Is Back Pain Slowing You Down?
A clearer path to relief starts with understanding what is holding your movement back—and choosing care that is built around you.
Physical Therapy Can Help You Move Beyond Back Pain
Back pain can be one of the most debilitating conditions, affecting up to 80% of people at some point in life. The encouraging news is that there are practical, personalized ways to reduce pain, restore function, and get back to the things that make your life feel full.
Unfortunately, many low back pain diagnoses are non-specific, meaning the exact source can be difficult to identify. For some people, untreated lower back pain can lead to long-term pain, dysfunction, and even nerve damage. The pain itself can make reaching, leaning, kneeling, lifting, bending, and spending time with friends and family feel harder than they should.
With guidance from your physical therapist, you can find solutions to your pain and learn how to manage it—so you can return to living the life you enjoy.
What We Know About the Causes of Back Pain
Mechanical low back pain starts in and around the spine itself. Pain may come from injury or irritation of muscles, joints (including intervertebral discs and facet joints), nerves, surrounding ligaments, or other soft tissue.
Common contributors can include:
- Improper posture or prolonged positions, including extended sitting.
- Spinal muscle and tissue damage, such as lifting strains or trauma from an accident.
- Limited hip, spine, or pelvis mobility.
- Limited muscle flexibility.
- Spinal and pelvic muscle weakness, often described as core weakness.
- Poor abdominal, pelvic, and back-muscle coordination following injury.
A lot of people do not seek treatment when back pain arises. They may assume that nothing except rest or medication can help. A physical therapist can help you explore the factors that are actually driving your symptoms and create a plan around your needs.
Physical Therapy Is an Effective Back Pain Solution
For many people, back pain resolves on its own. For those who continue to experience pain, physical therapy can help. Treatment may include manual therapy, joint mobilization or manipulation, exercise instruction, education, and approaches such as the McKenzie Method or therapeutic yoga.
Your therapist assesses your particular condition to identify contributing factors and address all of them. Instead of focusing on one possible source of pain, we build a comprehensive plan designed to reduce pain, improve movement, and restore function.
Back Pain Prevention
Limit Sitting for Too Long
Prolonged sitting is not ideal for your back or your overall health. Adjusting your posture can help, but standing up periodically throughout the day is even more effective. Try limiting sitting to 30–45 minutes at a time.
Use Good Posture
Your spine is designed to move, which means your posture should move, too. When standing, imagine your breastbone lifting gently toward the sky. This cue can help keep your hips, spine, shoulders, and neck aligned.
Use Strength Training
Your body has hundreds of muscles that protect and control your spine. Lifting weights, running, and swimming can help keep them strong. Training the muscles of your hips, pelvis, and spine—the core muscles—can make a meaningful difference.
Sources: PubMed · PubMed · PubMed · Cochrane Library
Your next step
Call Our Clinic Today
Visit a physical therapist for a comprehensive assessment and learn what steps you can take to alleviate your pain and prevent further episodes. If you have a history of back injuries, pain, or minor aches, do not hesitate to talk to a physical therapist. We offer the results you are looking for.
Move of the month
Build a More Supported Back
Bird Dog
Start on your hands and knees on a mat or table. Brace your abdominals and keep your back flat. Slowly raise one arm straight out in front of you while raising the opposite leg behind you until both limbs are straight and parallel with the ground.
Lower them back down with control, then repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Focus on a long spine and smooth, steady breathing—not how high you can lift your limbs.
If this movement causes pain or you are unsure whether it is right for you, ask a MEDIQ physical therapist for guidance.
Your partners in better health
Meet the Team
Stephanie Rosecrans, PT, DPT, OCS
Dr. Stephanie Rosecrans earned her Bachelor’s degree and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She completed an orthopedic residency and is a board certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist.
She treats a wide range of orthopedic conditions and is passionate about helping patients regain function, reduce pain, and return to their daily activities with confidence. Her care emphasizes patient education and evidence based practice, guided by the belief that movement is medicine.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the outdoors.
In her free time, she enjoys paddle boarding and hiking.
Keep moving with confidence
Working Out With Arthritis: Tips From Our PTs
Since skipping physical activity can worsen arthritis symptoms, you may be wondering how to keep moving safely. Do not worry: the MEDIQ team is here to help.
Your first step is to schedule an appointment with us. It is essential to have a clear idea about which activities you can safely participate in without putting too much pressure on your joints. We can also work with you to strengthen muscular imbalances and generally get you ready to get moving.
We can help you select activities that are suitable for arthritis. Look for low-impact workouts that go easier on your joints. Most importantly, choose something you enjoy—because the more fun you are having, the more likely you are to keep doing it.
Physical Therapist-Approved Exercise Ideas
Once you have been cleared to begin a new exercise program, our PTs suggest considering:
- Walking outdoors, ideally on a gentle dirt trail, or indoors on a treadmill.
- Golf.
- Cycling.
- Swimming.
- A customized exercise program at MEDIQ Physical Therapy.
If you have questions about working out with arthritis, do not hesitate to call us. Our team is happy to guide you through the process.
Source: Arthritis Foundation
Patient stories
Real Progress. Real People.
★★★★★
The entire team listened to my goals, helped me understand the “why” behind every step, and made me feel capable again. I am back to moving with confidence.
— MediQ Patient
★★★★★
I came in frustrated by pain that kept getting in the way of normal life. My therapist gave me a practical plan, challenged me at the right pace, and helped me feel stronger each week.
— MediQ Patient
★★★★★
The care felt personal from day one. I never felt rushed, and I left each session knowing exactly what to work on to keep progressing at home.
— MediQ Patient
Recipe of the month
Tahini Mississippi Mud Pie
This decadent dessert combines dark chocolate, creamy tahini, and a buttery graham cracker crust, topped with optional walnuts and cocoa for the perfect finish. Great for holidays, dinner parties, or anytime you need a wow-worthy sweet treat.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups chocolate sandwich cookies
- 7 tablespoons butter
For the brownie layer
- ¾ cup dark chocolate (70% cocoa),
broken into small pieces - 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon tahini
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
For the topping
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons vanilla custard
- ½ cup dark chocolate (70% cocoa),
broken into small pieces - 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- Sesame brittle
Instructions
- Put the cookies in a food processor and process to crumbs, or tip into a bowl and gently crush with the end of a rolling pin. Mix in the melted butter. Tip into a deep 10in fluted tart pan, and use a spoon to press the crumbs into the base and up the sides of the tart pan making sure it’s compact and there are no gaps. Leave to chill in the fridge.
- Heat the oven to 350F. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring regularly until smooth, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water). In another bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with an electric hand mixer for 4-5 mins until creamy.
- Pour the chocolate mixture and tahini into the sugar and egg mixture. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and ½ tsp salt over the wet ingredients, then gently fold everything together, being careful not to knock out too much air. Pour the brownie mixture into the tart shell and put on a baking sheet (some butter might ooze from the pan). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 mins until just set – it should still have a wobble in the center. Cool at room temperature for about 2 hrs.
- Meanwhile, make the topping. Put the custard and chocolate in a pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Spread the chocolate custard over the brownie layer. Chill for 30 mins until firm.
- Whip the cream, 1 tbsp tahini and powdered sugar together until it holds soft peaks. Pile on top of the pie and decorate with the sesame brittle. Will keep chilled for up to three days.
Ready to Start Moving Better?
Find a MEDIQ location near you and begin a care plan designed around your body, your goals, and the life you want to get back to.
