BACK PAIN
Our unique approach includes full assessment and effective treatment, bringing you relief from day 1.
Initially we use specific manual therapy techniques (including dry needling) to bring your relief and out of pain. We will then work with you to develop a home exercise program that will help you maintain the benefits made.
Our Initial Assessment is one hour so that we can get to know about your history, goals and get to the underlying reasons why you are in pain. We do this by observing you move along with specific muscle and joint testing.
Our goal is to provide short term relief as well as give you strategies to help you confidently self-manage in the long run.
TYPES OF BACK INJURIES WE TREAT
Acute Back Strain/Sprain
Lifting or twisting the wrong way can result injuries to the muscles, ligaments and joints in the spine leading to pain and reduced range of movement. The pain can be severe for a few days, but improves as you get moving again.
Disc Injury
This type of injury can be extremely painful and cause severe restriction in range of movement, especially in flexion (bending forwards) and sitting can also be very problematic. Discs can be compressed due to excess pressure from lifting and moving poorly. Often the disc gets compressed over many years and one small insignificant movement is enough to "break the camels back". Treatment involves McKenzie exercises to decompress the spine as well as massage, dry needling and joint mobilization to get you back on track. Tape (rigid or kinesio) can often be used in the short-term to stabilise the spine.
Sciatica
The sciatic nerve is the biggest nerve in the body and when the lumbar disc becomes inflamed, it can extend into the nerve. Pain as well and pins and needles and numbness, may be felt right through the leg and into the foot and toes. Treatment involves deep tissue massage, trigger point dry needling, stretching joint mobilization and a structured home exercise program.
Pirirformis Syndrome
The piriformis muscle runs from the pelvis to the back of the hip and its job is to stabilize the the leg and also turn the leg outwards. Often due to weakness in the gluteal and/or core muscles, the piriformis over compensates leading to excess tightness. The sciatic nerve which runs very close to this muscle also commonly becomes compressed when the pirifomis gets overly tight. Treatment involves deep tissue massage, trigger point dry needling, stretching joint mobilization and a structured home exercise program.
Chronic Back Pain
When pain has been present for more than 3 months, it is termed "chronic" and a more holistic approach must be taken. Chronic pain is a complex state and treatment must be multi-factorial. 3 months is generally the amount of time needed for healing of the tissues to take place. After this time, the nervous system becomes sensitised and there is ongoing perceived threat in the body/mind. This leads to a sympathetic dominant state, characterized by pain, increase muscle tension, increased heart rate and blood pressure. Research shows a combination of education, manual therapy and a graded exercise program is the gold standard for treatment.
OTHER DIAGNOSES WE TREAT
Lumbar Radiculopathy
Sciatica
Herniated Disc
Facet Dysfunction
Muscle Spasm/Tension
Sprain/Strain
Stenosis
Instability/Spondylolisthesis
Arthritis
Degenerative Disc/Joint Disease
Sacroiliac Dysfunction
Pregnancy Related Back Pain
Thoracic Spine Pain
Rib Dysfunction
Post-op