Lower back pain

About Lower Back Pain

Pain in the lower back has become increasingly common among adults in Western civilizations as people become more sedentary and overweight. Long hours spent sitting, use of computers and mobile devices, and decreased physical activity levels are key contributing factors to lower back pain and dysfunction. Low back pain can range from mild to debilitating, and often worsens over time. LBP accounts for a rising incidence of work absenteeism, costing both employers and workers time and money.

Dr. Lev Kalika

Clinical director & DC RMSK

About Lower Back Pain Specialist Dr. Lev Kalika

Lower back pain is often categorized as non-specific, meaning there is no apparent structural cause. Dr. Lev Kalika has spent years revolutionizing back pain treatment by introducing high resolution diagnostic ultrasonography for structural diagnosis, combined with gait and motion analysis technology to visualize and objectify functional human movement and its impact on the spine.

The motion and gait analysis lab at NYDNRehab features research-grade technology found at top research universities, and made available to patients in our private clinic. Dr. Kalika believes that what cannot be measured cannot be treated. Our gait and motion analysis goes beyond standard 3D technology, providing critical data that allows us to customize and track the progress of patient treatment.

In addition to his academic credentials, Dr.Kalika is a Certified Biomechanist, Certified Gait Analyst, and is certified in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS). He has over 15 years of experience in diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasonography, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) and orthotic prescription. He is an expert in ultrasound guided injections and dry needling procedures.

Dr.Kalika’s expertise in lower back pain is sought by professional athletes, dancers, runners and physically active individuals across the United States.

Block PT

Why Physical Therapy Alone May Not
Resolve Your Condition

Physical therapy is a valuable and effective approach to resolving musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction, but in many cases, physical therapy does not provide a stand-alone solution. Prior to beginning physical therapy, patients often need to address underlying issues that contribute to their pain and disability.

Unfortunately, mainstream physical therapy clinics are often not adequately equipped or experienced to identify and treat complications that undermine the effectiveness of physical therapy. They often rely on one-size-fits-all treatment protocols that overlook the unique characteristics of the individual condition, opting to treat the symptoms and not the patient.

Issues that should be addressed prior to beginning physical therapy include:

Scar tissue and fascia adhesions
Neurogenic inflammation
Joint edema
Inflamed soft tissues

Myofascial trigger points
Compressed or entrapped nerves
Tendons that have degenerated and lost their elastic properties
Compensation patterns developed post-injury

Failure to identify and treat these underlying issues prior to beginning physical therapy can completely undermine your treatment protocol, and in some cases, your condition may even worsen.

At NYDNRehab, we use a broad range of advanced technologies and innovative therapeutic approaches to resolve issues that can potentially undermine the success of physical therapy.

Our talented staff is certified in a diverse array of treatment methodologies, rarely found in run-of-the-mill physical therapy clinics. Our one-on-one sessions are personalized, based on the patient’s unique diagnostic profile.

Obstacles to physical therapy success include:

Scar tissue and fascia adhesions
Neurogenic inflammation
Joint edema
Inflamed soft tissues
Myofascial trigger points
Compressed or entrapped nerves
Tendons that have degenerated and lost their elastic properties
Compensation patterns developed post-injury

Why Lower Back Pain Rehab at NYDNRehab is Better than Conventional Physical Therapy

Conventional treatment of low back pain often focuses on the locus of pain, ignoring the many contributing factors that can be the underlying cause. Successful treatment of low back pain addresses the cause rather than the symptoms.

To get to the root cause, two factors must be identified:

Motor dysfunction
Because the spine is integrated into all human movement, faulty motor patterns anywhere along the kinetic chain can contribute to low back pain.
Pain generation
Pain can be referred to the low back from multiple structures throughout the body. It can also be caused by nerves that are compressed or entrapped by other structures.

In many cases, a muscle, joint or nerve is irritated during specific movements. Since multiple structures can refer pain to the low back region, we must identify where the primary load transfer failure originates. Spinal stability has to be addressed from the perspective of dynamic stability, with the body in motion.

Conventional physical therapy often zeros in on core strengthening exercises, ignoring the many other factors that come into play during dynamic movement.

At NYDNRehab, we analyze your body in motion, to identify faulty motor patterns and compensation habits that are often at the core of lower back pain.

Symptoms, Causes and Risk Factors of Lower Back Pain

Symptoms

Persistent dull achy pain
Pain that travels down the buttocks and legs
Pain that feels worse after extensive sitting
Pain that gets better after position change
Pain in the morning that improves with movement
Muscle spasms in the low back
Reduced mobility

Causes

Trauma from accidents, sports or exercise
Herniated disc or degenerative disc disease
Facet joint dysfunction
Dysfunctional sacroiliac (SI) joint
Spinal stenosis or osteoarthritis
Muscle weakness and imbalances
Overuse from exercise or occupation

Risk Factors

Sedentary lifestyle and excessive sitting
Being out of shape and/or overweight
Poor lifting technique
Bad postural habits
Deficits in walking or running gait
Age-related wear and tear
Weak core and pelvic muscles

Accurate Diagnosis Means Successful Lower Back Pain Treatment

The chiropractic and physical therapy professionals at NYDNRehab are experts in diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasonography, a safe imaging technique that is much more useful than MRI for diagnosing low back pain:

Much higher resolution
Ability to view anatomical structures in motion
Ability to measure tissue elasticity with elastography
Repeatable analysis for monitoring treatment progress
Precise guidance for injection therapies

Accurate Diagnosis Means Successful Lower Back Pain Treatment

Accurate Diagnosis Means Successful Lower Back Pain Treatment Image 2

We use high resolution diagnostic ultrasonography to:

Screen for disc pathology
Detect spinal stenosis
Identify facet joint disorders
Expose lumbodorsal fascia alterations
Diagnose and retrain core musculature
Diagnose cluneal nerve impingement
Diagnose LBP-related hip and pelvic floor dysfunction

In addition to ultrasonography, our clinic features a fully equipped motion and gait analysis laboratory. We are the only private clinic in NYC to offer state-of-the-art 3D gait analysis. Deficient gait mechanics can alter pelvic alignment, which is often a primary cause of LBP.

We Use High-Tech Equipment for Optimal Results

The advanced technologies we use for diagnosis and treatment at NYDNRehab are unsurpassed in the field of physical therapy, and rarely found in private clinics.

Our state-of-the-art gait and movement analysis lab lets us collect hard data on multiple movement parameters, to quantify individual movement patterns and measure progress.

We then apply the latest therapies and evidence-based treatment approaches to relieve your pain and dysfunction. At NYDNRehab, we never give up on our patients. We keep working until we pinpoint the underlying causes of your back pain and resolve them.

Our technological toolbox includes:

Highest resolution ultrasonography
Elastography
Superior microvascular imaging
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT)
Electromagnetic transduction therapy (EMTT)
C.A.R.E.N (computer assisted rehab environment)
Surface electromyography (SEMG)
3D gait analysis and retraining
Biomechanical analysis and retraining

Low Back Pain Treatment in NYC at NYDNRehab

At NYDNRehab, we take a comprehensive and individualized approach to lower back pain rehab. We combine the most advanced, scientifically proven low back treatment methods with our experience and expertise, to get superior results that eliminate pain and restore healthy functional movement.

Our treatment methods include:

Physical therapy
Chiropractic care
Ultrasound guided dry needling
Dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS)
McKenzie therapy
Anatomy in motion (AIM)
ESWT
EMTT
Neuromodulation
Integrated systems model (ISM)
Clinical Pilates
Postural restoration and recalibration methods
Stecco fascial manipulation
Myofascial release
Acupuncture
Ultrasound guided injection therapies

We personalize our treatment plans based on your individual needs and the specifics of your condition. Our goal is to alleviate your pain and identify and treat its source, so you can get back to fluid pain-free movement.

Our Regenerative Therapies are Game-
Changers for Low Back Pain

The human body has its own innate healing mechanisms, but it sometimes needs a nudge to accelerate the healing process. Regenerative technologies help to jump-start healing by stimulating tissue repair at the cellular level. Our outpatient regenerative therapies expedite recovery with minimal discomfort for the patient.

Focused Shockwave Therapy

Focused Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)

Focused ESWT is used as a regenerative treatment for damaged tendon, muscle and bone tissue. This technology produces high frequency sound waves to stimulate the body’s own reparative mechanisms. It is especially effective for chronic degenerative tendon disorders and myofascial pain syndrome.

Extracorporeal Magnetic Transduction Therapy (EMTT)

EMTT is a fairly new technology that transmits high energy magnetic pulses to targeted tissues. The magnetic waves synchronize with the body’s own magnetic fields, causing a disturbance that triggers a regenerative response. EMTT waves can penetrate deep tissues up to 18 cm beneath the skin’s surface, to target difficult-to-reach tendons, muscles, bones and nerves.

Electromagnetic Transduction Therapy (EMTT)

Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology (EPAT)

EPAT, also known as defocused shock wave therapy, uses acoustic pressure waves to enhance blood circulation to targeted tissues. This speeds up the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to damaged tissues and stimulates cellular metabolism, to accelerate the healing process.

High Energy Inductive Therapy (HEIT)

HEIT uses electromagnetic fields to penetrate cells, tissues, organs and bones, to reactivate the electrochemical function of cells and cell membranes. HEIT generates a magnetic field 600 times stronger than the field of a normal magnet, to stimulate healing of nerves, muscles and blood vessels.

HIGH ENERGY INDUCTIVE THERAPY (HEIT)

Regenerative Indiba

INDIBA CT9 Radiofrequency Device

Our INDIBA Tecar therapy machine converts electrical current into a stable radio frequency current of 448 kHz, designed to increase and stabilize the exchange of ions in damaged cells, evoking a regenerative response that accelerates healing. INDIBA can be used to successfully treat joint and muscle disorders, low-back pain, sports injuries, surgical incisions and various pain syndromes. Another therapeutic effect of INDIBA is extreme and prolonged cellular hyperthermia. Due to this effect, INDIBA therapy combined with manual therapy and soft tissue tissue manipulation enables instantaneous release to occur, significantly shortening the number and duration of physical therapy sessions. What is normally accomplished in two months of physical therapy can be accomplished in 3-4 sessions with INDIBA.

Ultrasound Guided Dry Needling

Myofascial trigger points often contribute to lower back pain. Dry needling is an outpatient procedure that inserts non-medicated needles into the trigger point to evoke a twitch response, releasing the trigger point and immediately relieving pain. Ultrasound guidance eliminates the need for multiple insertions, reducing pain and discomfort for the patient.

Ultrasound Guided Injection
Therapies

Injection therapies use natural/neutral solutions that stimulate cellular repair by either nourishing or irritating the targeted cells. Guidance by ultrasound ensures that the injected substances hit their mark, for maximum effectiveness.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

PRP therapy uses a sample of the patient’s own whole blood, which is spun in a centrifuge to extract a high concentration of platelets. When injected into damaged tissues, PRP initiates tissue repair by releasing biologically active factors such as growth factors, cytokines, lysosomes and adhesion proteins. The injected solution stimulates the synthesis of new connective tissues and blood vessels. PRP can help to jump-start healing in chronic injuries and accelerate repair in acute injuries.

Proliferation Therapy, aka Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy uses a biologically neutral solution, often containing dextrose, saline or lidocaine. The solution irritates the affected connective tissue, stimulating the body’s own natural healing mechanisms to encourage growth of new normal ligament or tendon fibers.

Best Treatment Options

Acute lower back pain

Trauma from sports, exercise or accidents, or sudden pain from lifting or occupational demands, can cause sudden-onset low back pain.

Best treatment options include:

Ultrasound guided dry needling
Epidural steroid injections
Ultrasound guided injection therapies
Neuromodulation
ESWT
EMTT

Chronic lower back pain

Ongoing chronic low back pain is not normal and should be treated by a chiropractor, physical therapist or chronic back pain doctor. Chronic LBP often arises from poor, inadequate or untimely treatment, erroneous patient beliefs and coping strategies, emotional stress, and inaccurate diagnosis that focuses on the symptoms and not the underlying cause.

Best treatment options for chronic LBP include:

Physical therapy
Chiropractic care
Acupuncture
Ultrasound guided dry needling

Preventing Lower Back Pain

Staying physically active is one of the best ways to prevent lower back pain. Walking is particularly beneficial, as the gait cycle recruits all the muscles and joints in the body in ways they are intended to move. A regular walking routine can help you maintain a healthy spine while improving your cardiovascular fitness and helping to manage your weight.

Being mindful of your posture while using electronic devices and taking frequent breaks from sitting throughout the day can also help. If you play sports or are extremely active, a total body motion and gait analysis can help identify motor deficits that contribute to lower back pain.

Get Personalized Back Pain Physical Therapy, Designed Just for You

At NYDNRehab, we never take a cookie-cutter approach to treating lower back pain. We understand that every patient and every condition is unique, and deserves personalized care and attention. Our goal is to identify the source of your pain and dysfunction and correct it, so you can once again enjoy pain-free fluid movement.

Using our superior diagnostic tools, we are able to look beneath the surface and observe your structures in motion, in real time, to discover any and all contributing factors to lower back pain. We then design a personalized treatment protocol, backed by data, to restore pain-free functional movement.

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Get Pain-Free Lower Back Pain Treatment That Really Works!

Traditional approaches to back pain treatment often involve pain medications, muscle relaxants, steroid injections, and admonishments to “take it easy.” When those methods fail to alleviate pain and dysfunction, surgery is often the next step. However, research shows that conservative care is at least as effective as surgery, without the risk and expense of unnecessary invasive procedures.

At NYDNRehab, we work with you to resolve the underlying causes of lower back pain. Our personalized one-on-one approach ensures that you get the very best treatment for your unique condition. If you are ready to eliminate lower back pain for good, schedule a consultation with our lower back pain specialists today, and get back to doing the things you love, pain-free!