- Neck & Back
- Chronic Pain
- Compression Fractures
- Concussions
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Headaches & Migraines
- Herniated or Bulging Disc
- Low Back Pain
- Neck Pain
- Mid Back Pain
- Osteoporosis
- Poor Posture & Forward Head Syndrome
- Post-Surgery Rehab
- Radiating Pain
- Sciatica & Radiating Pain
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spinal Arthritis & Spinal Stenosis
- Sprain / Strain
- Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD)
- Whiplash
- McKenzie Method
About Back Sprain / Strain
It can be quite easy to sprain or strain your back. A sprain refers to
an overstretching injury of your ligaments in your spine, whereas a
strain refers to an overstretching injury to your muscles. There are
hundreds of small muscles in the spine, which guide the intricate
movements of each bone and multi-level joints. This delicate ballet of
movement can get into trouble when heavy lifting is involved.
The majority of people sprain or strain their back when they combine lifting with twisting. The best way to avoid an injury to the low back is to use your legs when lifting, bending at the knees and keeping your back fairly straight. If you have to turn while lifting, move your feet, otherwise the strain of lifting while twisting can cause injury.
Tearing of the tissues occurs during a sprain / strain. While this is often not a full complete tear, the resulting damage can cause significant swelling and pain to occur deep in the back. Typical healing times can take at least 6-12 weeks for complete healing.
How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy is very important in your recovery from a back sprain /
strain. The sooner we can see you, the better. After the injury, it is
important for you to receive therapy to reduce the inflammation process
as quickly as possible. Often, the root cause of the problem is limited
motion in the hips or pelvis and even mid-back which causes abnormal
forces in the low back.
Our therapists work with you to loosen any restricted areas, improve movement, quickly reduce your pain and strengthen your core muscles to prevent injury. It is vital that you complete a full course of therapy to ensure that you don’t reinjure your back again. Studies have shown that people who do not properly retrain their core muscles after a sprain / strain injury are more likely to re-injure their back again. Call us today to discover how we can help you quickly relieve your back pain and get back to the activities you enjoy.
