Physical Therapy And Low Back Pain: What You Need To Know
- LivaFortis
- May 7
- 8 min read
Think rest is the best cure for low back pain? Think again. While many doctors still suggest taking it easy, research shows that movement—not bed rest—is the key to recovery. Leading medical guidelines now recommend physical therapy as one of the most effective treatments for non-specific low back pain.
But why is exercise better than rest? And how can physical therapy help you get lasting relief? Keep reading to find out what the latest science says and how you can take control of your back pain.
What Do The Guidelines Recommend?
There are many different types of physical activities recommended to help manage low back pain, and each can bring its own set of benefits. These include yoga to improve flexibility and ease tension, biofeedback to teach you how to relax and control your muscles, and core strengthening exercises that help stabilize your spine.
Other options, like progressive muscle relaxation and massage, focus on reducing overall tension and improving circulation. Manual therapy, which involves hands-on techniques to improve movement, and interdisciplinary rehabilitation, which combines physical therapy with other treatments, are also widely recommended.
With so many options available, how do you know which one is right for you? Is physical therapy the best choice, or would another treatment be more effective? And once you've decided to try physical therapy, what should you keep in mind before choosing a therapist? Keep reading to learn how to navigate your options and make the best decision for your long-term recovery.
Moving away from Medication
In the past opioids and surgery were often used as first line treatment for chronic low back pain. With the recognition of the growing opioid crisis it was a welcome change when guidelines began to shift away from first line pharmaceutical treatment.
As part of the campaign against opioid use, the CDC has endorsed physical therapy as a top way to manage back pain without the use of medication/drugs. The American College of Physicians (ACP) 2017 guidelines also recommends starting with techniques commonly used by physical therapists, rather than using pain relief drugs to treat low back pain. It's no wonder then that we are seeing increasing support for this particular way to treat low back pain.
Can Physical Therapy Help With Back Pain?
Physical therapists are specialists who are licensed to treat a variety of musculo-skeletal ailments. They are able to address specific injuries as well as more general issues often related to the regular “wear and tear” on our bodies.
Physical therapy can be an effective way to treat the symptoms of low back pain, like decreased range of motion and strength. By teaching core strength exercises and improving flexibility, physical therapy can help people perform their daily activities better and it can help prevent future episodes of low back pain.
When To See A Physical Therapist For Back Pain?
Physical therapists are considered to be movement specialists, they generally study for around 7 years! This means that they are uniquely qualified to understand how your body works and how to use the latest tools and techniques to manage pain conditions.
The most common reason that people end up seeing a physical therapist is to address pain or to fix an injury that is impacting their ability to go about their daily lives. Some people also get physical therapy after having had surgery because it is a great way to improve your function and mobility.
When it comes to back pain, specifically, however, if you have sharp, sudden pain that gets worse when you move around, or if you just can't move a part of your body at all, then you might not be ready for physical therapy just yet. It's always a good idea to make an appointment with your physical therapist to see what they recommend. You might be dealing with something more serious or structural rather than being muscular.
What To Expect From a Physical Therapy Session
Under current US treatment guidelines, patients suffering from most types of low back pain are often referred to a physical therapist for around 4 weeks of physical therapy.
Typically your first physical therapy visit consists of 3 parts:
history
examination
evaluation
Your physical therapist will then do a thorough examination and assessment and work with you to develop goals to help you improve your function.
Types of Treatments used by Physical Therapists
A lot of people think about physical therapy as doing a bunch of exercises or getting a massage but in reality physical therapy is often so much more! Physical therapy treatment can consist of any of the following treatments:
Manual therapies
Electrical stimulation (including TENS units)
Movement based activities (stretching/range of motion activities)
Specific strengthening exercises
Pain relief exercises
Low impact aerobic conditioning
Traction
Progressive endurance/fitness exercises
Flexion exercises
Core strengthening exercises
What To Know Before Scheduling A Physical Therapy Appointment
Benefits of Physical Therapy
Research has shown that starting PT as soon as possible after experiencing acute low back pain saves patients money and reduces the need for medications and surgery.
In a study of approximately 150,000 insurance health claims, published in Health Services Research the majority of participants (about 80 percent) did not see a physical therapist. Just under 9 percent actually saw a physical therapist first, and the remaining 11 percent saw a physical therapist later (the average time elapsed was 38 days).
The results of the study found that those who visited a physical therapist first were 89 percent less likely to receive an opioid prescription; 28 percent less likely to need imaging tests like a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and 15 percent less likely to visit an emergency room.
The physical therapy recipients also had significantly lower out-of-pocket, pharmacy, and outpatient (including imaging) healthcare costs, although they did pay more in provider costs to see a physical therapist.
Things to Consider Before Scheduling a Physical Therapy Appointment
Before you book an appointment, it’s important to think about two common barriers that often stand in the way of traditional physical therapy: cost and accessibility. Many people live in areas without clinics nearby, and even when a provider is close, your insurance might not cover them. That could leave you traveling long distances or paying out of pocket—both of which add stress to an already challenging recovery process.
Fortunately, there’s a growing alternative that’s helping to remove these obstacles: digital physical therapy. In the next sections, we’ll explore how virtual options can save time, reduce costs, and make expert care more accessible—no matter where you live.
1. Time
When it comes to physical therapy, one of the biggest challenges patients face is time. A quick look at search trends shows that “physical therapist near me” is a common query—people are eager to avoid long commutes. But for many, just finding the time to attend regular appointments is a struggle. Depending on where you live, you might have to drive long distances to reach a provider, which can be both time-consuming and disruptive to your daily routine.
In rural areas, it's not unusual for patients to travel 30 minutes or more each way to reach a clinic—an inconvenience that adds up fast when therapy is required multiple times per week.
Even in more urban settings, the time commitment of traditional physical therapy can be overwhelming. Most treatment plans involve several sessions a week, stretched out over weeks or even months. That’s time away from work, family, and other responsibilities—something not everyone can afford. For busy professionals, parents, or caregivers, this can feel like an impossible balancing act.
Fortunately, virtual physical therapy is changing the game. Through telehealth sessions and app-based platforms, patients can now receive expert care from the comfort of their own homes. These flexible options eliminate the need for travel and make it easier to stay consistent with treatment—even on a packed schedule. As a result, more people are getting the care they need without the added stress of trying to fit it all in.
2. Cost
Cost is another significant hurdle when it comes to physical therapy. It's no surprise that “affordable physical therapy” is a frequent search term—because the price of care can vary widely based on your insurance coverage.
If you’re fortunate enough to have insurance, co-pays can still be steep, sometimes reaching $75 per session. On top of that, many insurance plans limit the number of sessions you’re allowed, which may not be enough for a full recovery.
For those without insurance—or with high deductibles—paying out of pocket can be even more daunting. Cash rates for physical therapy can climb as high as $250 per session, putting a significant strain on your finances.
Even Medicare, while helpful, doesn’t eliminate all the costs. In 2024, the Medicare Part B deductible is $240, after which patients are responsible for 20% coinsurance on approved services . Additionally, there's a therapy threshold of $2,330 for combined physical therapy and speech-language pathology services, and a separate $2,330 threshold for occupational therapy. Once these thresholds are exceeded, providers must confirm that continued therapy is medically necessary by appending the KX modifier to claims .
With such financial challenges, many patients are forced to delay or skip therapy altogether. That’s where digital physical therapy can offer a more accessible, cost-effective solution - something we will explore later.
How To Book An Appointment With A Physical Therapist
If you are considering PT it might be an idea to go directly to a physical therapist for your initial consultation. Many states have direct access, meaning that patients can visit a physical therapist without getting a referral from their doctor.
Something to keep in mind is that it is a good idea to check with your insurance company first, to make sure PT visits are included, and to find out how many sessions they will cover.
Also, if you have any red flags associated with your low back pain then a visit to your regular healthcare provider is always a good idea before starting any new program or treatment for low back pain.
The Role Of Digital Physical Therapy
For those who don't have access to insurance or struggle to find the time to get to physical therapy, a new option is growing in popularity: digital physical therapy.
Digital PT can refer to any type of physical therapy that is delivered via electronic means, but lately digital clinics that offer in-home physical therapy are what digital PT is often referring to.
Digital physical therapy clinics offer users the opportunity to complete physical therapy exercises from the comfort and convenience of their own home. This means that more people are able to access physical therapy since they don't need to arrange for childcare, take time off work, or spend time traveling to appointments.
If you don't have insurance, have a huge deductible, can't take time off work or time away from home then the digital version of physical therapy might be the option for you. To learn more about this type of therapy you can read more about it in our blog '6 Key Benefits Of Virtual Physical Therapy For Low Back Pain'.
Conclusions
Physical therapy isn’t just pain relief—it’s a game plan for getting your life back. Whether you’re battling chronic back pain, bouncing back from an injury, or just feeling stiff and sluggish, PT helps correct the root cause: muscle imbalances, poor movement habits, and weak spots you didn’t even know you had.
It’s not just about stretches and strength—it’s about rewiring how your body moves, so you feel stronger, more mobile, and more in control. Backed by clinical research and recommended by top medical experts, physical therapy remains one of the smartest, most effective first-line treatments for low back pain.
So if you’re tired of quick fixes and ready for real results, physical therapy could be your next best move.
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