Frequently asked questions

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What is Spine Therapy and Can It Work for You?

Spine therapy is a type of physical therapy treatment that is specifically designed for patients with spine-related conditions. It can be a successful, non-invasive method to treat spine conditions such as spondylosis, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, sciatica, degenerative disc disease, and facet syndrome.

Spine Therapy vs. Physical Therapy

Rather than providing you with a general physical therapy routine. Spine therapist will create a custom plan that is ideal for back pain relief. Spine therapists have experience and hands-on skills that can help ease back pain to prompt spinal structures, muscles, and tissues to move properly. Instead of working with a traditional physical therapist, you’ll collaborate with a professional who has the skill set to solve your specific spinal issue.

How Spine Therapy Works

A spine therapist will ask you to perform a series of repeated positions and movements so that he or she can evaluate your mechanical and symptomatic response. Determining what types of response improve or hinder your symptoms can help the therapist prescribe the right exercises.

Spine therapists have years of experience in core-strengthening, manual therapy procedures, exercise-based therapeutic techniques, pain management modalities, and patient education. Here are further details on some of these methods:

Manual Therapy: Hands-on treatment in which a spine therapist performs certain joint mobilization and soft tissue procedures in order to restore function and normalize tissue mechanics is known as manual therapy.

Pain Management Modalities: Most patients that opt for spine therapy are looking for relief from pain and inflammation. Through a variety of pain management modalities such as heat, ice, laser treatments, and electrotherapy, patients can relieve their discomfort.

Exercise-Based Therapeutic Techniques: Flexibility, balance, strength, and endurance are all essential for back pain patients to achieve proper mechanics and avoid injuries in the future. Exercise-based therapeutic techniques consist of stretching and strengthening exercises that may be completed with a spine therapist and/or at home.

Patient Education: Patient education is a vital aspect of orthopedic spine therapy. Orthopedic spine therapists will educate you on valuable techniques that will minimize your current symptoms and prevent injury in the future.

Who can benefit from Spine Therapy?

Spine therapy is utilized in treating persons with:

  • Chronic or severe neck, shoulder, back, and/or hip pain
  • Scoliosis (curvature of the spine)
  • Spondylolisthesis (slipped disc)
  • Disc herniation
  • Disc degeneration
  • Facet syndrome
  • Sciatica (leg pain)
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Sacral dysfunction
  • Post-surgical pain or discomfort

How long will it take me to recover?

The time required for spine therapy varies according to the nature and extent of the injury. It also depends on the degree of coordination taking place with other forms of medical treatment. A typical session lasts between 30 minutes and an hour. Therapy may be scheduled from one to four times a week, for a period of a few weeks to a few months.

How Do I Start Spine Therapy?

Spine therapy is a proven means of healing tissue, reducing pain, and regaining mobility for persons suffering from back injuries and disorders. It accomplishes this without surgery but also works well with other forms of care. Spine therapy has the additional advantage of being an alternative method of pain management, without the risk of abuse associated with opioid and other potentially addictive medications.

What should I expect during my first session?

A typical first session is always preceded by a brief consultation and physical therapy examination to determine the possible roots of the symptoms you may be experiencing in your spine. This can be done with or without some form of diagnostic images. Examination will usually entail neurologic tests, range of motion test and tissue palpation.

This will then be followed by a brief therapy session to bring some relief to the symptoms being presently experienced. Based on the outcome of the physical therapy examination and the first session, future therapy sessions will then be recommended.

What type of dress should I wear?

Clients are encouraged to bring along a T shirt and Shorts or long pants / sportswear to make it easier for them experienced their therapy session with utmost ease.

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