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    • Back Pain & Sciatica
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Back Pain with Physical Therapy
Home » What We Treat » Back Pain & Sciatica Relief

Back Pain & Sciatica Relief

Brian H.

Therapists are all well-knowledged. Easy to work with. Everyone here is very pleasant. Will recommend to friends for therapy.

Doyle S.

Everybody at Empower Physical Therapy was nice and assisted me in getting my problems solved and fixed.

Nicole B.

Y’all are amazing and I’m kind of sad to see it end. Thank you all so very much!

Barbara F.

Excellent workouts - strengthening muscles overall. Thank you everyone!

Laura H.

Jacob Pollard is an amazing physical therapist. He really listens and makes you feel comfortable. Very knowledgeable, I’m glad I came here for PT. I feel great New! His staff is awesome as well, they all made me feel right at home, including reception!

Verona G.

I’m extremely pleased with my care at Empower Physical Therapy. The facility is clean and the staff are friendly.

Patrick M.

Amazing staff and facilities! You really feel like they care for your well-being and getting you to a healthy state of being.

Mona S.

Thank you all so much for giving me the tools to improve my everyday activities. You don’t even know how grateful I am to you. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to do daily housework without taking 20 breaks!

Jeffrey N.

Staff was always courteous and always a pleasure to come and say hi! Thank you!

Melissa W.

You guys are amazing! Thank you for helping me through my pain and giving me the tools to cope and heal. I was very scared to be stuck in a useless body and live the rest of my life in pain. I’m very happy to have crossed paths with all of you. Don’t forget this crazy firecracker!

Teresa C.

Jacob Polland is very knowledgeable and has been awesome. He knows exactly what is needed. Thank you!

Jackie B.

The entire staff here is amazing. From the first phone call, I felt welcome and comfortable. Jacob started the evaluation and asked my goals. Every visit I felt was based on reaching those goals and the results have far exceeded my expectations. My recovery is better than I thought it would be at this point. Can’t say enough about these folks. Highly recommended to anyone! I feel empowered!

Nikki B.

The warmness and softness of the clinic and people were so wonderful! I was treated with compassion and didn't have to fill out a ton of paperwork. My back has been messed up for years but now I feel that I'm in great hands and will be treated with the care needed to make my back and muscles heal and strengthen. He explained everything and made sure when I left I knew and felt reassured. Thank you Justin Handy.

Maija H.

I slipped and fell herniating a disc causing PAIN in low back and pain down LEFT leg. After injections to spine asked if could see a therapist to help me learn how to "deal" with my future outcome. They surprised me with giving me my "life back". I can walk, run to a point, get out of a chair, sit on the floor with my grandchildren (even lay on floor with them to color) and get back up on my own!! Something I didn't foresee back then.

Donald B.

My wife has been seeing Jacob off and on for a year and a half because of her back problems and his "dry needling" treatments, which we had never heard of before, have definitely helped her.

Bob L.

I would recommend empower physical therapy to anyone. When I first started I thought yeah right now I am doing better than before I hurt my back. The people at Empower Physical Therapy are awesome.

Joseph G.

I appreciate the effort that went into my recovery. Everyone I worked with was super great. Always friendly and the environment reflects the healthy working relationship amongst all staff members.

Do you wake up in the morning with that nagging back pain? Are you feeling achy pain into your back, buttock, or even thigh? Are you having to watch what you do, because you are afraid you may hurt your back?

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, back pain is the most commonly reported pain across the nation, and one out of every four Americans has experienced back pain in the past three months.

Back pain and sciatica differ but are often confused with each other. Back is specific to the upper, mid or low back. Sciatica is a more diffuse, radiating pain down the buttock, thigh, and even leg. It is also possible to have radiculopathy, which is a radiating numbness, tingling, burning, or sharp pain to a specific part of the leg. This is often associated with a herniated disc, or entrapment of the nerve of that area, as it exits the spine.

If you are searching for back pain or sciatica relief, don’t rely on medicines to mask the symptoms. Your body is telling you of the deeper root cause of the problem, that can and needs to be fixed. Know that physical therapy should be your first treatment of choice, which eliminates your need for harmful painkilling drugs, such as opioids, or even possibly avoiding an invasive surgical procedure.

What’s the difference between back pain and sciatica?

Back pain

“Back pain” is a term that can be caused by an array of different conditions. For example, you may experience back pain due to poor posture, a motor vehicle accident, or a lifting injury. The treatment plan that your Wasilla and Anchorage, AK physical therapist sets up for you, will depend on how you developed the back pain, in addition to its exact location and your past medical history.

Back pain can be described as acute, meaning it is short-term, or chronic, meaning it is long-term (typically lasting for three months or longer).

Sciatica

Sciatica is a specific type of back pain that is reported as being highly uncomfortable. However, it is also fortunately very simple to diagnose. People with sciatica experience pain along their sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in your body.

The sciatic nerve begins at your lower back and then splits at the base of your spine to extend further down to your buttocks, legs, and finally to the bottom of each foot. The sciatic nerve can become compressed or irritated, which causes a “shooting,” “stinging,” or “burning” sensation in your lower back, buttocks, legs, or feet.

How do back pain and sciatica develop?

General back pain typically develops as the result of an injury. This can be due to repetitive straining motions, such as leaning down multiple times throughout the day to pick up a toddler, or a more serious, sudden trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident. Underlying conditions, such as herniated discs, can also cause immense pain, and cause radiculopathy pain to the thigh, leg, or foot. Degenerative disc disease is a common condition as we age, which can result in back pain. Those with this condition typically report dull, aching pains in their lower back, and have difficulty with prolonged standing or walking.

Sciatica’s technical name is “lumbar radiculopathy.” People who develop this condition are generally between the ages of 30 and 50. Many different types of injuries can cause the development of sciatica, including arthritis, bone spurs, or any other injury that impacts the sciatic nerve. Most commonly, we find that people lose their flexibility in the hips and pelvis, which causes the gluteus and hip muscles to become tightened. This is turn, alters the mechanics of the spine, and compression to the sciatic nerve as it travels through these tissues.

Why you shouldn’t just deal with that nagging pain

For most people, back pain will come and go. However, what many people don’t realize, is that the underlying problem of poor joint movement, core weakness, and poor muscle coordination, will set them up for a future back injury, which can be significantly worse.

Back pain and sciatica are both completely treatable through physical therapy. Your physical therapist creates a specific treatment plan for you that is dependent upon your diagnosis. The early stages of your physical therapy treatment focuses on quick pain relief.

As your pain reduces, your physical therapist will expand on strengthening your core muscle group with specific therapeutic exercises and stretches. The goal here is to increase your strength and range of motion to prevent re-injury of your spine. Finally, we teach you ergonomics and ways to make sure you know how to take care of your spine, avoiding future problems.

If you are suffering from sciatica, our physical therapists will implement specific back and leg stretches and exercises into your treatment plan to loosen the sciatic nerve. This restores the natural health of the nerve and quickly reduces symptoms.

If you are experiencing back pain or sciatica, make an appointment or free consult with one of our specialists at Empower Physical Therapy in Wasilla & Anchorage, AK. No matter how severe the pain may be, our physical therapists will help you get on the road to recovery as quickly as possible.

FAQs

How do I know if my back pain is serious?

The pain you experience in your back may either be acute or chronic, depending on how it was sustained. Acute pain means that it lasts for a short time and is usually severe. Chronic pain means that it lasts generally three months or longer and it can either cause dull or severe persistent pain. The pain you experience is typically either rooted in your back muscles or the bones in your spine. If your pain is severe enough to hinder you from doing daily tasks, if it suddenly worsens, or if it has lasted longer than three months, then it is time to seek the help of a physical therapist.

How do I get relief from back pain?

You can treat your back pain with physical therapy. Physical therapy can address back pain by helping to improve your range of motion, strengthening the muscles in the affected areas, and using targeted massage to reduce tension. In many situations, working with a physical therapist to improve can significantly reduce the severity of your back pain, and may even help you avoid more invasive procedures, such as surgery.

What is the best physical therapy treatment for back pain?

Your physical therapist will design a treatment plan based on your specific needs. Your individualized treatment plan will incorporate the best methods possible for relieving your pain, facilitating the healing process, and restoring function and movement to the affected area(s) of your back. Your initial appointment will consist of a comprehensive evaluation, which will help your physical therapist discover which forms of treatment will be best for the orthopedic, neurologic, or cardiovascular condition you are experiencing. The main stages of your plan will focus on pain relief, which may include any combination of ice and heat therapies, manual therapy, posture improvement, targeted stretches and exercises, or any other treatment that your physical therapist may deem fit. While there is no singular method for relieving back pain, your physical therapist will make sure you receive the best treatments for your needs.

How do you relieve back pain without drugs?

While medication is easy, it only helps your pain subside for a short amount of time. Over time, certain drugs can cause some unfavorable side effects, and in some cases, they can be habit-forming. With NSAIDs, you run the risk of blood clots, heart attack, or stroke. With corticosteroids, you run the risk of cataracts, high blood sugar levels, and bone loss. Luckily, there is a much safer and healthier alternative to treating persistent back pain: physical therapy. At your initial consultation, your physical therapist will ask you several questions regarding your medical history, lifestyle, and painful area(s). This information will assist your physical therapist in creating the best treatment plan for you and your specific needs, so you can be provided with long-term results.

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Empower Physical Therapy - Wasilla

3190 East Meridian Park Loop
Suite 206 A

Wasilla, AK 99654

P: (907) 373-9462

F: (907) 373-9464

E: bbrendle@empoweralaska.com

Empower Physical Therapy - Anchorage

4361 Boniface Pkwy
Suite 3

Anchorage, AK 99504

P: (907) 332-0021

F: (907) 373-9464

E: bbrendle@empoweralaska.com

What We Treat

  • Arthritis
  • Sports Injury
  • Back Pain & Sciatica
  • Neck Pain
  • Headaches
  • Shoulder Pain
  • Rotator Cuff Injury
  • Hip and Knee Pain
  • ACL Injury
  • Elbow Wrist & Hand Pain
  • Foot and Ankle Pain
  • Balance & Gait Disorders
  • Dizziness & Vertigo
  • Chronic Pain
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries
  • Neurological Disorders
  • Pre/Post-Natal Pain
  • Pre-Surgical Rehab
  • Post-Surgical Rehab
  • Pediatric Sports Injury
  • TMJ Dysfunction
  • Women’s Health
  • Work Injury
  • View More Conditions

Health Tips

  • Health Blog
  • Newsletters

How We Treat

  • ACL Prevention
  • Dry Needling
  • Ergonomics
  • Graston Technique
  • IASTM
  • Kinesio Taping
  • Manual Therapy
  • Mulligan’s Concept
  • Myofasical Release
  • Regenerative Rehab
  • Therapeutic Exercise
  • Traction
  • Ultrasound
  • Vestibular Therapy

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We are currently open and operating normally.

Our staff is taking extra steps to ensure the cleanliness of the clinic space.  You may notice some changes that we have implemented to protect our patients and staff. Currently, we are encouraging patients to stay home if you are not feeling well.  Otherwise, we are here and ready to see you for your appointments. If you have any questions about your appointments, please reach out to us. We are following the recommendations of the CDC. It is very important for our patients to understand that you need to get your information from reliable sources.  We do NOT recommend that you trust any information posted on social media. This includes re-posts of articles. Always seek out information directly from the source. We have compiled a list of reliable sources of information about the coronavirus for you.
Coronavirus Resources:
  • CDC page about Coronavirus
  • Coronavirus Fact Sheet
  • What to do if you are sick 
  • Stop the spread of germs
  • Symptoms of coronavirus
Sincerely, Empower Physical Therapy