What Is Causing Your Back Pain?
Back pain is the #1 reason Pittsburgh residents seek chiropractic and physical therapy care. Up to 80% of Americans experience significant back pain at some point — and the causes are wide-ranging:
- Herniated or bulging discs pressing on spinal nerves
- Muscle or ligament strain from lifting, twisting, or sudden movement
- Sciatica — radiating pain from the lower back into the leg
- Facet joint dysfunction and spinal arthritis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Poor posture from prolonged sitting (common in Oakland and Shadyside professionals)
- Car accident injuries and whiplash trauma
- Work injuries from repetitive lifting or standing
Understanding the exact cause of your back pain is the first step. At Pittsburgh Physical Medicine, every new patient receives a thorough evaluation before any treatment is recommended.
How We Treat Back Pain at Pittsburgh Physical Medicine
Our integrated chiropractic and physical therapy model means you have access to two distinct but complementary approaches — and our providers coordinate your care so both work together seamlessly. Treatment may include:
- Chiropractic spinal adjustment — targeted manipulation to restore joint mobility and reduce nerve irritation
- Graston / IASTM technique — instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization to break down adhesions
- Orthopedic manual therapy — hands-on techniques by Dr. Crockatt, DPT
- Therapeutic exercise — personalized corrective exercise to strengthen spinal support muscles
- Shockwave therapy (ESWT) — for chronic back pain that hasn't responded to other treatments
- Postural correction — addressing the underlying imbalances that perpetuate back pain
Back Pain Without Drugs or Surgery
Many Pittsburgh patients come to us after being told they need medication, injections, or surgery — only to find that conservative chiropractic and physical therapy care resolves their pain entirely. Research consistently supports spinal manipulation and targeted PT as effective first-line treatments for back pain, including cases involving disc herniation and nerve compression.
Most patients with acute back pain see significant improvement within 4–6 visits. Chronic back pain cases may take longer, but we track your progress every visit and adjust accordingly. We don't run long treatment plans for the sake of it.
Serving back pain patients from Shadyside, Bloomfield, Oakland, Lawrenceville, Highland Park, Aspinwall, Fox Chapel, Greenfield, Regent Square, and across Pittsburgh PA.