Back Pain Physical therapists, who are experts in restoring and improving motion in people’s lives, play an important role not only in treating persistent or recurrent low back pain, but also in prevention and risk reduction. Physical therapists are highly-educated, licensed health care professionals who can help patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility – in many cases without expensive surgery or the side effects of medications. If you have experienced low back pain, you are not alone. Approximately one quarter of Americans report experiencing low back pain within the past 3 months at any given time*. Low back pain often occurs due to overuse, strain or injury. This includes too much bending, twisting, lifting, and even too much sitting. SPTA Fitness Tips to Help Prevent Low Back Pain: · Keep your back, stomach, and leg muscles strong and flexible · Keep your body in alignment, so it can be more efficient when you move · Don’t slouch-keep good posture · Use good body positioning at work, home, or during leisure activities · When lifting, keep the load close to your body · Ask for help or use an assistive device to lift heavy objects · Maintain a regular physical fitness regimen, staying active can help to prevent injuries What To Do When You Have Low Back Pain In most cases, low back pain is mild and will disappear on its own. However, for some people, back pain can return or persist, leading to a decrease in quality of life or even disability. Stay active and do as much of your normal routine as possible when you have low back pain. Bed rest for longer than a day can slow down your recovery. If your pain lasts more than a few days or gets worse, then you should schedule an appointment to see an SPTA Physical Therapist. See a health care professional immediately if you experience the following symptoms: · Loss of bowel or bladder control · Numbness in the groin or inner thigh · Pain that does not change with rest How an SPTA Physical Therapist Can Help Not all low back pain is the same and your treatment should be tailored to suit your specific condition. You should expect the following from your physical therapist: Individualized assessment: Your physical therapist will ask you a number of questions about your specific condition and will thoroughly examine you for problems with posture, flexibility, strength, joint mobility, and movement. Attention will be given to how you use your body at work, home, during sports, and at leisure. Individualized treatment plan: Once your assessment is complete, your physical therapist will develop a plan designed for your specific type of back problem. This may consist of: · Treatment to decrease pain and restore mobility · Manual therapy techniques, including spinal manipulation, to improve mobility of joints and soft tissues. · Specific strengthening and/or flexibility exercises. · Education about care of your back and training for proper lifting, bending, sitting, sleeping, and doing chores both at work and in the home. When Your Individualized Physical Therapy Plan is Complete: You will have the opportunity to progress on to SPTA Fitness; a brand new SPTA entity in Needham, MA that specializes in a more advanced, functional training program that helps to educate, prevent injury, and maintain a healthy lifestyle at work, home, and play. *Spine November 2006 Knee Research has found that Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears occur four times more frequently in females than in males involved in the same amount of sports participation. The difference in female and male neuromuscular control, the way muscles contract and react, is one of four primary factors contributing to why women are more susceptible to knee injuries than men. Other discrepancies are anatomical (men and women are structurally differently), hormonal (women’s hormonal makeup affects the integrity of the ligament, making it more lax), and bio-mechanical (the positions our knees get in during athletic activities). To counteract these pre-existing inclinations, SPTA Fitness recommends that female athletes perform a series of exercises to lower their increased chances of ACL tears. Examples of SPTA Fitness ACL Injury Reduction Exercises are: · Dumbbell Sits · Hamstring Curls · Calf Raises · Depth Jumps · BOSU Balance Exercises A preventative program designed by SPTA Fitness aims to improve strength, flexibility, and coordination, as well as to counteract incorrect existing patterns of movement that may be damaging to the athlete’s joints. These incorrect movement patterns may put them at greater risk for injuring their ACL’s. In conjunction with a medically based strengthening program created by SPTA Fitness, the following components of an ACL prevention program are the primary focus of a detailed and highly appropriate progression for sport preparation. 
  
200 FIRST AVE NEEDHAM, MA 02494 781-444-5141 For scheduling, pricing, and questions about our Needham, Lexington, and Longwood Fitness Programs and Locations, email: sptafitness@sportsandpt.com | 
