose also determines what kind of physiotherapist you will likely see. Just like doctors – it is common that there are options for physiotherapists to specialize in coming out of universities.
Inpatient physiotherapists largely work with people who are extremely debilitated or post-operative cases. These may also include specialists who work directly with oncology or neurology.
However, some inpatient clinics are designed for intensive therapy. This usually happens once someone has stabilized medically. They might help teach people basic skills such as walking, transferring, climbing stairs, or getting out of bed.
Sports medicine clinics can focus more on athletic injuries and task-specific exercises. These might include higher-performance activities used in sports. Most adults don’t need that same level of function for their day-to-day lives.
Women’s health specialists are also becoming more popular. These treatments focus on the pelvic floor, incontinence, or other concerns.
People who have experience with physiotherapy are usually from community clinics. These therapists specialize in a wide variety of ailments that the population suffers from. This can include chronic pain and illnesses.
Finally, at-home physiotherapists visit you at your house or work. They can help carry-on treatment plans from an inpatient or outpatient stay.
What Do Physiotherapists Treat?
Physiotherapists treat anything from musculoskeletal to nervous system conditions. They can be involved in post-surgical rehab or ongoing therapy for patients managing chronic diseases.
This is not a comprehensive list, but some of the more common diagnoses that physiotherapists see are:
- Low back pain
- Orthopedic injuries from MVA
- Tendonitis
- Headaches
- Neck pain
- Sprains or strains
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Arthritis
- Sciatica
- Dizziness
A physiotherapist in an outpatient clinic should have the expertise and knowledge to deal with a variety of these ailments. Additionally, look for physiotherapists who work closely with other disciplines.
You might need additional imaging such as X-Rays or MRIs. It is often common that physiotherapists work closely with kinesiologists. A clinic that has a multi-discipline approach can give you greater peace of mind.
You will have multiple, qualified therapists working to help get you back on your feet.
Treatment Options
Physios should have in-depth knowledge of hands-on or manual skills. When you are looking at physiotherapy options, be sure and check with the clinic or therapist on what types of techniques they use.
During the first treatment session, a skilled physio provides an initial assessment. They will look at your medical history, injury or illness, and immobility. Then, they will provide a manual assessment that may look at pain, range of motion, strength, or neurological status.
The best physios use manual techniques and thorough patient history for developing a plan of care. Once a plan of care is developed between you and your therapist, you will meet with him or her a set amount of times per week.
As you improve, your physiotherapist reassesses your plan. This determines when you can stop your sessions or cut back on treatments. They may also send you home with specific exercises that supplement your treatment plan.
Some of the common techniques that the best physios use during treatment sessions include:
- Massage
- Joint mobilizations or manipulations
- Modalities
- Functional training
- Home education
Some of the other techniques and modalities may include dry needling or electrical stimulation.
Physiotherapy Studies
Is physiotherapy right for you? Choosing a physiotherapist can make all the difference. Studies are also looking at how this field of therapy can benefit patient populations.
One study looked at a physiotherapist’s role in back pain. This chronic injury sits at the number one spot for disability around the world. Seeing a physiotherapist not only reduced medication use, but it also helped curb the spread of opioids.
They found that almost half of people who abused opioid prescriptions was because of back pain. Physiotherapists can indirectly help reduce the usage of opioids and the risk of overdoses.
In fact, it was found that exercises and manual treatment were some of the most effective treatment tools for managing back pain. Additionally, physicians and physiotherapists who provided education made a big difference.
This education can come in the form of postural corrections and lifestyle changes.
Choosing a Physiotherapist
Choosing a physiotherapist doesn’t have to be as hard as it sounds. A skilled therapist can use manual and innovative techniques for helping you with any injury, illness, or disease.
During your first assessment, you can feel comfortable asking questions and concerns to your physio. If you are suffering from debilitating injuries or symptoms, don’t wait any longer.
You can find the best physiotherapist in Abbotsford by contacting us today.
