Physiotherapy
One of the ways to safely and successfully create an exercise routine is to schedule regular sessions with a physical therapist. Therapists work to retrain your posture, strengthen your core and stretch tight muscles. Learn how to use physical therapy to relieve back pain.
1. Choose a physical therapist who specializes in back pain treatment. Make an appointment with your doctor to get a prescription for physical therapy. Ask the doctor to recommend a handful of physical therapists who have extensive experience treating cervical, thoracic or lumbar spinal pain.
Many private insurance plans will cover a number of physical therapy sessions, if they are prescribed by a doctor. Call your insurance company to see if the recommended physical therapist is covered by your insurance.
2. Wait until you are at the sub-acute stage of injury before you start physical therapy. There are 3 stages of injury: acute, sub-acute and chronic stages. The sub-acute phase usually begins 2 to 4 weeks after injury.
During the acute stage you should avoid bending, lifting, stooping and prolonged sitting. Most doctors recommend a treatment of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pills and ice for the first few days after a back injury. After the first few days, try to avoid bed rest and return to a more normal activity level. Walking and gentle stretching can help to increase circulation and improve healing.
3. Schedule an evaluation with your physical therapist. The first session will be dedicated to strength, balance and pain level tests. Your therapist should design a program based on your strengths and weaknesses.
4. Learn and practice proper posture. Physical therapists are starting to use global postural re-education (GPR) to assist patients in developing proper posture. PT techniques will include assisted stretching, range of motion exercises and muscle strengthening exercises.
Changing your posture requires diligence for weeks and months. Your physical therapist may prescribe daily stretches and exercise to retrain muscles.
5. Begin low-impact aerobic exercise. This includes walking, swimming or using an elliptical. These activities cause very little stress on your back, while toning and stretching muscles and increasing circulation.
6. Start your aerobic exercise routine gradually. Your physical therapist may give you some methods to try, such as doing a 10-minute elliptical warm up before stretching or exercising. Increase the exercise in small increments to avoid further injury and pain. As your muscles get stronger, you should be able to be more active without increasing your pain.
7. Begin a regular stretching routine. People often complain of “sciatica” or pain caused by the sciatic nerve through the hips, buttocks and legs. This, and other back problems, can be lessened dramatically by doing back and leg stretching once or twice daily.
Do hamstring stretches once or twice daily. Lay on your back with your knees up. Lift and gently pull 1 knee into your chest for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times on each side. Follow this stretch with the straight leg stretch. While on your back with your knees bent, lift 1 leg so that it is nearly straight. Grab the back of your thigh and bring it toward you for 10 seconds. Try to keep your leg as straight as possible. Repeat with both legs 3 times.
Do piriformis stretches. The piriformis muscles extend from your lower back through your buttocks and hips. While on your back with your knees bent, raise your right leg and rotate it to the left. Place your right leg on your left thigh just above your right ankle. Grasp your left thigh and bring it toward you. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat twice on each side.
Do the child’s pose. This yoga stretch works on the back, leg and buttock muscles. Lay on your stomach. Place your hands underneath your shoulders and fold your body back so your knees touch the front of your torso. Reach your hands out in front of your head as far as you can. Hold this stretch for 1 to 5 minutes.
Do other stretches as recommended by your physical therapist. The evaluation should show which muscles are the tightest.
8. Begin a strengthening exercise routine 3 to 4 times per week. These exercises should target your underlying core and postural muscles. When these muscles are strong, they support the spine and lower pain.
Lay on your back with your knees bent. Press your back into the floor. Hold for 10 seconds. Release and rest for 3 seconds. Repeat 10 to 20 times. Pelvic tilts help to strengthen back and stomach muscles.
Do swimming. Lay on your stomach with your legs and arms outstretched. Raise 1 arm, hold for 3 seconds and lower it slowly. Repeat on the opposite side. Repeat 10 times with your arms and 10 times with your legs. Once your muscles get used to arms and legs separately, do the exercise with opposite legs and arms.
Do shoulder squeezes. While standing or sitting, lower your shoulders and squeeze your shoulder blades together as much as possible. Hold for 3 seconds and slowly release. Repeat 10 times. Do this whenever your shoulders are feeling stiff or you have spare time.
9. Create an exercise space at home so that you can do your exercises. Buy a yoga mat, small weights and any other low-cost equipment you use at physical therapy. You can reduce your sessions with a physical therapist if you are committed to doing the physical therapy routine at home.
10. Use pain treatment modalities. These are usually done at the end of a physical therapy session. Your physical therapist may suggest ice to reduce swelling, moist heat for muscle spasms or ultrasound for increasing circulation.
11. Get plenty of rest. Success in physical therapy requires that you avoid sitting or standing too much. Focus on getting plenty of sleep and keeping your back straight at night.
Physical therapists suggest that you sleep on your back with your knees propped up with pillows or on your side with a body pillow between your legs.
For similar articles, read Physiotherapy.
