Find relief for your low back pain in Rochester, MN
Low back pain is the most common condition we see at Skare Spine & Performance.
How We Can Help:
- Chiropractic adjustments help restore proper joint motion and relax surrounding musculature.
- Soft tissue or myofascial work can help relax and free tight and restricted muscles.
- Function rehabilitation - Low back pain can cause delays in 'firing' muscles around the spine and abdominal wall. We work to stabilize and strenghten your spinen
- Dry needling effectively relaxes the musculature in the back and stimulates a healing response.
- Lifestyle modification- whether for work, home, sport, or sleep, we will discuss changes to help.
Low Back Pain Treatment:
We offer a comprehensive approach to treating low back pain in Rochester, MN. Our approach combines chiropractic manipulation, McKenzie movements, soft-tissue release, dry needling, and functional strength exercises. No case of low back pain is exactly the same, and your care should reflect that.
Personalized Treatment for Low Back Pain
No two cases of low back pain are alike, which is why we prioritize personalized care tailored to your unique needs and goals.
We combine chiropractic techniques with evidence-based therapies to create a customized treatment plan designed to alleviate your pain and restore optimal function.
From chiropractic adjustments and the McKenzie Method to Flexion Distraction, Dry Needling, soft tissue release, and functional rehabilitation, we utilize a diverse range of modalities to address the root cause of your low back pain.
Common low back conditions we treat:
- Lumbar sprain/strain
- Lumbar disc bulge/ herniation/ pinched nerve
- Facet Syndrome
- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Non-Specific Low Back Pain
- Sports Injuries
- Back Pain during Pregnancy
Symptoms of low back pain
Low back pain can come on suddenly or be a chronic condition ranging from mild- to moderate- to severe.
- Pain in the middle of your spine
- Sciatic leg pain, weakness, and numbness
- Pain in your hip and lower extremity
- Pain and stiffness when waking up
- Pain after sitting for long periods
- Worsening pain when moving and walking
Common risk factors and causes of low back pain
- Pain may follow heavy lifting, twisting, or straining during an activity
- Tightness and loss of movement in the joints and muscles
- Repetitive movements in sports or work
- Lack of stability and coordination of the muscles
- Poor ergonomics/posture
- Improper lifting mechanics
- Long-lasting sitting and driving
We have multiple techniques to treat low back pain:
From disc issues like bulging or herniation to mechanical imbalances, muscle strains, spinal stenosis, and facet syndrome, identifying the specific cause of your pain is essential for effective treatment. At Skare Spine & Performance, we employ a comprehensive approach to diagnose and address the underlying factors contributing to your low back pain.
Dry Needling for Low Back Pain
Dry needling has been shown to help relieve low back pain.
Dry needling can help stimulate blood flow, release muscle tension and trigger points, and kickstart the healing process. Used in cojunction with other therapies, we have great results with dry needling for low back pain.
Patient Testimonials
"Great experience! Dr. Skare was very technical with his diagnosis, and was great at treating my lower back. He made sure I was comfortable with everything he was going to do, and went into great detail on how each treatment was going to help me. He also provided me with exercises and stretches to perform on my own! Highly recommend Skare Spine & Performance to everybody!"
-Austin V., Rochester, MN
Dr. Nate is the man! Before I started care at Skare Spine and Performance I experienced daily low back pain that was preventing me from achieving my fitness goals. From my first interaction with Dr. Skare I knew I was in the right place. After a few visits I'm back to the gym and feeling better than I ever have while there. 10/10 recommend Skare Spine and Performance for anyone who is looking to take their health and fitness to the next level!
Hayden V., Stewartville, MN
How long does it take for my pain to go away?
Several different factors determine how long it takes for your back pain to go away.
- Age
- Lifestyle (obesity, smoking, diet)
- Stress
- Activity level
- Duration of dysfunction
- Health and family history
- Prior imaging
- Our exam findings
Our goal is to take all of your factors into consideration when putting together a plan that works best for you. Most patients find relief in the first few visits.
Disc Herniation
AKA- Disc Bulge or a Pinched Nerve in your back.
Intervertebral discs in our spine have strong outer fibers called the annulus fibrosis with an inner "jelly" like material called the nucleus pulposus.
Due to trauma, repetitive motion, improper heavy lifting, genetics, and other risk factors, the annulus fibrosis can break down, letting the jelly-like nucleus pulposus create a bulge or breakthrough, causing disc herniation.
Herniations can cause inflammation and irritation around the nerve resulting in severe pain. When our spinal nerves are "pinched" or irritated, this can cause pain directly in the back or sciatic nerve symptoms, with pain shooting down the leg. This pain may also get worse when we sit and sleep. It can make life and day-to-day activity difficult.
We have many tools to diagnose and treat disc pain, including the McKenzie method, chiropractic adjustments, and dry needling. After we get you out of the severe pain phase, we will transition more to rehabilitation to help prevent this from occurring again.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Also known as Osteoarthritis and Arthritis in your spine
Arthritis is like gray hair because we all will get it, which is a normal part of aging. Arthritis in our spine may or may not cause pain, and it doesn't mean you will ever develop pain. Arthritis happens because, over time, the joints and discs in our back start to dry and stiffen up. If left untreated, degenerative disc disease can slowly progress into spinal stenosis or sciatic pain radiating down your extremities. We have a variety of tools to treat it and slow its progression. Most of our treatment consists of getting your spine moving correctly and stabilizing your back to help keep you functioning at your highest levels.
Spinal Stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis is spinal canal narrowing, often due to arthritis and degeneration of the spinal joints. Patients can also present with lateral foraminal stenosis, a narrowing of the area where the nerves leave the spine.
Either diagnosis can present as back pain or pain down one or both legs. Often, discomfort and pain will get worse with standing and walking. You may also feel you can't stand up straight without pain.
Targeted movements of your spine and rehabilitation to strengthen your core, back, and hips slow down the progression and allow for managing this condition. Our patients often see good results with treatment and typically won't require surgery.
Non-Specific Low Back Pain
People are often diagnosed with this when they have failed different forms of treatment and imaging is negative.
Many people are diagnosed with "non-specific" low back pain. Typically this is after a patient fails different forms of therapy and may have had extensive imaging. Unnecessary injections and medication can be a result and leave people feeling broken and feeling unable to live a life pain-free.
Sometimes the exact cause of your pain isn't identified; however, we will put together a plan to build you back stronger than before. Correcting joint motion and mechanics, teaching proper stabilization, increasing strength, and getting you back to the activities you want to do are included in treatment.
Sports Injuries
Athletes feel that pain, especially low back pain, is just a part of the game, but it doesn't have to be.
Sports injuries and low back pain are often attributed together. Causes can range from direct trauma, repetitive motions, or trying to hit a personal record in the weight room.
Young athletes subjected to repetitive actions in sports can wear down muscles and joints if they aren't stabilizing correctly. Over time, this can wear down our muscles and joints if they aren't stabilizing correctly. In today's youth sports climate, athletes are playing the same sport and position year-round, especially in rotational sports. The stress of the same sport year-round can cause excess stress and injury over time. Teaching athletes how to stabilize their spine correctly is critical for less pain and increased performance.
CrossFitters, runners, Weekend Warriors, and active individuals often experience low back dysfunction from life and sport. Low back pain can be frustrating as it keeps you from competing in events or with your friends and peers. Once again, this doesn't have to be something you live with. Our approach will consist of finding what is causing this pain and using our tools to find relief.