

Lower back pain can be an unwelcome intruder, especially during the busy holiday season, when you should be enjoying festivities, not nursing a sore back. Understanding how our physical therapists can help you manage and alleviate this pain is essential. Here’s a step-by-step guide on what to expect when seeking treatment for lower back pain that appears without a clear cause.
The Gradual Onset of Pain
Imagine you begin to notice a nagging pain in your lower back. At first, it seems trivial – perhaps a little sore after a long car ride or something ordinary like doing the dishes. However, as days pass, the pain persists and even intensifies.
Simple actions like sitting for long periods, standing up from a chair, or bending over become challenging and painful. The discomfort might even disrupt your sleep, making finding a comfortable position almost impossible.
The Role of Physical Therapy
When you decide enough is enough, call Aspen Ridge Physical Therapy and let one of our physical therapists help you find lasting relief. We’ll work to identify the root cause of your pain, give you the tools to manage your pain, and help you understand how to treat your lower back pain.
Comprehensive Evaluation
The journey to relief starts with a comprehensive evaluation. This step is critical for our therapist to understand your specific situation.
Patient History:
Physical Examination:
Detailed Movement Screen:
Analyzing Movement Patterns:
Identifying the Root Cause
By synthesizing information from your history, physical exam, and movement analysis, our therapist can identify potential causes of your pain. It could result from poor posture, prolonged sitting, a lack of physical activity, or even weak core muscles.
Personalized Treatment Program
Based on the findings, a personalized treatment program is developed to address your specific needs.
Pain Management Strategies:
Core Strengthening:
Improving Mobility:
Educational Component:

Take the First Step Toward a Pain-Free Holiday
If you’re struggling with lower back pain, now is the time to act. Reach out to our Aspen Ridge Physical Therapy team and embark on a personalized journey to recovery. Don’t let back pain hold you back from enjoying the holiday season. Contact us today and move towards a healthier, more comfortable future!

Your Success Is Our Priority!
Return to Aspen Ridge Physical Therapy, and Let’s Continue Your Journey to Wellness Together. Schedule Your Appointment Now!
3 Ways to Practice Gratitude
Did you know that being grateful is actually good for your health? It’s true!
We all love Thanksgiving for the excellent food, football, and time spent with family, but truthfully, this holiday means much more. Practicing gratitude can lead to greater happiness all year long.
“Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”
— Harvard Health PublishingIf you want to implement more gratitude in your own life, take a look at these 3 tips
Write thank you letters
Remember writing thank you letters? How long has it been since you wrote one? You don’t need to have a wedding, graduation, or other big life event to thank the people in your life. Try writing thank you letters to your friends and family for the little things– you’ll be surprised at how good it feels!
Write down what you are grateful for every day
This might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Take a few minutes each morning or evening to write down at least 3 things that you are grateful for in your life. This repeated action helps us shift into a more positive mindset and can help fight symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Use visual reminders
It can be hard to remember to practice gratitude. With your hectic schedule, sometimes it can feel impossible to sit down, take a moment to breathe, and reflect on your blessings. Visual cues can be a great tool for reminding us to take a beat.
Something as simple as sticky notes, a poster, or even your home screen on your phone or laptop can help us remember to slow down and shift to a positive mindset.
Make Gratitude a Habit This Season 🍂
A little gratitude can go a long way. Write it down, say it out loud, or leave yourself a reminder — however you practice it, your mind and body will thank you.
Exercise of the Month
LOWER TRUNK ROTATIONS
Start by lying face up on the floor with your knees bent. Allow your knees to slowly drop to one side. Your lower back should rotate, but your shoulders should stay flat on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds. Bring your knees back up and then drop them to the opposite side.
2 Sets, 2 Reps.
Creamy Thai Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 cups chopped yellow/sweet onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more if needed
- ¼ cup raw almond butter or peanut butter
- 3 cups diced peeled carrots
- 3 cups diced peeled sweet potatoes
- ½ tsp fine-grain sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Up to ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, if you like spice)
Minced fresh cilantro
Fresh lime juice
Directions
- In a large pot, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 5-6 minutes until onion is translucent. Stir in curry paste.
- In a small bowl, whisk together some of the broth with almond butter until smooth. Add mixture to pot, along with carrots, sweet potatoes, salt, and remaining vegetable broth. Stir until combined.
- Bring soup to a low boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are fork-tender.
- Ladle soup carefully into a blender. You will likely have to do this in a couple of batches, depending on the size of your blender (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line).
- Being careful to avoid hot steam from the lid, blend on low and slowly increase speed until soup is completely smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender and blend the soup directly in the pot.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. For more spice, add ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, and blend again.
- Transfer soup back to pot and reheat if necessary. If desired, you can thin soup out with a bit more broth if it’s too thick for your preference.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with minced cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice.
🍲 A Bowl Full of Comfort
Creamy sweet potatoes and carrots pair with fragrant ginger, garlic, red curry paste, and fresh lime for a cozy soup with plenty of color and flavor.
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Your journey to recovery is important to us, and we’re proud to have been a part of it! If Aspen Ridge Physical Therapy has helped you feel stronger, move better, or get back to doing what you love, we’d be honored if you shared your experience in a Google review. Your story could encourage someone else to take the first step toward healing!
Donetta M.
Aspen Ridge Patient
A Journey Worth Celebrating
“I really found everyone so accommodating and personable. I was referred to Aspen Ridge by my friend. I was so looking forward to going each time. I would go again without question. I loved working with them all. I feel some great relief as well.”




