Consider a Career with Step & Spine! From part-time positions to sign-on bonuses, we could be exactly what you’re looking for!

Available Positions

Chronic Pain

Many factors can lead to persistent pain, and physical therapy offers a wide range of services that can narrow down and treat the underlying problems.

Request Appointment

Physical Therapy for Chronic Pain

Chronic, or persistent, pain affects 42-50 million Americans. Chronic pain is defined as pain that is present for more than 6 months and extends beyond the expected healing time of an injury. It can be the result of a previous injury like a muscle strain or an ongoing process like arthritis, but can sometimes occur without a known reason. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can limit an individual’s ability to complete daily activities. Growing research supports that the underlying cause of these symptoms are due to central sensitization (increased sensitivity of the central nervous system).

 

Common Conditions that Cause Chronic Pain

  • Low back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Whiplash associated disorders
  • Arthritis pain
  • Neurogenic pain (due to nervous system problems)
  • Limb amputation

How We Treat Chronic Pain

Physical therapy is recommended as a first line treatment for chronic pain by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in their urge to reduce the use of opioids in favor of safer alternatives for chronic pain. The benefits of physical therapy include decreased pain, improved mobility, and increased independence as well as reduced risk of other health problems.

A physical therapist will complete a comprehensive evaluation aimed at determining the underlying cause of your pain and will create a customized program to address your needs. This examination may include screening the upper and lower quarter as well as assessing the sensitivity of your nerves. Services may include:

  • Manual therapy
  • Modalities (heat, ice, ultrasound, iontophoresis, electrical stimulation)
  • Strengthening exercises
  • Flexibility exercises
  • Relaxation strategies
  • Graded exercise
  • Pain neuroscience education (PNE)
  • Pacing strategies
  • Conditioning exercises

 

 

*Services are not available at all locations. Call or click the location page near you for that center’s services.

Active Release Techniques

Learn More

IASTM

Learn More

Manual Therapy

Learn More

What to Expect

Every patient has a unique health history, diagnosis and personal goals.  When you come for your first appointment, we will create a personalized treatment plan for you.

We work with most major insurance providers and do our best to help keep the paperwork pain-free.  If you’d like to confirm your insurance coverage, please let us know and we can verify when you schedule.  If your insurance provider requires a co-pay, we will ask for this payment at each visit.  We accept payments by cash, check or credit card.

When to arrive for physical therapy

When to Arrive

On average, a patient’s first visit lasts about an hour. We typically ask patients to arrive 15 minutes early to sign-in, complete paperwork and/or change clothes.

What to Bring for Physical Therapy

What to Bring

On your first visit, you’ll need to bring your physician referral or prescription (if needed), your insurance card, your primary registration forms, your ID or driver’s license and your co-payment (as applicable). If desired, you may bring a change of clothing.

How Physical Therapy Works

How it Works

During your first visit, your physical therapist will do an initial evaluation and discuss your plan of care.  The therapist uses this information to set goals for your continued treatment.  Physical therapy goals may include improved movement, strength, endurance and flexibility, as well as decreased pain.  Your subsequent visits will focus on treatment that is based on your diagnosis and individualized goals.

Josh's Story

From major shoulder surgery to American Ninja Warrior in less than 1 year.

As a successful obstacle course racer, including an appearance on the TV series “American Ninja Warrior,” Josh March is a pretty tough guy despite his modest stature. All that climbing, grabbing, swinging – sometimes competing for hours on end – requires strength of body and mind. He also has spent more than a decade in […]

Read More

Ralph's Story

After rehabbing from a biceps rupture, a firefighter’s passion burns on.

For all the risks you might associate with decades as a firefighter, it was a seemingly innocuous incident at shift change in his Arlington, Va., fire house that put Ralph Parsons’ career in jeopardy. Two days after Christmas in 2016, Parsons was performing his normal morning checks. As he attempted to climb into a parked […]

Read More

Tim's Story

Paralyzed Tim Alexander presents UAB game ball.

Under just about any other circumstances, the night of Sept. 2, 2017, would have found Natalie Shannon in Atlanta for a neutral-site college football game between her beloved Alabama Crimson Tide and Florida State. But Natalie, Drayer center manager in Trussville, Ala., had an even more important football game to attend that night in her […]

Read More