Lumbar Sprain/Strain

What does a Lumbar Sprain/Strain feel like?

A lumbar sprain or strain most commonly presents as a sharp low back pain.

• Generally a lumbar sprain/strain will cause more pain with more movement, particularly with bending forward

• Muscle spasms or uncontrollable contractions are common with lumbar sprains/strains

• Movement after a lumbar sprain/strain can be limited as the body wants to protect your spine after an injury

What causes lumbar sprains/strains?

Your lower back is essentially a stack of bones trying to balance on itself. This delicate balance is maintained by the supporting muscles and ligaments that connect your vertebrae to each other and to the other structures in your lower body. A sprain or strain happens when the muscles(strain) or ligaments(sprain) are stressed beyond their capacity by either being overloaded or overstretched. This can happen in a variety of ways:

• Sports injuries

• Weight lifting injuries

• Car accidents

• Rapid or jerky movements

• Bending in a direction where you lack flexibility (such as bending forward with tight hamstrings)

How is a lumbar sprain/strain treated?

The treatment of lumbar sprains/strains can vary from patient to patient, but the focus is always to restore safe movement to the spine and protect the damaged areas. At this office, the most commonly used treatments are:

• Chiropractic manipulation

• Therapeutic stretches and exercises

• Myofascial release

• Acupuncture and dry needling

If you feel like you’ve injured your lower back in Sioux Center or the surrounding communities and want to see what treatment at Prairie Life Chiropractic can do for you, you can schedule an appointment at our convenient Sioux Center location on highway 75. If you have more questions before you want to make a decision, please check out our FAQs or call us to learn more!