Spine Rehabilitation

Back and spine pain can be one of the most frustrating and depressing of all health problems. The good news? Most back and spine pain can be treated non-operatively with evidence-based medical treatment, including interventional spinal injections combined with a comprehensive physical therapy program.

Spine Disorders Treated

• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Sciatica
• Discogenic pain
• Herniated disc disease
• Facet joint pain
• Sacroiliac joint pain
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Back and Spine Pain Treatment

Physical therapy may be prescribed for patients with back pain to restore motion, improve strength and flexibility, and address any underlying factors that are contributing to ongoing symptoms. At Good Shepherd, physical therapists perform a comprehensive evaluation and design a customized rehabilitation program for each patient. Spine rehabilitation may include:

• “Healthy Back” education, including posture, lifting and lifestyle adjustments, to reduce the change of re-injury and assist with healing
• Modalities such as heat, cold, massage and electrical stimulation to reduce pain and assist with healing
• Flexibility programs focused on improving and restoring movement
• Back and abdominal (core) strengthening
• Endurance exercises such as biking or elliptical training to return active patients to their previous sports or hobbies

Spine rehabilitation may also include aquatic therapy. Good Shepherd’s indoor therapy pool is a warm-water pool, with a temperature of 94 to 95 degrees. The warm water is ideal for patients with arthritis, joint pain, back and neck pain, fibromyalgia and other muscular pain and conditions. Aquatic therapy allows for a reduction in stress to weight-bearing joints and the spine, offers resistance to strengthen muscles in a different way than land exercises, and allows patients to exercise without causing harm to already affected joints of the body. The warm water also promotes relaxation and increases circulation.

The Spine & Joint Center

Conveniently located at the Hyland Center for Health & Technology in Allentown, The Spine & Joint Center treats a variety of common neck, back, joint and other musculoskeletal pain disorders, including work-related, recreational and sports injuries.

We use an interdisciplinary approach to help patients reduce their pain and improve their daily function. Our highly trained physicians and therapists carefully coordinate a personalized rehabilitation program that meets each patient’s unique needs.