If you have chronic back pain because of an injury or a medical condition, physical therapy can alleviate much of your suffering and help you live a freer, more productive life. A qualified physical therapist is able to create a personalized treatment plan that will put you on the faster road to recovery. Here are four ways that physical therapy can help you heal your aching back.

Got an Injured Back? 4 Ways Physical Therapy Can Help You Heal

Proper Muscle Stretches

Stretching back muscles along with supporting muscles in different parts of the body can ease many of the symptoms that are associated with a bad back. A physical therapist can assist you in performing active stretches using the proper techniques for the best effects. Muscles in the low back, hips, legs and abdominal region are good to stretch regularly to prevent stiffness that can further exacerbate back pain and limit mobility.

Strength Training

Stronger muscles are usually less prone to the effects of injuries and other medical conditions, and a physical therapist will work with you during your physical therapy treatment to devise a workout routine that includes the right exercises. Great care will be taken to only implement exercises that your body can handle and won’t make your back pain worse. Dynamic lumbar stabilization, core exercises, and hamstring exercises are all good for treating back pain. 

Muscle Stimulation

Some physical therapy specialists use a passive treatment known as iontophoresis to stimulate back muscles to generate more healing effects. A device that emits mild electrical currents is hooked up to your body while you’re partially submerged in water. This therapy can also deliver medications into your skin to reduce inflammation that is likely contributing to your back pain. An iontophoresis session usually lasts anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, and multiple sessions may be required for you to experience the best results.

Inflammation and Muscle Spasm Reduction

Another way that physical therapists can reduce inflammation and muscle spasms is with hot and cold therapy. Your therapist may apply hot and cold packs directly to specific muscle groups in the back to generate healing effects. An ice massage might also be performed so that therapy can be delivered to even more muscle groups. The physical therapist can provide additional instructions so that you’ll be able to give yourself hot and cold treatments at home. 

Physical therapy can work wonders to alleviate your back pain in many ways. The right physical therapist who has the necessary qualifications and can implement the proper treatment can play a major role in your recovery.