5 Things your PT wants you to know about low back pain

There are many causes of lower back pain, a condition that millions of Americans suffer with. Although the structures directly involved in contributing to your symptoms may vary, there are some common things that you should know:

1) Walk- Studies have shown that walking helps to relieve back pain, due to the increase in circulation throughout the body, as well as the low impact nature of the activity. It doesn't have to be a fast walk, but some movement is better than none.

2) Find a movement preference- With most lower back pain, there is a movement preference, meaning that your back feels better with one position or movement compared to another. For example, if bending forward increases lower back pain, extend backward; sometimes it's the other way around.

3) Determine a positional preference- Your pain may decrease with sitting, or maybe standing feels better. Determining what position feels better will not only give insight into what could be going on with your back, but also will help you function better throughout your day. For example, generally patients with disc irritation have more pain in sitting, while patients with stenosis have more pain in standing.

4) Heat or ice?- Many people don't know whether to use heat or ice when they start to have pain. A general guideline is: tight muscles like heat, irritated joints or structures like ice. If there is a spasm, or muscular pain associated with a general ache, heat will likely feel better. If you have inflammation and aggravation of a joint, for example, your sacroiliac (SI) joint, ice will be a better choice for pain relief.

5) Get help- If you have persistent lower back pain, there is treatment that can help. We are obviously proponents of physical therapy, as a physical therapist is able to assess and treat lower back pain, determine the cause, and provide a care plan consisting of manual intervention to address the joint and soft tissue, as well as specific exercises to improve function. Some people get relief with chiropractic care and acupuncture as well. It is important to do your research!