When to go to Physical Therapy?

July 20th, 2016

Recently I was approached with a question from an acquaintance, “ I have been having lower back pain for about a month. Do you think I should come to Physical Therapy or wait and see if my pain gets better on its own.”

Just the same as any other medical condition early detection and treatment is always the best choice. The longer the problem lingers the more likely it will progress into something more severe. Often times the more proactive a patient is in coming to us for an evaluation the quicker the recovery time. For example, if a patient has an SI joint (lower back) alignment issue this can easily be corrected with stretching and manual joint mobility, followed by strengthening and core stability. However if the problem is ignored for weeks or even months there is a greater risk that other impairments will emerge such as hip pain, knee or foot pain secondary to muscular compensation. Therefore if you are having an issue do not procrastinate visiting a Physical Therapist for an evaluation, it could prevent months or even years of unnecessary pain.