Neck & Back Pain
The physical therapists at Move Better apply an evidence-based approach to examine and treat neck pain and back pain. Research strongly suggests that patients managed with a treatment-based classification system experience significant decreases in pain, disability, and work restrictions compared to traditional therapy care. Our therapists use predictive clinical examination findings to match patients to a specific treatment.
These treatments may include:
- Symptom Modification – we utilize manual therapy hands-on techniques, directional preference exercises with repeated motion in a particular direction, and pain relieving modalities with activity modification strategies to help our patients move better early on in the recovery process.
- Movement Control Training – we work with patients to improve their mobility, flexibility, muscle activation, strength, and coordination to improve faulty movement patterns that are contributing to symptoms.
- Functional Retraining – we work to improve trunk and hip muscle endurance, strength, and power to alleviate the fatigue of the movement systems with functional tasks (bending, lifting, carrying) and sport specific tasks (running, jumping, throwing) all to help maximize performance and prevent injury.
Our evidence based approach for chronic neck and back pain utilizes therapeutic neuroscience education (TNE) approaches to help patients better understand their unique pain mechanisms including nociceptive, central, neuropathic, psychosocial, and movement system processes that interfere with their full recovery. Our approach changes a patient’s perception of pain. Originally, a patient may have believed that a certain tissue was the main cause for their pain. With TNE, the patient understands that pain may not correctly represent the health of the tissue, but may be due to extra-sensitive nerves. Second, fear is eased, and our patients are more able and willing to move and exercise. Our therapists have attended extensive postgraduate pain science course work to best serve our patients recovery from chronic pain.
