Back Pain Physical Therapy in Berkeley Heights

1 in 10 adults in the U.S - report being limited in their daily activities due to persistent or chronic back pain. A skilled physical therapist can develop a system of personalized treatments to reduce or alleviate your acute or chronic back pain.

Common Back Injuries

• Sciatica: can be recognized as shooting pain from the lower back down one or both legs. This is caused by injury or irritation to the sciatic nerve, the longest and thickest nerve in the body. We offer physical therapy for sciatica.

• Spinal Arthritis: refers to inflammation of facet joints in the neck and back. Caused by a variety of factors, spinal arthritis causes stiffness in the back, reduced mobility of the head, swelling over the affected vertebra, and generalized pain.

• Herniated or Bulging Discs: discs are rubbery cushions that sit between your vertebrae. A herniated, bulging, or slipped disc occurs when the soft, jelly-like nucleus pushes through a crack or tear in the exterior portion of the disc. This can occur at any vertebra and causes radiating pain, weakness, and numbness from the affected area down one or both legs. 

• Osteoporosis: is the leading cause of back pain in the United States, affecting between 500-700,000 people each year. It causes bones to weaken and become brittle. Over time, this degradation can cause chronic back pain and improper and painful posture. 

Physical Therapy For Acute and Chronic Back Pain

Back injuries are one of the most common reasons individuals are prescribed or seek physical therapy. Physical therapists will use a variety of active and passive techniques to relieve pain, improve flexibility and mobility, and strengthen your back against further injury. While progress varies from individual to individual, it remains the first-line treatment according to the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health.