Managing Your Back and Neck Pain with Physical Therapy

Back and neck pain are two of the most common musculoskeletal problems, affecting more than half of adults at some point in their lives. For many, these issues improve with rest and activity changes, but if your symptoms persist, you may wonder whether surgery is the only treatment option.

At Performance Therapy Institute, with offices in Brentwood, Nashville, and Nolensville, Tennessee, our experienced team regularly uses physical therapy (PT) to ease back and neck pain. Read on to learn how physical therapy can help relieve back and neck pain and improve your quality of life.

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy is a noninvasive, outpatient treatment that combines stretches, strengthening exercises, and manual therapies, like therapeutic massage. It’s often used to help people recover after surgery or a medical event, such as a stroke or sports injury, but can also be used to manage pain and improve mobility.

During treatment, you work one-on-one with a qualified physical therapist. Your therapist monitors you during activities to ensure your safety and proper form, adjusting your care plan over time to support your body’s healing process.

Beginning physical therapy: What to expect

Since back and neck pain occurs for various reasons, we complete a comprehensive evaluation before developing a treatment plan. This involves a review of your medical records, a discussion of your symptoms, and a physical exam that assesses your strength, posture, balance, and range of motion.

Tell your provider if you’ve been diagnosed with any musculoskeletal conditions, like osteoarthritis. Likewise, let them know if you’ve recently undergone any diagnostic tests, such as X-rays or an MRI, since they can help guide treatment.

After we gather a complete picture of your symptoms and limitations, we make personalized treatment recommendations.

How physical therapy helps manage back and neck pain

No two physical therapy treatment plans are exactly alike, but they often include several techniques to support your recovery. These techniques include:

Strengthening exercises

Research suggests that people with weak core muscles are more susceptible to lower back pain. Targeted strengthening exercises can help build up the muscles in your abdomen and lower back, providing additional support for your spine. A strong core also helps maintain proper posture, so you’re less likely to strain and injure yourself.

Stretches

Stretching is a safe, effective way to improve the flexibility of the muscles and other soft tissues in your back and neck. It reduces inflammation, increases circulation, and supports a wider range of motion. 

Stretching can even help you manage pain. A study published in Clinical Rehabilitation concluded that regular stretching exercises decreased neck and shoulder pain, improved neck function, and enhanced quality of life in people with moderate to severe chronic neck and shoulder pain.

Proprioceptive training

These exercises improve your sense of balance and body awareness. They make you more stable on your feet and less likely to experience a fall. Since proprioceptive training also improves posture, it’s often used to relieve neck and back pain. Examples of proprioceptive training include balancing on one leg, chair pushups, and squatting on a Bosu ball. 

Passive therapy

Most physical therapy programs include manual therapies, such as therapeutic massage, heat and ice therapy, and electrical stimulation. These techniques ease muscle tension, increase circulation, and support joint mobility. They also reduce inflammation and encourage the body’s healing process, making neck and back pain much more manageable.

We can help you manage back and neck pain!

Neck and back pain can keep you from work and other activities you enjoy. Physical therapy can help you safely address musculoskeletal discomfort. Contact us to explore physical therapy as a treatment option. Call the nearest office or book your appointment online today.