Check out youtube as well. Not sure about chronic back pain but I’ve found a couple of good channels to use when I couldn’t get PT for my ACL eg. E3 Rehab, PhysioFitness Australia, and occasionally Citizen Athletics.
1 Like
My mother had let herself go for years. A couple years ago, after a heart attack and some other issues she was a complete mess. She also realized that if she didn’t do something, she was not going to be living at home much longer. She was in her mid-70s then. She did PT for months. They fixed one thing, and something else appeared (or was uncovered). On one trip out there I went up to Wal-Mart (the same one she picks up her prescriptions at. 
) and bought her the $20 cane that had been discussed on multiple occasions. Told her to swallow her pride and use it. Amazingly she did.
It took quite a while, but she is moving better at 80 than she did at 70. She did really well after PT going to the Y and doing the old lady water aerobics. She was actually miffed that the Red Roof Inn didn’t have a pool she could use when she tagged along to horse show. The fact that she could handle being at a horse show was a testimonial for her PT.
If you can find an independent PT group they are usually, but not always, better than a franchise. That said the PT that I’ve gone to for years now has 6 offices. I’m not the only one to give him a hard time about being a big corporate chain.
2 Likes
I’m going to strongly push you to get diagnostics done. PT can be great, but not when you don’t truly know what you are dealing with. Frankly, PT without a proper diagnosis is a waste of time and money. Plus the older we get the harder and longer it is to heal. So know what you are dealing with first, then try to fix it.
1 Like
I think you are giving me good advice. I’m going to talk to my doctor about it.
2 Likes
I was going to suggest the same thing. I’ve had chronic back pain from a riding injury and a few years ago finally got diagnosed correctly. I started Pilates based PT, and have continued with weekly reformer classes. It’s really what is holding me together and keeps me functional. It helps my general balance/mobility and I have a much more secure seat when riding.
I’m fortunate that my PT office offers small group classes (available to anyone) so I still get very individualized instruction as it makes a big difference with Pilates.
The reformer works things so much differently than just mat based Pilates - I find it much more effective than anything I can do at home. I’m considering buying my own reformer.
1 Like
I personally have been in PT quite a few times for orthopedic injuries and also because I deal with chronic pain. I have found PT to be the most effective when I have worked with a therapist one on one, and actually a few months ago, I paid a physical therapist out-of-pocket to work with him one on one. I found it was a game changer for me to work with a physical therapist on a one on one basis. Many clinics often get busy and don’t always offer that option but there are some PT’s that do offer that option if you’re willing to pay out of pocket. For me, I found the sessions got expensive beyond a certain point, but I also knew what exercises to do after just a few sessions.
I also agree with others here that if you find the right chiropractor for you, it can make a big difference. I have known my chiropractor for many years and he works great for me.
I’ve also had other types of therapy such as getting massages, and also going to acupuncture, both of which have been helpful. I’ve started to do massage on my own with a self massager.
There are also a lot of great Facebook groups available for chronic pain and back pain. I am also benefited from finding some online videos and articles regarding chronic pain.
1 Like
I’ve been thinking about a chiropractor, but I do think that the first step is a diagnosis about what is really going on in my back. I see my GP next week and we’ll get things rolling.
6 Likes
My chiropractor really helped me but some are more gentle and aggressive than others.
I really liked my chiropractor because he was gentle, there are all sorts of modalities - different ones are more helpful to people with various needs. If you decide to go the chiro route, maybe google a few in the area and look at reviews or ask friends for recommendations.
2 Likes
