Explore an Effective, Surgery-Free Low Back Pain Solution

Lower back pain is something that I personally believe if you’re a human being, chances are at some point in your life you’ll go through at least some episode of lower back pain. This condition affects some people much more than others and can even turn into a persistent or long-lasting issue. My name is Luke VanderZouwen. I’m a physical therapist here at Full Potential Physical Therapy in Holland, Michigan, and I’m here today to talk a little bit about lower back pain and the potential of physical therapy to help manage lower back pain.

Lower Back Pain Is a Complex Issue

Lower back pain can be a very complex issue. It’s much more than just an image on an imaging screen. Lower back pain can be related to things like:

• Muscle imbalances
• Weakness
• Posture
• Arthritic changes
• Day-to-day physical stress
• Past medical history
• Certain diseases
• General stress in life

Physical Therapists Look at the Whole Person to Handle Back Pain

One of the things I like about physical therapists, and myself as a physical therapist, is that I try to look at people as a whole person. Seeing the obvious physical imbalances that one might have is very important, but so is taking into consideration some of the other challenges that one goes through in life. 

Through physical therapy, we have lots of options to try to address any one of those factors or many of those factors, especially the physical ones, whether that be through:

• Strengthening programs
• Exercise programs
• Regular movement
• Pain management techniques
• Hands-on therapy
• Stretching

It can even include modifying certain activities that you do to try to get you over the hump so that you can do more.

When to Try Physical Therapy for Lower Back Pain

I would suggest that, if you are dealing with lower back pain and it’s been a problem for some time or it’s limiting your function significantly, you consider giving physical therapy a try. We’d love to try to help you with that situation. And if we can do so without having to use knives, needles, or extra chemicals going into your body that other medical providers might go to as an option, we would love to try it with you.
Please feel free to call us at (616) 537-2837 and we can talk through the situation, or we can schedule you for an appointment.