April 18, 2023 by Dr. Stephen Fose, PT, Cert. MDT, CSCS

How to Fix Your Own Low Back Pain, For Good

Author: Dr. Stephen Fose, PT, Cert. MDT, CSCS, Owner of Retrieve Physical Therapy in Rochester NY in the Spencerport Village. We specialize in spine and arthritis treatment. We provide treatment to individuals and employees of small businesses. Check out our website by clicking here to learn more. Reach out to us at info@retrievept.com for more information.

 

Low back pain is a complex and costly condition with Non-Specific Low Back Pain (NSLBP) being the main reason for why your back hurts. NSLBP means there is not one direct tissue that we can look at and say "that is why you hurt". Because pain is a complex multi-dimensional subjective experience, and not all tissues that have damage create pain, using a bio-mechanical approach has failed us over the years. By using what is called MDT, we are able to affect and test more the other influences of someones pain, and usually get faster, more consistent results in relieving someones back pain, for good.

MDT, or Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), is an approach to assessing and treating musculoskeletal conditions, including low back pain. MDT uses response-based testing in order to further understand your response to movement and it's impact on your pain and your problems. Basically a way to think about this is "movement is medicine" which most of already know. More importantly, what MDT clinicians know is that "not all movement is created equally" and dosing movements that benefit you the most we should focus on the most. A good comparison may be comparing something like a general multivitamin for you which has a lot of vitamins at a smaller dose, versus a specific vitamin C vitamin that is dosed much stronger but only has that vitamin. (Makes quite a bit of sense right). 

With this approach, we are able to gain control of pain much faster, gain a direct cause and effect response of incorporating more of one or two specific movements to your body versus doing 6-10 different exercises in traditional approaches and just hoping it gets better.

While it's important to consult with a licensed healthcare professional for proper evaluation and treatment, here are some general principles of MDT that may help alleviate low back pain:

  1. Find your directional preference - This involves identifying the movements or positions that alleviate or worsen your low back pain. For example, some individuals may experience relief with extension (arching backwards), while others may feel better with flexion (bending forward). Finding your directional preference can help guide your exercises and movements.

  2. Perform exercises in your directional preference - Once you've identified your directional preference, performing exercises and movements that involve that direction can help alleviate low back pain. For example, if extension is your preference, exercises like prone press-ups or McKenzie extension exercises may be beneficial. If flexion is your preference, exercises like knee-to-chest stretches or cat-cow stretches may be helpful.

  3. Avoid aggravating movements - Avoiding movements or positions that worsen your low back pain is important to prevent further irritation. For example, if bending forward aggravates your pain, avoid activities like lifting heavy objects or prolonged sitting. This is only temporary to alleviate current short-term symptoms.

  4. Keep moving - Staying active and moving throughout the day can help improve low back pain. Walking, light stretching, and gentle exercises can help improve mobility and reduce pain.

  5. Maintain good posture - Proper posture can help alleviate low back pain. Maintaining good posture while sitting, standing, and performing activities can help reduce strain on the lower back.

  6. Gradually increase activity - As your low back pain improves, gradually increasing your activity level can help improve strength and mobility. Gradually increasing the intensity and duration of exercises and activities can help prevent further injury.

It's important to note that these principles are general recommendations and may not be suitable for everyone. Consulting with a licensed healthcare professional, such as a physical therapist, who is trained in MDT can help provide individualized evaluation and treatment for low back pain.

I've also established a FREE text specific to low back pain to teach others the basics to living pain-free and to fix yourself which goes over these in further depth. Download Your Copy.

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We can also be reached at (585) 300-4940 or by email at stephenfose@retrievept.com