BACK PAIN
Searching for Back Pain Relief?
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek physical therapy. Back pain can start suddenly from a lift or awkward movement, or it can build over time from sitting, posture, and repetitive stress, quickly affecting your daily life.
At Cuirim Sports Recovery in Costa Mesa, we help you find lasting relief so you can move better, feel better, and get back to your routine, pain-free!
“Low back pain can affect people of any age, and most individuals will experience it at least once in their lifetime.”
Source: World Health Organization
Why Does My Back Hurt?
Back pain can come from many different factors, like poor posture, muscle imbalances, sports injuries, or everyday wear and tear. Often, it’s not just one issue but a combination of underlying problems contributing to your symptoms.
Common drivers include limited mobility, core weakness, and muscles not working together properly. When this happens, even simple movements, such as sitting, bending, or standing, can become uncomfortable. That’s why identifying the root cause is key to finding lasting relief.
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Our spines are designed to move. One of the most common causes of back pain is poor posture/prolonged positions. Our modern society is far more sedentary than past generations, and the incidence of back pain continues to grow.
Back pain caused by poor posture is commonly associated with prolonged activities like sitting and standing. When you sustain a posture, you can irritate the tissues in your body, leading to pain, dysfunction, and over time even inflammation or injury.
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The discs in your spine act as natural shock absorbers, cushioning the space between each vertebra and helping guide spinal movement. They play a crucial role in absorbing impact and keeping your back healthy and mobile.
However, these discs are especially vulnerable to stress from repeated bending, twisting, or lifting, especially when done with poor mechanics. They’re also affected by prolonged sitting or awkward postures, which can lead to breakdown or injury over time.
When a disc becomes irritated or injured, it can cause localized back pain or lead to symptoms of radiculopathy, a more serious condition where nerves become compressed, often resulting in sharp, shooting pain, tingling, or numbness in the thigh, leg, or foot (commonly known as sciatica).
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If you’ve recently felt a sharp pull, pop, or tightness in your back after lifting, twisting, or slipping, there’s a good chance you may be dealing with a back strain or sprain. These are some of the most common causes of acute back pain we treat at our Costa Mesa physical therapy clinic.
Back strains involve overstretched or torn muscles, while sprains affect the ligaments that support your spine. These injuries are common after lifting something heavy, sudden twisting, or accidents like slips and falls. Symptoms often include localized pain, tightness, and muscle spasms.
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Degenerative disc disease is a common cause of low back pain, especially as we age. It can also be influenced by past injuries, smoking, or certain medications. Pain often feels like a dull ache and worsens with prolonged standing or walking. Many people notice stiffness or discomfort when getting up after sitting or lying down. Our team helps improve mobility, reduce pain, and strengthen your spine with personalized, movement-based care.
Your Next Steps
You don’t have to wait for your back pain to get worse to start physical therapy. Taking action now can help you recover faster and avoid long-term issues.
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Attend Your First Visit
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Start Moving Pain-Free
Frequently Asked Questions
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You should consider seeing a physical therapist as soon as your back pain starts interfering with your daily activities, sleep, or ability to move comfortably. You don’t need to wait for the pain to become severe. In fact, addressing it early often leads to faster recovery and helps prevent it from becoming a long-term issue.
Click here to learn more about when is the best time to start physical therapy.
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Yes, it can. Back pain, especially in the lower back, can sometimes irritate nearby nerves, such as the sciatic nerve. This may cause symptoms like pain, tingling, or numbness that travels into the hip, leg, or even the foot. This is commonly referred to as sciatica and is something physical therapy can often help improve.
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Recovery time varies depending on the cause and how long you’ve been dealing with the issue. Some people begin to feel better within a few weeks, while others may need a longer plan to fully resolve the problem. The goal of physical therapy is not just short-term relief, but long-term improvement so the pain doesn’t keep coming back.
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The most effective stretches depend on the cause of your back pain. Commonly helpful movements may include gentle spinal mobility exercises, hamstring stretches, and hip flexor stretches. However, doing the wrong stretches can sometimes make symptoms worse, which is why a personalized plan from a physical therapist is the best approach.