Will Physiotherapy Help in Relieving Low Back Pain?

There are numerous benefits to seeing a physiotherapist, including the potential relief of low back pain. Many different types of low back pain can occur, but it typically manifests as a dull aching pain that can sometimes extend to the hips and pelvis as well. The intensity of low back pain varies from person to person, and it can potentially make it harder for a person to engage in their everyday tasks if they do not receive proper treatment and rehabilitation.

The incidence of low back pain is very high among those who are over thirty years of age. This is because as we age, our joints and discs tend to wear down, which makes the discs and joints in the spine more susceptible to irritation and stiffness. Our muscles have to work harder as we lose flexibility in the spine, and can become adhesed or chronically inflamed. The cause of low back pain may also be attributed to poor posture, excess carried weight, and other lifestyle factors.

How Physiotherapy Can Help Low Back Pain?

A physiotherapist can help you relieve low back pain by providing a thorough assessment of the issue, including potential triggers, and can help to come up with a comprehensive rehabilitation plan. A physiotherapist may request that you undergo imaging tests and provide you with exercises to perform at home after your treatment.

Another way that a physiotherapist can help low back pain is with hands-on treatment. At Encompass Sports Therapy, our physiotherapists are trained in active release techniques, laser therapy, IMS/needling, shockwave therapy, and other modalities.

Intramuscular stimulation (Dry needling)

Intramuscular stimulation, also known as dry needling, is one potential course of treatment that may be recommended to you during your physiotherapy visit. A trained professional inserts a needle into the affected muscle beneath the skin, then moves the needle around to activate the muscle’s twitch and relax response. In addition, this increases blood flow to the area, reducing muscle pain in the low back. A dry needling procedure is effective for releasing tight, spasmed muscles in the low back area which encourages relaxation of those muscles. The needles create a sort of micro-trauma, which encourages the body to increase its acute healing response.

Soft tissue Release and Active Release

Another method used in physiotherapy to help relieve pain in the low back is soft tissue release techniques. This technique is used by physiotherapists to relax tight low back muscles by massaging deep trigger points and stretching muscles surrounding the low back and hips. Our physiotherapists use soft tissue release therapy to target areas that feel stiff and restricted. These areas are not always painful themselves, but tight muscles and joints in other areas of the body can lead to a compensatory effect in the low back. The focus on manual pressure
and stretching used in soft tissue release therapy is to free muscles from adhesions both between muscles and within layers of the same muscle, which frees up movement and decreases pain.

Laser Therapy for Low Back Pain Relief

There are many benefits associated with laser therapy when it comes to treating low back pain. Injuries to muscles, ligaments, joints, and vertebrae can be treated with laser therapy provided by your physiotherapist.

Our clinic has Class 4 Deep tissue lasers, which are 40-60 times stronger than a typical Class 3 laser. As a result of laser therapy, blood circulation may be improved, inflammation is reduced, and water, oxygen, and nutrients can be brought to the damaged areas.

Laser therapy helps to reduce swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness and pain that can be the origin of your low back pain. Class 4 Laser often significantly reduces the amount of time required for a low back injury to fully heal, and it is often used in conjunction with our other interventions.

Conclusion

Physiotherapy will likely help relieve low back pain and discomfort by using a variety of techniques that your physiotherapist may recommend to you. Causes of low back pain vary, but are often common in individuals over thirty years old due to general wear and tear on joints and discs, and a lack of strength in the core muscles.

However, anyone can experience low back pain at any point in their life and it may be due to posture, excess weight or other lifestyle factors. Up to 80% of individuals will experience an episode of low back pain in their lifetime.

Our physiotherapists at Encompass Sports Therapy will fully assess you upon your initial appointment and subsequently discuss with you which treatment options they are able to provide that may help to relieve your low back pain. These treatments can vary, but can include dry needling, soft tissue release, Class 4 Deep Tissue laser therapy, and exercise rehabilitation. With the right treatment plan, physiotherapy can be highly beneficial in helping to relieve low back pain. Call Encompass Sports Therapy today to book an appointment!