When your back pain begins to restrict your everyday life by limiting your range of motion, it might be time to look into physical therapy. If you’re experiencing chronic back pain, ask your health care provider what he or she thinks about the possibility of therapy. Odds are that if your back pain has been a reoccurring problem, or if you’ve been in constant pain for more than a month, your doctor will recommend that you see a physical therapist.

The general principle behind this therapy isn’t to immediately alleviate back pain through some special exercises; rather, it’s designed to build the muscles in your back and make them more limber over time. By strengthening the muscles in your back, especially around your spinal column, you’ll be better able to maintain correct posture and carry your body in a way that places less strain on the back.

When you first visit the physical therapist, you’ll undergo a series of tests meant to measure your range of motion and strength, so be prepared to move around. Also, the therapist will ask you to describe your pain, its location, and activities that increase or decrease the pain. Once your therapist better understands your discomfort through questioning and testing, he or she will be able to develop a plan suited to your particular needs.

If your pain is an acute occurrence – that is, a pain that came on suddenly and constantly aches – your therapist might recommend that you incorporate passive physical therapy options with the active solutions. These passive options are applied to the patient, and can include anything from ice packs to treatments with iontophoresis, a method of administering drugs to a patient via electrical impulse rather than a needle.

In addition to these passive means, active treatments are required for alleviating the symptoms most patient experience, including those who have chronic intermittent back pain. Although this portion of the physical therapy battery of treatments involves exercise, your therapist will likely focus on motions that strengthen the back and exercises that won’t strain your already achy muscles. It’s advisable to carefully stretch your hamstring muscles as part of your daily routine. To prevent injury, you can lie on the ground, stretch out your legs, and then lift one leg toward the ceiling, using your hands as a brace at the back of your knee.

Following the stretches, you’ll likely be advised to move on to exercise. This portion of your routine could include specific exercises that your therapist assigns you, which might include several rounds of intense stretching, or your therapist may explain that you would be better served by taking up aerobic exercises. While this may surprise someone who is currently in pain, remember that strengthening your back, leg, and stomach muscles will help with the pain in the long run. Plus, in many cases, simply dropping some excess weight can banish persistent back pain. With that in mind, you’ll likely want to exercise in a way that won’t cause your back more pain. Perhaps you can begin a low-impact swimming regimen to strengthen your core muscles while enjoying a daily dip in the pool, or you could simply begin taking walks. No matter what you choose, be sure to avoid lifting weights above your waist and other activities that might do your back more harm than good.

Remember that good back health depends on what you do both during and outside of your therapy sessions. Check for correct posture regularly, keep stretching your muscles, and get regular exercise, and your condition should improve gradually.

Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to health and wellness.

Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to http://www.spine-exercises.com/

Author Bio: Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to health and wellness.

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