25% of Americans will experience pain in the lower back within a three-month period of time. Most of the time the pain is mild and will eventually go away. However, there are times when the pain will not disappear, it returns or worsens which tends to cause a decrease in everyday activities.

Most back pain is often over treated, leading a patient to have unnecessary surgeries, pain medicines and expensive hospital bills. There is an alternative, physical therapy. Physical therapy is a much more cost-efficient treatment and a better option that you should consider first.

Physical therapy should result in a reduction of back pain, an increased ability to perform everyday activities and educate the patient on prevention and maintenance.

At Oklahoma Physical Therapy our back program may consist of the following:

Modalities

•  Modalities will decrease the pain with passive physical therapy. Passive physical therapy are therapies that are done to the patient. Modalities include heat/ice packs, TENS units and ultrasounds

Back Pain exercises

Back pain exercises are considered to be active therapy because some form of exercise or activity is completed by the patient. Back pain exercises may include the following:

• Stretching: stretching your hamstring is an extremely effective exercise for lower back pain
• Strengthening: 15 minutes of lumbar stabilization and core muscle strengthening are important for strengthening the lower back
• Low-impact aerobic conditioning: For long term pain reduction, low impact aerobics are highly recommended. Examples of aerobic activity is walking, swimming, bicycling or water therapy. Thirty to forty minutes for three times during the week is highly effective
• Core strengthening exercises: sit ups, crunches, leg raises, abdominal machines and hyperextension lower back exercises

In order for these back exercises to work, patients must stick to the prescribed exercise program for the prescribed amount of time as well as continue the abdominal and low back exercises at home. If the home exercise program isn’t maintained the patient will eventually experience a loss of fitness in the trained muscles and eventually lower back problems will occur again.

At Oklahoma Physical Therapy we will work with you to create a customized treatment plan that will strengthen and provide stability in the back in order to significantly reduce the pain.