One of the common questions I'm asked at my Henleaze clinic is can an osteopath in Bristol help with back injury rehab. The simple answer is yes.
Any qualified and experienced osteopath in Bristol is well-placed to treat most kinds of back injury and assist in the rehab process.
A key principle in any osteopathic treatment is to look at the body as an integrated whole. There are complex and inter-linked systems throughout the body to consider.
An issue or injury is rarely ever confined to a local area. There are usually other factors to take into account, and an osteopath aims to see the bigger picture.
The spine is integral to many different parts of the body. Osteopathic treatment around the spine can help a local injury in the back but can also address problems in another part of the body.
Read this article on how a Bristol osteopath can help with spinal conditions.
Osteopaths in Bristol may also treat distant areas to improve spinal health, such as issues in a foot, ankle, knee or hip.
In my experience as an osteopath in Bristol, back and spinal issues vary considerably in severity.
Read this article on how to avoid back pain in general.
Where are common problem areas in the back?
Muscles - The large muscles in the back can be overloaded. Similarly the smaller muscles between each individual vertebrae can also be strained.
These smaller muscles are vital to the stability of each spinal vertebra, and are considered to be key in maintaining core stability.
Read this article on maintaining good core strength.
Ligaments - these also help to stabilise the vertebral joints, particularly the facet joints that aid and control spinal movement.
Discs - these are the spacers between vertebra and absorb shock throughout the back.
Discs transmit weight through the spine and can become overloaded when sitting poorly for long periods, or bending and lifting with poor posture.
Disc injuries vary in severity from a minor strain to a slipped disc (disc prolapse).
Read this article to find out more about slipped discs.
Injuries to all the above body structures rarely occur in isolation.
A back injury will often involve more than one (or all) of these structures in my patients.
How can you tell if your disc is injured?
In more severe disc injuries the damaged structure and inflammation in the back can irritate or compress on a nerve.
This can cause pain in a distant part of the body, dependent on where the nerve goes.
Leg pain as a result of a back injury is often referred to as Sciatica. Part of the sciatic nerve into the leg is affected.
Read this article to find out more about back pain and neck pain.
When will a Bristol osteopath refer back injury patients to a hospital?
With more severe back injuries, an osteopath may need to refer a patient for further investigation at hospital, such as an X-ray or MRI scan.
Serious disc injuries may need referral to a specialist surgeon for intervention.
However, most of my back injury patients are able to be treated with successful results at my BS6 osteopathic clinic.
Osteopaths in Bristol are able to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate the majority of back injuries.
How can an osteopath help with back injury rehab?
The osteopathic approach can identify predisposing and maintaining factors to a back injury in a patient. This helps with management and future prevention of the issue.
Exercises are important in back injury rehabilitation. Often, the core muscles that support the spine need strengthening to stabilise the back.
I routinely give back injury patients bespoke exercises to help them in this area.
Bristol osteopaths are well placed to provide back injury patients with postural advice to prevent further injury.
Prolonged poor sitting posture is a common cause of back pain and back injury.
Read this article on how to avoid poor sitting posture.
I give my patients advice on how to sit well, and to take regular micro breaks.
Read this article to discover the benefits of micro breaks.
Read this article if you are experiencing low back pain.
If you would like to discuss how my osteopathic treatments in Bristol could help you with back pain and back injury rehab, please book a consultation with me online here.
My Henleaze osteopath clinic is fully open so if you’re looking for osteopathic treatments, please read this news post to find out about the measures in place at my Henleaze osteopathy clinic for all patients.
To find out more about the full range of osteopathic treatments that I provide in Bristol, please visit here for details.