Spine Physical Therapy

• Current evidence indicates the benefit of spinal manipulation by physical therapists on various disorders of the neck, middle and lower back during the early stages of an injury
• The combination of exercise and manipulation performed by a physical therapist has been proven effective in the treatment of lower back pain of longer durations
• Persistent back pain can be decreased and managed with a properly designed program of exercise and education
• Back pain recurrence has also been shown to decrease under the influence of a properly designed exercise program.  The same could not be said for a general exercise program

As noted above the care of spine patients by physical therapist is continuously evolving as more and more research becomes available. Here at Newton-Wellesley Hospital our therapists take an active role in staying current with these facts. We take pride in offering quality care at the cutting edge of research.  Our therapists have attained advanced degrees, advanced certifications, and fellowship training in the area of spine/manual physical therapy.

Our Current Research Activity:

1. Case report on a patient with both neck and back pain treated with a series of neck and upper back mobilizations/manipulations resulting in complete resolution of lower back symptoms.
2. Randomized control trial studying the effectiveness of upper back mobilizations vs manipulations in subjects with neck pain.
3. Proposal accepted for data collection to differentiate leg pain from spinal origin vs vascular origin.