Why Choose City Physiotherapy to Treat Your Chronic Lower Back Pain and Spine?
We spend much of our lives in limited positions, such as sitting at a desk or on the couch for prolonged periods of time, causing our spinal joints to become stiff. These positions can lead to facet joint pain, low back pain, poor posture, and stiff backs. They cause joints to shift into places with a restricted range of motion.
If we do not regularly move our spinal joints through their full range of motion, they’ll get stiffer and stiffer. Multiply this over months and years; it is no wonder your spinal joints can become rigid.
Our highly skilled physiotherapists at our Physiotherapy clinic in Adelaide use a combination of hands-on treatment techniques to improve your spinal range of movement. These can range from gentle spinal mobilisations to manipulations of your spinal segments. Often, releasing tight muscles and fascia around your stiff spinal joints helps to improve your range of motion. This improvement in range of motion reduces pain and improves performance.
What is Spinal Manipulation?
Spinal manipulation, also known as spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), is a manual therapy technique designed to address musculoskeletal and nervous system disorders. It involves applying controlled forces to joints and soft tissues, aiming to enhance mobility, alleviate pain, and promote the body’s natural healing processes.
Physiotherapists frequently employ spinal manipulation to manage various conditions, including neck pain, back pain, and headaches. Spinal manipulation can significantly improve a patient’s quality of life by restoring proper joint function and reducing nerve irritability.
What are the Benefits of Spinal Manipulation Therapy?
Spinal manipulation therapy offers numerous benefits for individuals suffering from musculoskeletal issues. Some of the key advantages include:
- Relief from chronic neck pain and acute neck pain
- Enhanced range of motion and reduced joint stiffness
- Decreased muscle tension and inflammation
- Improved joint mobility and overall function
- Benefits and risks of spinal manipulation targeting the lumbar spine, including its therapeutic potential for low back pain and documented adverse effects
Spinal manipulation therapy can be effectively combined with other treatments, such as physical therapy, exercise, and medication, to provide a comprehensive care plan for patients with musculoskeletal and nervous system disorders. This integrative approach ensures patients receive the most effective and holistic treatment possible.
What Conditions are Treated with Spinal Manipulation?
Spinal manipulation is a versatile treatment method used to address a wide range of conditions, including:
- Chronic low back pain and acute low back pain
- Neck pain and cervical spine manipulation
- Headaches and migraines
- Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome
- Sciatica and leg pain
- Sports injuries and enhancement of athletic performance
Moreover, spinal manipulation can be beneficial in treating spinal dysfunctions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis. By targeting the root causes of these conditions, spinal manipulation helps to alleviate pain and restore normal function.
Safety and Contra-indications
While spinal manipulation is generally considered safe, it is essential to be aware of certain contra-indications and potential risks that can occur in extremely rare circumstances. These include:
- Vertebral artery dissection and stroke
- Herniated discs and spinal cord injury
- Osteoporosis and spinal fractures
- Cancer and spinal metastases
- Infection and spinal abscess
It is crucial to consult with a qualified healthcare professional to ensure the safety and appropriateness of spinal manipulation therapy. They will assess your individual needs and medical history to determine if spinal manipulation is a suitable treatment option for you. This careful evaluation helps minimise risks and maximise the therapeutic benefits of spinal manipulation therapy.
Clinical Prediction Rule
A Clinical Prediction Rule (CPR) is a valuable tool used by healthcare professionals to guide clinical decision-making and optimise patient outcomes. In the realm of spinal manipulation, CPRs help identify patients who are most likely to benefit from spinal manipulative therapy (SMT). Using specific criteria, practitioners can tailor their treatment approach to maximise effectiveness.
Patients who meet four or more of the following criteria are more likely to experience significant relief:
- Pain duration of less than 16 days
- Absence of symptoms extending below the knee
- Positive FABER test (Flexion, Abduction, and External Rotation)
- Internal hip rotation more significant than 35 degrees
- Positive extension-rotation test
By applying these criteria, healthcare professionals can better determine which patients will benefit most from spinal manipulation, ensuring a more targeted and effective treatment plan. This approach not only enhances patient outcomes but also optimises the use of spinal manipulative therapy in clinical practice.
What to Expect from Spinal Treatment
Considering treatment for your spinal issues? Here’s what you can expect during the process:
- Initial Consultation: Your treatment will start with a thorough consultation, asking about your medical history, symptoms, and lifestyle. This helps us understand the root cause of your discomfort and tailor the treatment to your specific needs.
- Physical Examination: Your physiotherapist will then conduct a detailed physical examination, assessing your range of motion, muscle strength, and joint mobility. This step is crucial for diagnosing the underlying issues and planning the appropriate treatment.
- Diagnosis: After the consultation and examination, The cause of your symptoms will be determined. This diagnosis forms the foundation of your personalised treatment plan.
- Physiotherapy Treatment: The core of physiotherapy treatment involves spinal manipulation through manual therapy to address spinal dysfunctions and improve joint mobility. This hands-on technique aims to restore proper alignment and alleviate pain.
- Additional Therapies: To complement the spinal manipulation, your physiotherapist may incorporate other treatments such as remedial massage, physical therapy, or specific exercises. These additional treatments enhance the overall effectiveness of physiotherapy care.
It’s important to note that physiotherapy treatment is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Each treatment plan is customised to meet your unique needs and goals. Ensuring you choose a licensed and experienced physiotherapist who uses evidence-based techniques and follows proper safety protocols is essential for achieving the best outcomes.
By understanding what to expect from physiotherapy treatment, you can approach our Adelaide clinic with confidence and take proactive steps towards better spinal health.
Why does it matter if I have stiff joints?
If you are suffering from stiff joints or your back feels stiff and painful, we recommend you get treatment now. Did you know that your spinal joints need to move through their full range of motion regularly to maintain their natural movement? Physiotherapy treatment can help maintain joint health and prevent degenerative changes by ensuring proper joint lubrication and mobility.
A joint’s lubrication is synovial fluid; it is your body’s form of nutrition for keeping healthy joints. Therefore, a stiff joint does not get enough lubrication over its entire joint surface and is deprived of nutrition. Why is this so important to your health and well-being? A lack of joint nutrition and lubrication can lead to degenerative and arthritic changes.
Stiffness in your spine and other joints can predispose you to the onset of osteoarthritis. Spinal joint mobilisations lubricate your joints with synovial fluid, providing nutrition and allowing your joints to remain healthy.
What is Joint & Cervical Spine Manipulation Therapy & Mobilisation?
Mobilisation is when your physiotherapist uses a controlled amount of force to move the segments of your spinal joint. When joints become dysfunctional due to trauma, overuse, or disuse, they are unable to perform the movements for which they were designed.
Joint mobilisation is a technique physiotherapists use to restore the small, involuntary movements that assist joints in performing optimally. Joint mobilisation involves performing a back-and-forth oscillation of the joint to restore motion.
A mobilisation becomes a manipulation when your physiotherapist performs a high-velocity thrust through your joint, and a ‘popping’ sound may be heard. Joint manipulation is characteristically associated with the production of ‘pop’ or ‘click’ sounds. This sound is believed to result from a phenomenon known as cavitation. Cervical spinal manipulation, in particular, has been linked to potential neurological effects and cerebrovascular incidents, necessitating caution and awareness in practice.
When a joint manipulation is performed, space is increased within the joint cavity, reducing pressure. In this low-pressure environment, some gases dissolved in the synovial fluid create a bubble or cavity. The bubble or cavity rapidly collapses, resulting in a ‘clicking’ sound.
The clinical effects of joint manipulation have been shown to include:
- Relief of musculoskeletal pain
- Unlocks joints, e.g. stiff neck/acute back sprains
- Improves joint range of motion
Individualised Spinal Manipulation & Manual Therapy Treatment
Each treatment is determined by your physiotherapist’s assessment of your particular issue and will be tailored to give you maximum long-term benefit. This personalised treatment ensures that your overall general health is considered and your spine, circulatory and nervous systems are always protected.
Joint mobilisation most often produces significant pain relief and an increased range of movement in spinal segments. Physiotherapy for spinal manipulations and mobilisations also helps relax any muscle spasms. Gentle mobilisations are often used for pain relief, while more forceful, deeper mobilisations are good at minimising spinal joint stiffness. Joint manipulations are mainly used to restore normal movement in a stiff joint resulting in reduced spinal and referred pain.
Your spine is in safe hands at City Physiotherapy. Book an appointment today to get your spine moving and healthy again.
FAQs
What can I expect during a spinal manipulation?
During spinal manipulation, your physiotherapist will use their hands to apply a quick and controlled force to your spine. This may produce a popping or cracking sound as the joint releases pressure.
Will spinal manipulation hurt?
Spinal manipulation should not cause any pain. However, you may feel some discomfort if your muscles are tense or if there is inflammation in the area being treated. Your physiotherapist will communicate with you throughout the treatment to ensure your comfort.
Are there any risks associated with spinal manipulation?
As with any medical procedure, spinal manipulation has potential risks. These risks include temporary soreness, stiffness, and fatigue. In rare cases, injury to the spinal discs or nerves may occur. However, these risks are minimal when performed by a trained and experienced physiotherapist.
How many sessions will I need for spinal manipulation?
The sessions required will vary depending on your specific condition and needs. Your physiotherapist will create a personalised treatment plan based on their assessment and your recovery goals. Typically, multiple sessions may be needed for full recovery.
Is spinal manipulation safe for everyone?
Spinal manipulation is generally considered safe for most people. However, it may not be appropriate for individuals with certain medical conditions or injuries. It is essential to discuss your medical history and any concerns with your physiotherapist before undergoing spinal manipulation therapy.
