How Can Physical Therapy Help You Avoid Back Surgery?
If you’re one of the many people who’ve been dealing with chronic back pain, you may think surgery is your only option to get better. Research shows that over half of adults will experience chronic lower back pain at some point in their lives. Recent data has shown that the rate of lumbar spinal fusions has increased 170%. Unfortunately, the data also suggests that the re-occurrence or worsening of pain 12 months after a back procedure can range from 30-40%. One study indicates that up to 80,000 patients per year have continued to experience back pain after surgery. Many factors can affect the success of these procedures, including accuracy of the diagnosis, socioeconomic status, psychological factors, smoking habits, and anatomical changes that can occur to the surrounding structures and tissues.
