Surgery is Not Always the Best Option

More than 80% of people experience back pain at some point in their lives, reports The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Dr. Khoi Than, a spine surgeon with Oregon Health & Science University, says he operates on only a minority of cases of back pain because “issues that can be improved or stabilized with surgery are limited.”

“If people have pain that seems to be coming from their joints or their muscles, that really can’t be fixed with surgery,” says Than. The treatment he prescribes typically involves physical therapy.

“We try to reassure people that a return to activity will help them get better faster,” says physical therapist Tasha Macilveen. “In almost all people with back pain, core, hip, and leg muscle weakness are common.”

“I really encourage people to think of (exercise) as brushing and flossing of their teeth,” says Macilveen. “Long-term maintenance of their home program is really important.”

If you’re interested in a 100% home program, one that may improve your back pain without having to travel to and from doctors or clinics, you can try a free session of SimpleTherapy’s lower back program.