In our country, but actually in the entire Western world, it is one of the most common complaints and eight out of ten people will experience it sooner or later.
What is the therapy for?
Low back pain is usually caused by a (chronic) overload of the lower back. This can be caused by, for example, lifting too heavy, incorrect rotational movements or constant tension on the back muscles due to incorrect posture. Low back pain can be so painful that it is almost impossible to move. In a number of cases, rest and muscle-relaxing painkillers help, but if the pain remains severe for more than five days, manual therapy can offer a solution.
What does manual therapy involve?
By means of manual therapy, complaints of the musculoskeletal system, including pain, can be treated by pressing, pushing, moving and in some cases manipulating joints and muscles. During a manipulation, the manual therapist performs a measured and controlled movement, which is often audible, but does not cause pain. However, a somewhat strange feeling may occur.
In manual therapy, the starting point is that complaints, including low back pain, arise from the spine, because joints do not work properly and thus cause cramped muscles. Stimulating the mobility of the joints leads to an almost immediate improvement and often also to a decrease in pain. Various studies have shown that manual therapy is a very safe treatment, with few or no undesirable effects. It can therefore be applied to every age category, from babies to the elderly. The therapy appears to be particularly effective for complaints of chronic low back pain. These are complaints that last longer than five days, or that keep coming back. In 70% of the cases, the treatment reduces or disappears within three weeks. After this, normal functioning is usually possible again.
The insurance
Manual therapy, like physiotherapy, is freely accessible. This means that no referral from the GP is necessary to be treated by Physiotherapy Wilhelminapark. Whether manual therapy is reimbursed by your health insurer depends on the way in which you are insured under a supplementary insurance policy. Please consult your policy first.