Has anyone had PT for low back pain and did it help?

Posted by phxbarb @phxbarb, Apr 25 4:05pm

I am currently in PT but thinking I have the wrong therapist. She noted my scoliosis curve and is making a big deal of it, without concentrating on exercises for the lumbar region. I cannot get my curve to change now, I am 82. I want exercises to help the low back pain, which I find on Youtube, not in PT. I am getting ready to quit PT, but feel like I have to give it more time. Who else has done PT for low back pain?

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rockon79 | @rockon79 | 4 days ago

In reply to @loriesco "I’ve done it for 30 years, lol! To be honest, some of that needs to be..." + (show)

@loriesco

I’ve done it for 30 years, lol! To be honest, some of that needs to be done to be documented for the insurance company that you’ve moved through that phase and then onto something else. I recommend the most important thing is to have a qualified orthopedic surgeon who you work with Who will tell you when you need surgery and when you should be referred for PT or other pain management. I also want to recommend that you look into MFR myofascial tissue release and I’m sure that will help part of your problem! (If you get the right MFR therapist) I tried several before I found a really good one. And I can tell you that all the grueling pain I go through when he massages the lower lumbar cervical spine, which is impacted by my scoliosis (I’ve already had surgery in my lumbar at L3 L4, L5.) however, the areas around it are weakening, and the scoliosis is Now Causing muscles to be weakened in the surrounding areas. The deep myofascial tissue release is amazing. Planting Inc regularly I go twice a month and I pay out of my own pocket because I found a great guy. I always feel like I need back surgery again but after I get up off the table, I have a new life for a couple weeks. It’s really hard as we age to keep those para spinal muscle muscles strong (the little muscles that come off the spine); especially where you have had surgery or fusion (hardware that holds your bones apart keeping them straight) and areas around where your scoliosis is. The MFR I will be doing for the rest of my life. It stays off the next spine surgeries which will remedy the increasing scoliosis as my back degenerates. I hope you can advocate for yourself or have someone who can help you. Sometimes it can be very defeating, but I have really great days interspersed with the crappy ones and I just keep in mind what I still need to accomplish for the rest of my life and that gets me through. Good luck.

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In my case it did not help at all. My spinal cord was severely pinched by spinal bone and disc deterioration. That type of direct nerve aggravation can not be fixed by PT! The extra movement from the sessions made my pain worse, taking a full day to recover. The point being; you have to try to determine exactly what is causing the pain. PT can be helpful for certain conditions, but it is not a panacea. Unfortunately, it gets prescribed much too often inappropriately!

rks1947 | @rks1947 | 3 days ago

Yes and no

coppertop10 | @coppertop10 | 2 days ago

Yes! PT saved me when I was in my early 30s. I had a herniated disc at L5/S1 and was offered surgery. I went to PT to learn about proper biomechanics so that I would not be moving my body in ways that made the situation worse. I still remember the things I learned.... Also, I went to a chiro who did the Active release technique on me, which was much more gentle that the usual snap, crackle, pop. This brought blood flow around the disc to help it heal. My disc eventually shrank and I am almost completely pain free more than a decade later. I think there is great reason to be hopeful with PT, but you need to find the right person, just like anything else.