Physical therapy here is hands-on treatment plus a specific home program. It is aimed at what is truly weak or stiff. It is measured by what you can do, not by a pain score alone.
On site, and built around what your exam actually showed, not a one-size-fits-all handout.
What does physical therapy do for chronic pain?
Injections buy a window. Physical therapy is what you do with it. It is done here, not sent out, so the therapist and the physician work from the same findings.
What conditions does physical therapy treat?
- Post-accident rehabilitation
- Deep neck flexor retraining after whiplash
- Flexion-based programs for spinal stenosis
- Pelvic and hip stability for sacroiliac pain
- Return-to-work conditioning
What happens at a physical therapy appointment?
- A check of what is truly weak or stiff, not a standard program.
- Hands-on treatment plus a specific home program.
- Progress is measured by function, meaning what you can do, not by a pain score alone.
Can physical therapy make pain worse?
The risks come from loading an injured part too fast. You may have a short rise in pain, sore muscles, and now and then a flare that sets progress back two weeks. We handle that by changing the load, not by stopping. Sharp pain, pain traveling down a limb, or new numbness during an exercise is a reason to stop that exercise and tell us.
To talk about whether this is right for you, call us or request an appointment.
How do you know physical therapy is working?
Progress is measured by function, not by a pain score. How far you walk, how long you can sit, how high you reach and how many stairs you climb all change before pain does. Tracking them keeps a program from being dropped too early.
The most common reason therapy fails is that it was aimed at the wrong part. Flexion-based work (bending forward) helps stenosis and stirs up a disc. Extension-based work (bending back) does the reverse. Generic back exercises given without a diagnosis will help roughly half of people and make the rest worse.
Before and after your procedure
Wear clothes you can move in. Bring any brace, orthotic or walking aid you use. Bring the list of exercises you have already tried, including the ones that made things worse. Those often tell us more than the ones that helped. Expect some sore muscles after new loading. Sharp pain, arm or leg symptoms or new numbness is different and should be reported.
How the procedure is actually done
Therapy here is aimed at what the diagnostic work found. It is not a generic program. A confirmed facet problem, an irritated nerve root and a weak, out-of-shape hip each need different loading. A program written for the wrong one is the usual reason patients say therapy did not help. Progress is tracked by function, not by pain scores alone: distance walked, time seated, tasks taken back up.
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits almost everyone at some point along the way. It is often what holds the result after a procedure has opened a window of relief. It works less well on its own when the source of pain has never been found. Many patients come to us in just that spot, after several failed rounds elsewhere.
How this fits the wider plan
A procedure is one part, not the whole treatment. When it opens a window of relief, we use that window. We use it for therapy, for rebuilding fitness, and for correcting the loading or metabolic factors that played a part. Relief that is not used tends not to last. A patient who comes back in three months unchanged has usually had the procedure without the rest of the plan around it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral for physical therapy?
Not from within our practice. If you are coming from elsewhere, call and we will sort it out.
I have already tried physical therapy and it did not help.
That is common. It usually means the program was not matched to the real source. Getting the diagnosis first changes what the therapy targets.
How long before I notice a difference?
Usually several weeks of steady work. Progress is measured by function, not by how the pain feels on any one day.
Is it instead of a procedure?
Often it goes alongside one. A procedure can open a window in which therapy finally becomes possible. The therapy is what makes the relief hold.
What should I bring to physical therapy?
Wear clothes you can move in, and bring any brace, orthotic or walking aid you use. Bring a list of the exercises you have already tried, including the ones that made your pain worse. The ones that hurt often tell the therapist more than the ones that helped, and they shape the program built for you.
Is it normal to be sore after physical therapy?
Yes. Sore muscles after new exercise are expected. A flare is handled by changing the load, not by stopping therapy. Sharp pain, pain that travels down an arm or leg, or new numbness during an exercise is different. Stop that exercise and tell us, so the program can be changed.
Why don’t generic back exercises work for everyone?
Different back problems need opposite movements. Bending-forward exercises help spinal stenosis but can stir up a disc. Bending-backward exercises do the reverse. Generic back exercises given without a diagnosis help roughly half of people and make the rest worse. That is why therapy here is aimed at what your examination actually found.
Is physical therapy done in the same office as my pain doctor?
Yes. Physical therapy is done on site, not sent out, so your therapist and your physician work from the same findings. Injections buy a window of relief, and physical therapy is what you do with that window. Having both under one roof keeps the plan matched to your diagnosis.
Sources
- Hayden JA et al. Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2021. PubMed 34580864
- Zhu F et al. Yoga compared to non-exercise or physical therapy exercise on pain, disability, and quality of life for patients with chronic low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PloS one, 2020. PubMed 32870936
- Ma J et al. Effect of aquatic physical therapy on chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2022. PubMed 36460993
- Narenthiran P et al. Does the addition of manual therapy to exercise therapy improve pain and disability outcomes in chronic low back pain: A systematic review. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 2025. PubMed 40325660
Hurt in an accident? Start here.
You do not need a lawyer, a police report or a referral to be seen. Bring your symptoms and we will work out the rest.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Same-day appointments are often available for new accident and injury patients.