Do you have back pain? Skip the scan and surgery. Go immediately to physical therapy!
Read about these two new studies.
Physical therapy for spinal stenosis is as effective as surgery and should be fully considered as a first-choice treatment option, according to a new study that is the first to directly compare a single, evidence-based physical therapy regimen with decompression surgery among patients who agreed to be randomly assigned to either approach. The lead author is Anthony Delitto, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Click here for more information about the study
In a study published in the Health Services Research , researchers found that people who were initially prescribed advanced imaging, such as MRIs, over physical therapy for management of low back pain ultimately paid more, and they were more likely to have surgery or injections or to visit an emergency room, compared to those who were first sent to physical therapists.
The lead author is Julie M. Fritz P.T., Ph.D., FAPTA