Back Pain Doesn’t Have to Control Your Life

Whether your back pain started suddenly after lifting something heavy or has gradually worsened over months or years, it can make even the simplest daily activities difficult. Sitting, standing, walking, exercising, sleeping, working, or playing with your family shouldn’t have to be
painful.

At Abide Physical Therapy, we specialize in identifying the root cause of back pain and helping you return to an active, pain-free lifestyle through advanced orthopedic manual therapy and personalized rehabilitation.
The good news?

Most episodes of back pain can be successfully treated without surgery or long-term reliance on pain medication.

What Causes Back Pain?

Back pain can develop from many different conditions, and often the painful area is not the true source of the problem. During your evaluation, our Doctors of Physical Therapy assess how your entire body moves to identify the underlying mechanical and movement dysfunction
contributing to your symptoms.

Common causes of back pain include:

• Muscle strains and ligament sprains
• Herniated or bulging discs
• Sciatica and nerve irritation
• Degenerative disc disease
• Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction
• Facet joint dysfunction
• Arthritis of the spine
• Poor posture
• Weakness of the core and hip muscles
• Repetitive bending, lifting, twisting, or prolonged sitting
• Sports injuries and weightlifting injuries
• Motor vehicle accidents and other traumatic injuries

Even when imaging shows disc degeneration or arthritis, those findings don’t always explain why you’re experiencing pain.

That’s why a thorough movement assessment is essential to creating an effective treatment plan.

Common Symptoms of Back Pain

You may benefit from physical therapy if you experience

• Pain in your lower back or mid-back
• Pain that radiates into the hips, buttocks, or legs
• Sciatica or numbness and tingling
• Muscle spasms
• Difficulty standing, walking, or sitting for extended periods
• Pain when bending, lifting, or twisting
• Morning stiffness
• Pain during exercise, weightlifting, running, or sports
• Recurring episodes of back pain

Many people notice their symptoms improve temporarily, only to have the pain return weeks or months later. Research shows that recurrent back pain is common because the underlying movement dysfunction often remains uncorrected.

At Abide, we focus on addressing the root cause—not simply masking symptoms—so you can move with greater confidence and reduce your risk of future flare-ups.

How Can Physical Therapy Help Back Pain?

Every treatment begins with a comprehensive evaluation to determine why your back hurts and how your body is compensating. Your care is then customized to your specific condition, goals, and lifestyle.

Advanced Orthopedic Manual Therapy

Manual therapy is the foundation of our treatment philosophy. Using advanced hands-on techniques, we improve joint mobility, decrease muscle tension, restore spinal movement, and reduce irritation of the surrounding muscles, joints, fascia, and nerves.

Depending on your condition, treatment may include joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, dry needling, cupping, and other evidence-informed manual therapy techniques designed to restore efficient movement and relieve pain.

Personalized Strength & Movement Retraining

As your pain improves, we’ll develop an individualized rehabilitation program focused on restoring core stability, improving hip and spinal mobility, enhancing muscular coordination, and correcting movement patterns that may have contributed to your symptoms.

You’ll also receive education on lifting mechanics, posture, workstation ergonomics, and strategies to help prevent future episodes of back pain.