As students head back to school and fall sports ramp up, it’s not uncommon for parents to hear complaints about backaches. While sometimes dismissed as growth-related pain or temporary soreness, teen back pain can be worrying. How do you know if it’s just a minor strain from a heavy backpack or something needing closer attention for your adolescent spine health?

Understanding the common causes and recognizing potential warning signs can help you know when it’s okay to wait and see, and when it’s time to seek a professional evaluation.

Common Culprits: Why Teen Backs Might Ache

Adolescence is a time of significant physical change and activity, making teens susceptible to various types of back discomfort. Many instances are not serious and can be linked to:

• Muscle Strain: Overdoing it in sports, improper lifting (like heavy backpacks), or even just sitting with poor posture for long periods can strain back muscles.
• Poor Posture: Slouching over desks, phones, or computers is incredibly common and puts extra stress on the spine and supporting muscles.
• Activity Levels: Both too much intense activity (especially repetitive motions in sports like gymnastics, football, or dancing) and too little activity (leading to weak core muscles) can contribute to pain.

Many parents wonder about teen back pain. A 2023 review written for doctors highlights how common it is, affecting about 40% of adolescents (Givner et al., 2023). While often due to simple muscle strain or posture, the article stresses that pain in teens needs careful evaluation because specific issues related to growth and activity (like stress fractures or disc problems) are also frequent causes that shouldn’t be missed.

Red Flags: Signs It’s Time for an Evaluation

While most back pain in teens is temporary and resolves with rest or simple changes, certain symptoms act as “red flags.” These suggest a potentially more serious underlying issue that requires prompt medical attention. Be watchful for:

• Pain lasting several weeks or getting progressively worse.
• Severe pain that limits normal daily activities (like walking or attending school).
• Pain that consistently wakes your teen up at night.
• Pain that travels down one or both legs.
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs or feet.
• Any problems with bowel or bladder control (this needs immediate attention).
• Symptoms like fever, chills, unexplained weight loss, or generally feeling unwell along with the back pain.
• Pain following a significant fall or injury.

If your teen experiences any of these red flags, it’s crucial to schedule an adolescent spine evaluation with a healthcare professional.

Finding Answers and Support

A thorough evaluation by a doctor or physical therapist is the first step to understanding the cause of persistent or concerning back pain. This usually involves discussing the pain history, performing physical tests, checking reflexes and strength, and assessing posture and movement. Depending on the findings, imaging like X-rays or an MRI might be recommended.

Physical therapy can be very effective for many causes of teen back pain, addressing muscle imbalances, improving core strength, teaching proper posture and body mechanics, and guiding a safe return to activity. Finding the right support also makes a difference. Sabrina G., mother of a patient, shared her appreciation for the “warm environment” and our therapists’ ability to “work effectively with her son who had multiple conditions.” Knowing your teen is in caring, capable hands provides peace of mind during evaluation and treatment.

Most teen back pain improves with time and appropriate care. However, understanding the difference between minor aches and potential red flags is key to ensuring your teen gets the help they need for long-term adolescent spine health. Don’t hesitate to seek professional advice if you have concerns.

Concerned About Your Teen’s Back Pain?

Distinguishing between normal growing pains and something more serious can be challenging. An accurate diagnosis is the first step toward effective relief and protecting your adolescent spine health. Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy offers expert adolescent spine evaluation to determine the cause of your teen’s pain and create the most appropriate treatment plan.

Contact our Visalia office at (559) 733-2478 or our Hanford office at (559) 582-1027 to schedule an evaluation and help your teen get back to feeling their best.

Reference:

Givner, Daniel & Luksch, John & Polansky, Caroline & Mehallo, Christopher. (2023). Lower Back Pain in Adolescents with an Osteopathic Component. Osteopathic Family Physician. 15. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374071743_Lower_Back_Pain_in_Adolescents_with_an_Osteopathic_Component

This is part three of five posts outlining the exceptional benefits and cost savings of seeing a physical therapist first for care of a variety of musculoskeletal, pelvic, and vascular conditions.  The article can be found at valueofpt.com.

If You Have Lower Back Pain And Reside In Visalia Or Hanford – Read This!

Low back pain is one of the most common and debilitating conditions affecting millions of people worldwide. It can significantly hinder daily activities and work productivity. While various treatments are available, early physical therapy intervention stands out as a cost-effective and highly beneficial approach. This article explores the money that can be saved by patients and insurance companies when of physical therapist directed care is utilized for managing low back pain, and why it should be considered a primary treatment option.

Understanding Low Back Pain

Low back pain can stem from various causes, including muscle strain, herniated discs, arthritis, and poor posture. It can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain that makes it hard to move. Acute low back pain lasts for a few days to a few weeks, while chronic back pain persists for more than three months.

The Role of Physical Therapist Directed Care in Treating Low Back Pain

Physical therapy offers a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses the root causes of low back pain and provides long-term relief. At Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy, we use a combination of patient education, biopsychosocial training, manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and personalized treatment to help patients recover and prevent future episodes of back pain.

Here’s More Information About These Various Treatment Techniques:

• Manual Therapy: Our skilled therapists use hands-on techniques to mobilize and manipulate the spine and surrounding tissues. This helps reduce pain, improve mobility, and enhance overall spinal function.
• Therapeutic Exercise: Customized exercise programs strengthen the muscles supporting the spine, improve flexibility, and promote proper posture. These exercises are crucial in alleviating pain and preventing future injuries.
• Patient Education: Educating patients about their condition and how to manage it is essential. We provide guidance on pain management techniques, lifestyle changes, and ergonomic adjustments to help patients maintain a healthy back.
• Personalized Treatment Plans: Every patient is unique, and our therapists create tailored treatment plans that address individual needs and goals. This personalized approach ensures optimal outcomes and long-lasting relief.

The Dollars & Sense of Seeing A Physical Therapist At Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy

Physical therapy not only provides effective pain relief but also offers significant cost savings over other treatments.

• Out of Pocket Savings For Patients: Research shows that physical therapy is a cost-effective treatment for low back pain. A study by the American Physical Therapy Association found that the average cost of physical therapy for low back pain is around $1,000, compared to over $2,000 for traditional primary care management, which often includes medications and diagnostic imaging.
• Reduced Healthcare Costs:Physical therapy can significantly reduce overall healthcare costs by minimizing the need for expensive diagnostic tests, medications, and surgical interventions. Patients who receive early physical therapy intervention are less likely to require costly procedures such as spinal injections or surgery.
• Improved Productivity: By alleviating pain and restoring function, physical therapy helps patients return to work and daily activities more quickly. This reduces lost income and increases productivity. According to the study, patients who received physical therapy for low back pain missed fewer days of work and reported higher productivity levels compared to those who did not receive physical therapy.
• Prevention of Chronic Pain: Early intervention with physical therapy can prevent acute low back pain from becoming chronic. Chronic back pain is associated with higher healthcare costs and more significant loss of productivity. By addressing the issue early, physical therapy can save patients from the long-term economic burden associated with chronic pain management.

Success Stories from Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy

I had come in with minor to major back pain from 4-5 days of the week. I was a bit skeptical to start but with 2-3 visits I saw immediate results. Now if I have back pain, it’s maybe down to 1 day a week. Great place and staff! Highly recommended!
Michael M.
– Google

Why Choose Physical Therapy?

Choosing physical therapy for low back pain is not just a smart economic decision but also a proactive step towards better health. Physical therapy offers:

• Non-Invasive Treatment: Unlike surgery, physical therapy is non-invasive and carries no risk of surgical complications.
• Natural Pain Relief: Physical therapy focuses on natural pain relief through exercise and manual techniques, avoiding the need for medications.
• Long-Term Benefits: With improved mobility and reduced pain, patients can enjoy a better quality of life and reduced risk of future back pain episodes.

Take The First Step To Affordable & Effective Relief

If you or a loved one is struggling with low back pain, don’t wait to seek help.

Call us today at (559) 733-2478 in Visalia or (559) 582-1027 in Hanford to schedule an appointment and learn more about how physical therapy can help you.

In Summary:

Low back pain doesn’t have to dictate your life. Physical therapy offers a cost-effective, non-invasive, and highly effective treatment option that can alleviate pain, improve function, and enhance your overall quality of life. Choose Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy for expert care and take the first step towards a pain-free life today.

Reference

For more detailed information, please refer to the PDF report from the American Physical Therapy Association available at valueofpt.com .

Dealing with acute lower back pain can feel like a solitary journey, but it doesn’t have to be. Physical therapy stands out as a beacon of hope, offering not just immediate relief but also a pathway to long-term recovery. Here’s how seeing one of the physical therapists in Visalia or Hanford can save you a lot of time, money, and unnecessary suffering.

Recent studies have shown that choosing physical therapy as the first line of treatment can save patients significant amounts in healthcare costs. For instance, the American Physical Therapy Association’s report reveals that physical therapy can result in average net savings of $4,160 per episode of care when compared to other treatment options for conditions like acute lower back pain.

Understanding the Impact of Acute Lower Back Pain

Acute lower back pain is more than just an inconvenience; it’s a global issue affecting millions each year. The discomfort can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp sensation, making everyday activities seem daunting. While the causes vary, the urgency for effective, non-invasive treatments remains constant.

The Physical Therapy Advantage

Physical therapy isn’t merely about symptom management; it’s about treating the root cause and prevention of pain in the future too. Here’s how it makes a profound difference:

1. Tailored Treatment Plans: Physical therapists assess each individual’s specific condition, crafting personalized treatment plans. This approach ensures that each movement and exercise directly targets the source of the pain, promoting a faster and more sustainable recovery.
2. Pain Reduction and Improved Mobility: Through a combination of manual therapy, strengthening exercises, and flexibility routines, physical therapy helps in reducing pain and enhancing mobility. This proactive approach not only alleviates discomfort but also improves overall functionality, allowing individuals to return to their daily routines with ease.
3. Preventing Future Episodes: One of the most significant aspects of physical therapy is its focus on education and future injury prevention. Patients learn proper body mechanics, posture correction, and exercises that they can incorporate into their daily lives, significantly reducing the risk of future back pain episodes.
4. Economic Efficiency: Opting for physical therapy can lead to substantial cost savings. By reducing the need for expensive medical procedures and minimizing the reliance on pain medications, patients can enjoy a more cost-effective route to back pain management.

Embracing a Pain-Free Future

Physical therapy represents a holistic, patient-centered approach to acute lower back pain management. Its benefits extend beyond immediate pain relief, offering long-term solutions and preventive strategies that empower individuals to lead a pain-free life.

In the journey towards overcoming acute lower back pain, physical therapy stands out as a comprehensive, economical, and empowering treatment option, ensuring that patients not only recover but also thrive.

For an in-depth understanding of the economic and health benefits of physical therapy, refer to the detailed analysis in the APTA report.

If You Are Suffering With Acute Lower Back Pain, We Have Two Convenient Locations – Contact Us Today!

References:

• APTA’s “The Economic Value of Physical Therapy” Report: This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of physical therapy across various conditions, including acute lower back pain.
• APTA Report

By incorporating these insights and strategies, individuals dealing with acute lower back pain can embark on a transformative journey towards recovery, backed by the expert care and guidance of physical therapy professionals.

Positive Lifestyle Behaviors And Emotional Factors Can Improve Resilience in Patients With Low Back Pain

If you are suffering with lower back pain on the left, right, or across and down a leg, here’s something that might help with mindset…from our back pain treatment experts in Visalia.  Of course, I’m referring to our doctors of physical therapy.

Half Experience This Problem – Here’s Some Background

Low back pain is extremely common. About one-half of all working Americans will experience symptoms at least once per year, and roughly 31 million are affected by it at any given point in time. It is also the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide. So if you’ve dealt with low back pain at any point, you’re far from alone.

Dealing with low back pain can be troublesome and place a strain on everyday life, as many typical movements—like bending over to pick something off the ground or twisting your torso when looking to the side—can become strenuous or difficult. In addition, up to two-thirds of patients with low back pain report having persistent pain one year later, which can make matters worse.

Searching for Back Pain Treatment in Visalia? We Offer a Long-Term Solution

This highlights the need to identify solutions that will help relieve the years of suffering that can be associated with low back pain. Physical therapy and other nonsurgical interventions are typically recommended as the first line of treatment for low back pain, but since the origins of pain are complex and derived from physical, mental, and social factors, a multifaceted approach that addresses these varied factors may be most effective.

Resilience – It Means More than Just Putting Up with the Pain

Resilience is a dynamic process that relates to a patient’s ability to adapt and adjust to adversity, which results in either recovery or sustainability of the adverse circumstance. This concept is one our back pain treatment experts in Visalia apply. It’s likely to be applicable because it takes the focus away from the negative components of the condition, and places it instead on the positive components to show patients that recovery is possible.

The Research

Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between lifestyle behaviors and emotional health factors on low back pain resilience, which was assessed through recovery and sustainability. Researchers administered a survey to 1,065 twins who had low back pain for at least one day in the previous three months at the start of the study. The survey was used to gather information and create a lifestyle behavior score (based on body mass index, activity engagements, sleep quality, smoking and alcohol use) and emotional health score (based on the absence of depression, perceived stress, active coping). Follow-up surveys were administered every 2–3 years to compare these scores with the primary outcomes of low back pain resilience assessed as recovery and sustainability of maintaining high levels of function despite having low back pain.

Although no relationship was found between the lifestyle behavioral score and the emotional health score to a likelihood of recovery from low back pain, there was a positive association between these scores and greater levels of sustainability of function despite having low back pain. The results suggest that people who adopt positive lifestyle behaviors and positive emotional factors are more likely to be resilient and more likely to maintain high levels of function despite having low back pain episodes.

Our Back Pain Experts Address Both Lifestyle & Emotional Health

Patients with low back pain are therefore encouraged to focus on addressing both lifestyle behaviors and emotional health factors—such as those identified in this study—in addition to physical interventions to improve their ability to sustain their pain and function better.

Contact Our Back Pain Treatment Experts in Visalia…and Hanford Too

If you’re dealing with low back pain and are looking for additional guidance, we can help. Contact Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) for more information or to schedule an appointment today.  Click here to visit our contact page for details.

Patients’ And Healthcare Providers’ Perceptions On Back Pain Do Not Always Align

Low back pain is jarringly common. About one-half of all working Americans will experience related symptoms at least once every year, and roughly 31 million are affected by it at any given point in time. In essence, low back pain is just “one of those things” that we will all probably face in the eventual future if we haven’t already faced.

Dealing with low back pain can be troublesome and place a strain on everyday life. Typical movements like bending over to pick something off the ground or twisting your torso when looking to the side might suddenly give you pause and make you less mobile. This regular reminder naturally leads to frustration and often creates a shift in focus to one question: “what’s causing my pain?”

As a result, many patients with low back pain start to place a particularly strong—sometimes unhealthy—emphasis on obtaining a diagnosis. This desire may be explained by several factors, such as the assumption that the diagnosis will provide a clear explanation of what is causing the pain and what treatments will improve it, even though this is rarely true. Nonetheless, not receiving a diagnosis can lead to anger and frustration in patients who feel that they are not being heard or understood. Some healthcare providers may also experience frustration with low back pain patients who expect their problem to be “fixed” by certain interventions, regardless of how realistic these expectations are.

Healthcare providers underestimate the importance of an explanation for pain

A study was therefore conducted to evaluate the expectations of patients with low back pain and compare these expectations to the assumptions of the healthcare providers who treat them. This was a survey-based study, which administered one survey to 419 patients who were visiting a doctor for low back pain for the first time. In addition to questions about demographics and pain characteristics, this survey included 8 variables frequently related to the medical care of low back pain (eg, improvement in pain/function, explanation of what is causing the pain, diagnostic testing, medication, physical therapy, and surgery), which patients were asked to rank in terms of personal importance on a 5-point scale. A similar survey was given to 198 healthcare providers, who were asked to rank the same 8 variables in terms of their importance to patients.

Patients considered an explanation for what is causing their pain to be far more important

Results showed that both patients and healthcare providers attributed similar—and high—levels of importance to the improvement of pain and the improvement of function; however, there were also several key differences in the assessment of expectations. Patients considered an explanation for what is causing their pain to be far more important than healthcare providers believed, while patients attributed much less importance to diagnostic tests, medications, and surgery compared to healthcare providers. This suggests that healthcare providers are more driven to act by ordering tests and administering treatments for their patients, while patients appear to be more interested in receiving a diagnosis.

Unfortunately, a clear diagnosis for low back pain is not always possible, or helpful.

Approximately 70–80% of all low back pain cases do not have a specific identifiable cause and are classified instead as “non-specific back pain,” which patients could contribute to patients’ frustration because it does not explain their pain. It’s also worth noting that some apparent back pain diagnoses—like a herniated disc—may not truly be responsible for the patient’s pain, which can lead to unnecessary and unhelpful treatments being undertaken.

Nonetheless, this study shows that it is essential for healthcare providers to clearly communicate with patients and educate them on the nature of low back pain, particularly by explaining that not all pain is dangerous or a reflection of injury.

As physical therapists, we incorporate these methods into our practice, and explain to each of our patients with low back pain that a diagnosis is usually less important than they might think. Instead, we start patients on a comprehensive treatment program right away that will address their pain and functional limitations without the need for other diagnostic tests that could possibly do more harm than good.

Contact Us Today for Help

So, if you’re dealing with low back pain, we invite you to contact Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) to learn more or schedule an appointment today.

Opioid Use Persists In Many Patients After Common Spine Surgery

The prevalence of pain is far greater in the spine than anywhere else in the body. In fact, back pain ranks only behind skin disorders and osteoarthritis/joint disorders in top reasons to visit a doctor. Up to 80% of the general population will experience at least one episode of back pain in their lives, and about 65 million Americans report dealing with a back-related issue recently. So, if your back is bothering you right now, you’re far from alone.

Most cases of back pain will resolve on their own over time, and studies consistently show that patients with persistent or chronic back pain can improve from conservative interventions like physical therapy. But research has also shown that opioids represent one of the most prescribed treatments for back pain, either along with other conservative interventions or independently. The high risk for abuse and addiction with opioids is well documented by now, and these drugs also fail to truly resolve patients’ pain by only masking the sensation and tricking the brain that it has dissipated.

Surgical procedures like lumbar spinal fusion—which joins together two moveable bones in the lower back—is typically regarded as a last resort for chronic back pain, but rates of this surgery have been steadily increasing over the past few decades.

In addition, up to 70% of patients who decide to have surgery have already begun taking opioids by this point, with nearly 20% being dependent on opioids prior to their procedure. The use of opioids may affect outcomes, and most patients would prefer to not take opioids for an extended period after their procedure. But statistics show that continual use is somewhat common, both in patients taking opioids before surgery and in those who do not.

More than one in three patients are taking opioids six months after surgery

Therefore, a study was conducted to determine how many patients who undergo lumbar spinal fusion continue to take opioids in the long term. This type of study was called a systematic review, in which researchers performed a comprehensive search of four major medical databases to identify relevant studies that tracked the use of opioids in patients for at least six months after a lumbar spinal fusion procedure. A total of 329 studies were identified in the search that met all inclusion criteria. Of these, only 32 (9.7%) included data on the use of opioids, and only 21 (6.4% of all included studies) tracked the use of opioids for at least six months.

Analysis of this data revealed that the long-term use of opioids after surgery varied greatly from 6% to 86%. The average across all studies was 35%, with an average follow-up of 34 months. This suggests that more than one in three patients were taking opioids for at least six months after undergoing lumbar spinal fusion. The percentage of patients who were on opioids before the procedure also varied substantially, from 23% to 76%.

Based on these findings, it appears that many patients who have spine surgery continue to rely on opioids for pain relief for six months or more after their procedure. This contradicts with most patients’ expectations, as it is a common conception that surgery will automatically alleviate pain and eliminate the need for continual pain medication.

This information is particularly valuable for patients with chronic low back pain who are weighing the pros and cons of surgery.

While surgeries like lumbar spinal fusion may be appropriate and beneficial for certain patients, this study shows that it may not always lead to the outcomes that most patients expect, and it could maintain or create a reliance on opioids in the long term. For these reasons, we believe physical therapy is a much safer and more effective option for most cases of low back pain, since it can often produce long-term relief without the need for opioids.

Experiencing Lower Back Pain? Give Physical Therapy a Try

If you’re dealing with low back pain, we invite you to contact Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy at 559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) to learn more or to schedule an appointment today.