Low Back Pain Treatment in Stratham
Low back pain is one of the most common reasons people finally pick up the phone and call a chiropractor. It interrupts sleep, makes sitting unbearable, and turns simple things like tying your shoes or getting out of the car into something you have to think through. At Rzepa Family Chiropractic and Massage, we’ve been helping patients move freely again for nearly 30 years, and we’ve seen just about every version of low back pain there is.
How Sitting Quietly Wrecks Your Spine
There’s a reason people say sitting is the new smoking. When you sit for long stretches, a chain reaction shuts down the muscles meant to support your spine. The hip flexor contracts, the glutes disengage, and the deep core muscles—the cylinder of support that stabilizes your entire torso—go quiet. Over time, this creates muscle imbalances and structural stress that show up as low back pain.
What Drives Low Back Pain in Real Life
Several patterns and habits contribute to low back pain:
- Prolonged sitting with disengaged core muscles
- Muscle imbalances from repetitive movement or inactivity
- Spinal subluxations and joint dysfunction
- SI joint or sacroiliac dysfunction
- Disc problems, including discogenic pain that can radiate to the front of the thigh or down the leg
Sciatica from nerve compression in the lumbar spine is also a common presentation.
The Many Ways Low Back Pain Shows Up
Low back pain can be a dull, constant ache or a sharp catch that stops you mid-movement. Some patients feel it deep in the spine; others notice it radiating into the glutes, down the leg, or even into the abdomen. Sciatica produces a burning or electric sensation that travels into the leg. SI joint pain tends to settle on one side and worsen with prolonged standing or rolling over in bed. Each pattern tells a different story about the source, which is why a thorough evaluation matters.
Some disc-related pain can even refer into the abdomen or front of the thigh, which can make the source of the problem surprisingly difficult to identify without a proper examination.
When to Stop Waiting It Out
If low back pain has been lingering for more than a few days, keeps coming back, or is changing in character (e.g. spreading, intensifying, or starting to affect how you walk or sleep) it’s time to get checked. Pain that shoots into the leg or comes with numbness or tingling is especially worth evaluating promptly.
What Care Looks Like at Rzepa Family Chiropractic and Massage
Dr. Bart Rzepa starts with digital X-rays reviewed the same day and a detailed history to identify what’s driving the pain. Given his many years of experience practicing, he can identify the difference between muscular low back pain, discogenic pain, sciatica, and other presentations and build a care plan accordingly.
Adjustments restore alignment and joint mobility. Massage therapy addresses the muscle tension and imbalances that keep pain cycling back. For patients spending long hours at a desk, practical guidance on standing desks, movement habits, and simple exercises, like pelvic tilts, cat-cow, and core engagement work, help correct the patterns that started the problem in the first place.
The body handles movement far better than prolonged static positions, which is why frequent position changes and regular movement throughout the day are strongly encouraged. Even a short walk during lunch can help break up the stress prolonged sitting places on the spine.
Start Moving Better
Don’t wait for your pain to get worse. Contact our practice today or walk in Wednesday through Friday, 9 am to 7 pm. We will help you figure out what’s going on and get you back to doing what you need to do.
