Muscles spasms in the back are typically caused by muscle fatigue due to overuse, injury or poor posture. Consider the times when you experience back spasms — is it shortly after a workout or after you’ve been sitting at your desk for several hours? You may be exhausting your back muscles and causing involuntary muscle contractions — also known as a spasm.

In some cases, inflammation in the facet joints of the spine may cause muscle spasms. As the joints in the spine weaken due to age, natural deterioration or an injury, the muscles surrounding the spine are required to carry more weight in order to support the body. Over time, this too can lead to muscle fatigue and spasms in the back. These muscle spasms typically happen in the lower back but can sometimes occur in the upper back and neck. 

Treatment for muscle spasms in the back

Because muscle spasms are often caused by muscle fatigue, they can often be treated with consistent physical therapy and exercises. Physical therapy can help reduce the spasms in your back by addressing the following concerns:

• Strengthening the core and back muscles — Because muscle fatigue is a common culprit for back spasms, exercises that target and strengthen your core muscles can help to prevent your muscles from tiring out each day. Your physical therapist will create an exercise plan specific to strengthening the muscles in your back and core in order to reduce the occurrence of spasms.
• Correcting posture — Poor posture can cause the muscles in your back to overwork in order to counterbalance the way you are sitting or standing. If you hold a poor posture position for several hours, that is several hours that your back muscles have been contracted in order to stabilize your spine. Your physical therapist can provide instruction and exercises to help adjust your posture to reduce muscle fatigue.

A physical therapist can create a personalized exercise program specific to the cause of the muscle spasms in your back and your recovery goals. To learn more about the physical therapy options we offer to help treat your back spasms, contact our team at Rehab Access Physical Therapy today.