Back pain is one of the most common symptoms affecting Americans. In fact, it’s the second most common reason employees call out of work. Whether you’re super active or sit at a desk for hours a day, you’re susceptible to back discomfort.
The structure of the back is intricate and almost constantly at work. The spine and connective soft tissues serve several functions, including helping the lower half of the body move, twist, bend, and support and balance us. Even while we’re still, demands are placed on the back.
With all the pressure on the back’s structure comes vulnerability to injuries. And because so many of the back’s soft tissues provide stability, flexibility, and connectivity, when they become injured, we tend to notice. Chiropractors and physical therapists are spine and soft tissue experts who can detect injuries and provide effective healing to the targeted area.
At Total Performance, we use experience, ongoing education, numerous therapies, and advanced techniques combined with modern technological advancements to design healing and strengthening plans that end back pain by treating the condition.
Our chiropractors and physical therapists take a comprehensive approach to the examination and treatment of musculoskeletal problems. They are all expertly trained in hands-on manual therapy techniques and rehabilitative exercises.
Whether you’re seeing one of our doctors of chiropractic or doctors of physical therapy, you can be assured all of our professionals at Total Performance will provide you with the care you need and have access to the proper treatment modality for your specific needs.
Symptoms of Back Pain
On several occasions, patients have told us that they’ve been experiencing some form of minimal back discomfort that they assumed would heal itself but, instead, got worse. It’s always responsible to seek medical attention when in pain, even if it seems insignificant.
Of course, discomforts may work themselves out, but if the alternative happens, the situation can get more complicated, more painful, and more invasive to handle.
We recommend visiting our team for any of these back pain symptoms:
- Dull, aching, sharp, throbbing, or intense back pain
- Chronic pain (pain that’s lasted for over three months)
- Loss of range of motion or flexibility in the back
- Inability to comfortably rotate, bend, turn, or twist
- Radiating pain or numbness from the lower back into the buttocks, hips, or legs
- Stiff back
- Consistent sore back muscles or weakness
We’ll find the reason behind your discomfort and implement a smart treatment plan, so you heal quickly and can get back to doing the things you love. Once your treatment plan is completed, continued training within our gym can help you to increase your strength and resilience to decrease the chance of any recurrence/flare-up.
Causes of Back Pain
The spine and musculoskeletal system provide most of us with many everyday movement patterns. Whether we’re sitting down, lying on the sofa, or doing jumping jacks, our support structure is helping us.
The spine runs from the base of the skull (top of the neck) and all the way down the back. It allows us to walk, run, bend, and twist. The soft tissues surrounding the spine protect it, hold it in position, contribute to our core strength, and much more.
Back pain and other discomforts come in various forms and can be due to chronic or acute injuries.
Common reasons for back pain include:
- Herniated discs or other disc injuries
- Degenerative disc disease
- Arthritis
- Sciatica
- Osteoporosis
- Sprains and strains
- Pinched nerves
- Pulled muscles
- Compression of spine
- And more
These conditions can occur based on a number of circumstances and habitual patterns, including:
- Consistent work-related movements
- Auto accidents
- Sports accidents
- Overuse
- Exercise
- Pregnancy and weight gain
- Poor posture, ergonomics, and workstation setup
- Improper lifting and moving techniques
- Consistent device use
- Sedentary lifestyle
Reasons for back pain range in severity, but in many cases, the natural, conservative care provided by chiropractors and therapists can heal the injury and help you move and use your body more efficiently.
Total Performance’s Back Pain Treatments
Generally, humans interact with their surroundings facing forward, which offers regular pressure on the same tissue groups and joints. At Total Performance, we recognize this and provide the body with movement solutions that focus on the back of the body, reducing those usual pressures and movements so you can find fast relief.
Some of the solutions we use to end back pain include:
- Chiropractic adjustments– manual and instrument-assisted spinal and extremity (wrists, hands, ankles, etc.) adjustments are provided to targeted joints to re-establish placement, promoting healing and comfort, and proper function
- Sports rehabilitation – individualized corrective exercises, stretches, and movement strategies help the body strengthen and find symmetry
- Physical therapy– soft tissue solutions, such as cupping and taping, help heal injuries and provide healthy circulation of oxygen and blood to imbalances in the back’s tissues
- Active Release Techniques (ART)- therapies that reduce inflammation in tissues so proper movement is restored
- Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA)– this assessment helps our team determine movement patterns that are causing dysfunctions
- Training programs – unique exercise programs that encourage muscle building for a strong, supportive body
- Massage therapy- massage to soft tissues inspires relaxation, removes pressure on affected areas, generates blood flow, and reduces mental stress that can cause back and neck pain
- Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy (MDT)- an assessment that allows us to determine pain-relieving directions of movement
- And more
Our in-clinic chiropractic and physical therapy treatments will be combined with guidance regarding lifestyle, posture, movement, nutrition, and more to help you see fast, long-lasting results, and we often incorporate progressive rehabilitation and training in our gym.
Benefits of Chiropractic & Physical Therapies for Back Pain
At Total Performance, we understand that the safest healing is the most natural healing. We don’t want our patients to undergo unnecessary surgery or become dependent on pain medication, which can lead to its own set of problems.
Not only do chiropractic care and physical therapy invigorate the body’s natural healing powers, but they offer several other tremendous benefits as well; some include:
- Overall joint and soft tissue health
- Muscle strengthening
- Comfort
- Improved movements and posture
- Better sleep
- Little to no downtime and a quick recovery process
- Athletic and physical enhancement
- Sporting event guidance, preparation, and progression
- Increased energy
- Reduced stress and anxiety, heightened relaxation
- Increased focus and productivity
Your back pain doesn’t have to interfere with your lifestyle. Get comfortable, get healed, get strong, and learn how to stay that way.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING…
As a Soccer Coach, I am constantly dealing with injuries related to the hips, knees, and backs. Scott and his staff have been working with my players to increase muscle mobility and flexibility in those key areas. After a few weeks of training, my players and coaches are noticing a difference. We also have not had players missing games because of muscle tears or pulls. I have also had individual athletes use them for treatment and the results have been positive. I would like to recommend Total Performance for your team or athlete.