CINN Medical Group Physician Blog

The Role of Physical Therapy for Back Pain

Many patients with back pain ask me to explain the role of physical therapy (PT) in the course of their treatment. Since they may already be in good physical shape, many believe they do not need a therapist or that PT would be a waste of time. While there are some exceptions to this, physical conditioning alone is not the barometer a spine surgeon uses to determine if a patient may benefit from physical therapy.

One of the important concepts in treating back pain with PT is core muscle strengthening. By developing the “core” and truncal muscles in the front of the body, pressure and strain is taken off the back. Additionally, therapists use various modalities such as massage, ultrasound, heat, ice, stretching, electrical stimulation and TENS units to relieve pain. While patients do not always get complete relief, my patients often tell me the therapy I prescribed did help alleviate some of their pain.

Back pain is the second most common reason patients seek medical attention from their doctor. While many patients ultimately need surgery, physical therapy is a great initial treatment and may help some avoid an unnecessary surgical procedure. A custom tailored regimen including physical therapy is integrated in many of my patient’s treatment plans.