A physiotherapist with back pain?

Did you know that 80% of people will experience acute back pain at some point in their lives? That means that it is likely that 8 out of 10 people in Halifax will experience back pain.

As a Halifax physiotherapist over the last 15+ years, I’ve treated a lot of clients with back pain.  I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard a story that started with, “It was nothing big, I just bent down to pick up….” throughout my career as a Halifax physiotherapist.  Usually, the object was seemingly insignificant like a pen; for me, it was the last sock at the bottom of the hamper.  I reached down to grab it and toss it in the washing machine.

Boom.

I had immediate sharp pain in my lower back, unlike anything I had personally experienced before.  It was difficult to stand, I definitely couldn’t put any weight through my right leg and I had an immediate stress (“fight or flight”) response with a racing heart, full body sweat, and nausea.  It was scary.  I suddenly understood what clients had been describing throughout my career as a Halifax physiotherapist.

Fortunately, using my knowledge as a physiotherapist to analyze my symptoms, I quickly understood that I had not likely experienced a major injury.   I was able to lean on my training as a physiotherapist to build a plan right away.  Many of my clients have told me over the years that they “hear my voice” in their head as they’re doing something… I was having big talks with myself during those initial few days as my own Halifax Physiotherapist!  I avoided sitting as much as possible, kept my arms, legs and back moving within the limitations of the sharp pain and continued to coach myself through the tougher moments.

One of the most important mantras I kept repeating to myself (sometimes out loud) was that the pain I was feeling when I was moving was hurting but not harming.   It was intense and unpleasant but I knew as a Halifax physiotherapist, that the movements I was doing were not causing damage; the tissues were just irritated (or cranky) and that they would be happier if I kept moving instead of sitting or lying still (which was what I really wanted to do!). Even as a Halifax physiotherapist, it can be challenging to remember these things when they’re happening to me!

After a few days of this gentle movement approach, I started to feel some improvement.  I could still provoke muscle spasms in my back if I moved too quickly or the “wrong” way; but I knew I was on the right path.  All of the advice that I tend to give my clients as a Halifax physiotherapist was helping me in my own recovery. Over the next three weeks, I gradually increased my activity level and found that my sitting tolerance progressively improved.  Within a month I was back to nearly all of my regular activities with very minimal discomfort and am confident that within two months of the injury, I’ll be “back to normal” as a Halifax physiotherapist.

When I spoke to a fellow Halifax physiotherapist on the day of the injury, she (helpfully) reminded me to keep moving.  Although I knew she was right, following through on that plan was difficult. If you find yourself in a similar situation, I would encourage you to reach out to us to schedule an assessment at Zoomers with a Halifax physiotherapist for guidance. We can work with you to make a plan that helps you move towards better health and comfort.