Greetings! I’m Dr. Molly, and I proudly represent Your Goals Physical Therapy. Recently, I received an urgent phone call from a distressed woman who had experienced a back injury at a concert. She reached out to me with a specific query: “I hurt my back at a concert. How can I recover?” This incident has inspired me to create today’s blog, where I’ll delve into the very topic of recovering from a back injury sustained at a concert.
While not everyone may have suffered a back injury at a concert, there are often commonalities in the nature of such injuries. Therefore, the advice I’ll share can be beneficial for anyone facing comparable challenges.
Join me as we delve into the causes, symptoms, and recovery strategies for back injuries sustained in diverse settings, including concerts.
Now, let’s delve deeper into Katie’s story. Katie found herself at an outdoor concert with her children. The concert was an all-day event, and in an attempt to keep her kids engaged, she had them positioned on her back. However, this setup eventually led to her injury.
She had her arms up around her shoulders. Legs are wrapped around her waist and she’s just having a good time bopping around enjoying life. From her perspective, she realizes looking back, it was a long time that she was bouncing around with kids, but at the time it didn’t feel like it was that long.
Initially, Katie didn’t perceive anything out of the ordinary while she was carrying her child at the concert. It wasn’t until the following day, Sunday, that she experienced a sudden and severe change. Upon waking up, she found herself unable to move freely. Her back felt incredibly tight and stiff, causing intense pain every time she took a deep breath. Throughout the day, she tried to limit her movements, although it proved challenging with her little ones requiring attention.
By Monday, Katie’s pain had not subsided, leading her to reach out to Your Goals Physical Therapy for guidance. She was eager to find a solution that would alleviate her pain as quickly as possible. Additionally, she was uncertain whether she should seek medical assistance and had several questions regarding her condition.
Let’s explore Katie’s journey in more detail, shedding light on the sudden onset of debilitating pain and the uncertainties she faced. I will address her concerns and provide insights into the appropriate steps she should take, including whether a visit to the doctor is necessary. Understanding her experience will help us uncover valuable lessons and offer guidance to those who find themselves in a similar situation.
Upon examining Katie’s condition, it became evident that she didn’t have any immediate indications of injury. During her visit, I assessed her back and discovered that she was experiencing a significant muscle spasm. As Katie demonstrated the activities she engaged in while carrying her children on her back, it became clear that her lower back muscles were not only supporting her own weight but also bearing the additional load of her kids. The added stress eventually caused her lower back to become fatigued, leading to the onset of a severe muscle spasm.
The severe pain Katie experienced manifested with every movement and even during deep breaths, caused her distress. During our consultation, I provided her with several recommendations for home care, including gentle stretches tailored to her condition. To alleviate her discomfort, I suggested using ice as a form of treatment. Katie expressed some uncertainty, as she had initially believed that heat therapy was the appropriate approach. While heat can be helpful for muscle spasms in certain cases, given the nature of her condition, which involved an overused muscle, cold therapy was more suitable.
Fortunately, we were able to alleviate her discomfort through the use of manual techniques. By employing massage and hands-on methods, we successfully interrupted the cycle of muscle spasms and provided her with much-needed relief. The treatment helped to relax and release the tense muscles in her lower back, allowing for improved mobility and reduced pain.
Let’s delve deeper into the specific manual techniques and therapies utilized to address Katie’s muscle spasms. Understanding these techniques will not only shed light on her individual case but also equip you with valuable information that can aid in managing similar issues or discomfort in your own life.
It’s important to remember that individual responses to treatments may vary, and it’s always best to consult with a healthcare professional to determine the most suitable approach for your specific situation.
To draw a parallel, treating muscle spasms is akin to addressing post-workout soreness. Just as you wouldn’t apply heat to your legs after a run, we need to avoid increasing blood flow to the affected area when dealing with muscle spasms. In Katie’s case, there was already an ample supply of blood flow to the region. Our priority was to bring about a state of calmness and reduce inflammation in the tissues, which is precisely where ice therapy proves most effective.
I advised Katie to apply ice for 5-10 minutes, depending on her tolerance level. Remarkably, if the area is already inflamed, the cooling sensation of ice can provide immense relief. Katie followed this advice and experienced a significant calming effect on her back. As a result, she regained a greater degree of mobility, particularly after incorporating the stretches I had taught her.
Katie demonstrated dedication by continuing her therapy sessions even after her pain subsided. You might wonder why therapy is necessary if the pain has gone away. It’s a valid question. However, aside from the fact that carrying her children placed excessive strain on her back, she should have been able to perform those movements without experiencing such a severe reaction. As I closely observed her movements, I uncovered additional underlying issues that contributed to her injury. Addressing these underlying factors became the focus of our sessions. Currently, we are working on enhancing Katie’s hip strength and overall core stability. By targeting these areas, we aim to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. It’s crucial to address any imbalances, weaknesses, or movement patterns that could potentially lead to injuries or reoccurrences.
Remember, even when the pain diminishes, it’s essential to address the root causes and work towards long-term solutions. Katie’s commitment to her therapy sessions will not only aid her current recovery but also serve as a proactive measure to safeguard her well-being in the future.
I sincerely hope that Katie’s story brings some reassurance to those who may be experiencing similar anxieties. If you find yourself in pain, please remember that help is available. You don’t necessarily need to schedule an appointment with a primary care office or orthopedics clinic. Physical therapy can provide effective relief and allow you to leave the office pain-free.
By seeking the expertise of a physical therapist, we can thoroughly assess the condition of your tissues and provide targeted treatments to calm inflammation and facilitate the healing process. Unlike the waiting period often associated with obtaining X-ray or MRI reports, physical therapy offers immediate relief and proactive care.
Remember, you don’t have to suffer in silence. Reach out to a physical therapist to experience the relief you deserve and start your journey toward optimal well-being. Click below for a free discovery call.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:
All information on this website is intended for instruction and informational purposes only. The authors are not responsible for any harm or injury that may result. Significant injury risk is possible if you do not follow due diligence and seek suitable professional advice about your injury. No guarantees of specific results are expressly made or implied on this website.
