9 Ways Physio Can Help With Back Pain

Many of our patients at West Pennant Hills Physiotherapy and Sports Injuries Centre come to us to seek relief from back pain.

Back pain can be incredibly debilitating, and yet it’s very common. It’s estimated that 70-90 per cent of people will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.

Back pain can range from mild aching and stiffness to acute, sharp pain. Back problems may interfere with your daily activities, and it’s one of the most common reasons for taking sick leave from work.

There are many different factors that can cause back pain, including:

• Sprains and strains caused by lifting a heavy object, poor lifting technique, or overstretching
• Poor posture or sitting at a desk for long periods with a non-ergonomic desk setup
• Poor sleeping position or sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress
• Back injuries caused by a fall, playing sports, or a car accident, which may damage muscle, ligaments, or tendons, or compress the spine, causing disc injuries
• Degeneration of the discs in the spine due to age
• Inflammatory diseases such as arthritis
• Pregnancy, which causes looser ligaments, coupled with increased weight and posture changes

Mild back pain will often go away on its own in a few weeks, but if it doesn’t seem to be improving, you should seek medical advice.

Physiotherapy for back pain can help to speed up recovery from back injuries and uses techniques and exercises to help relieve the symptoms of chronic back problems.

How Does Physio Help Back Pain?

So, how can physio help with back pain exactly? When you visit our centre, one of our physiotherapists will ask you questions and examine your back and posture.

We’ll develop a customised treatment plan designed specifically to treat both the causes and symptoms of your back pain. These are some of the different types of treatments we use at West Pennant Hills Physiotherapy and Sports Injuries Centre.

1. Massage

Massage is helpful for back pain for two main reasons.

Firstly, as you’ll know if you’ve ever enjoyed a massage, it is a very effective technique for reducing muscle pain. It relaxes the muscle tissues, reducing tension and preventing painful spasms.

Secondly, remedial massage promotes the body’s own healing process by stimulating blood flow and speeding up tissue repair.

Remedial massage is particularly effective for treating sports injuries, muscle cramps, and the symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

2. Joint Mobilisation

Joint mobilisation techniques are known to be effective for treating chronic low back pain and spinal compression. The relief from this type of treatment is often immediate.

With this type of treatment, your physiotherapist will manually move your joints using carefully targeted pressure in specific directions. This will help to reduce stiffness, improve your range of motion, and reduce pain.

3. Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a common treatment for soft tissue injuries. With this type of treatment, a handheld device is used to deliver painless high-frequency sound waves to the muscles and tissues under the skin.

This causes micro-vibrations within the tissues, increasing heat and promoting healing.

4. Heat Packs

Heat can ease pain and assist muscle recovery by increasing blood flow and oxygen. Your physiotherapist may apply heat packs to provide instant relief from back pain and to make massage and other treatments more effective.

5. TENS

TENS is a medical device that delivers a low-voltage current to the body. This stimulates the nerves in the spine, creating a tingling sensation and instant relief of back pain.

6. Individually Tailored Exercises

Exercises can help to reduce back pain, improve core strength to support your back, mobilise the back, and reduce muscle stiffness.

Your physio will give you a programme of exercises you can do at home to speed up recovery from a back injury and help to prevent further injury.

7. Lifestyle Advice

Back pain is often caused or made worse by lifestyle factors, such as being overweight, poor posture, lack of exercise, and work environment.

Your physio can give you advice on how to create an ergonomic work or study environment, improve your posture, sleep better, and live a healthier lifestyle overall.

8. Regular Classes

At West Pennant Hills Physiotherapy and Sports Injuries Centre, we run regular weekly and twice-weekly classes designed to improve fitness, core strength, and flexibility. These include:

• Fitness circuit classes
• Matwork and core classes
• Stretch and flexibility classes
• Balance and falls prevention classes

9. Fitting Orthotics

Orthotics are devices that are fitted into your shoes to adjust and support the foot. They can help to reduce discrepancies in leg length and improve your gait and posture. If your back pain is caused by poor alignment or skeletal irregularities, orthotics may help.

Does Physiotherapy Work for Back Pain Caused by Health Conditions?

If your back pain is caused by a long-term disease or health condition you suffer from rather than a one-off injury, physiotherapy can be a great option to help reduce your pain and improve your quality of life.

Physio is a helpful therapy for several health conditions, including:

• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Sciatica
• Scoliosis
• Spinal stenosis
• Osteomyelitis
• Skeletal irregularities
• Parkinson’s Disease

How Effective Is Physiotherapy for Back Pain?

It depends on the cause of your back pain, but physiotherapy can be a very effective treatment. Many patients get immediate relief from pain after a session, and physiotherapy can also help to reduce chronic back pain when it is a symptom of a permanent health condition.

Get in Touch to Book Your Appointment

Don’t suffer with back pain any longer. If you’re wondering, “Does physiotherapy work for back pain?” the answer is yes! Contact us to make an appointment with one of our physiotherapists today. You can call us on 98753760 or email info@wphphysio.com.au.