Utilizing early Physical Therapy for low back pain
Low back pain affects more than 28% of adults in the U.S. across all ages and activity levels. A majority of people either don’t know what to do to help treat their back pain, how to choose the best and most effective treatment option, or that they simply don't have to live with the pain. The great news is that physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be one of the most effective and best first lines of treatment for elimination of low back pain.
Initiating PT within 30 days of initial onset of symptoms is associated with significant reduction in overall out-of-pocket cost and utilization of health care services. It has been shown to reduce opioid prescription by 89.4%, advanced imaging by 27.9%, and ED visits by 14.7%.
Several studies have also found a direct correlation between the time of initiation and outcomes, with those who start PT within 3 days of onset having the best outcomes and lowest related health care costs. At Atlas Physical Therapy, our therapists are specially trained to treat all types of low back pain. With direct access patients can come directly to a PT without a prescription, making it much easier to start treatment immediately so you can get back to doing all the things you love!
Sarah Williams PT, DPT