Chronic Back Pain Treatment in Needham, MA
Message from Dr. Jia Li, founder of PhyziX Physiotherapy
I watched my mother cry herself to sleep at night going from one appointment to the next, looking for a solution to her chronic back pain. After I graduated with my doctorate in physical therapy, I tried to help her and I failed miserably.
I couldn’t live with watching her suffer, so I took matters into my own hands. That’s when I realized that there is no textbook way to treat back pain—and that’s why traditional rehab typically fails people like my mother.
To resolve chronic back issues, we must consider the role of the nervous system and how every joint is interconnected. Once I was able to connect the dots, I got my mother from only being able to take 10 steps without having to take a break to walking over 20,000 steps a day on her recent trip back to China—with zero pain.
In the early days of PhyziX PT, we were a remote company that helped people similar to my mother get out of chronic back pain. I guess you can say we specialized in it.
Today, PhyziX PT expanded and we recruited a team of some of the most talented physiotherapists to provide solutions for those who are suffering from chronic back pain like my mother. We work with people who have likely already tried traditional physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, or even cortisone shots and are still in pain.
These are the people whose back pain doesn’t fit the textbook description.
The Most Common Back Pain Struggles
People with back pain often experience much more than just discomfort. It can feel like an isolating, never-ending struggle. After months or even years of pain, you stop talking about it because you don’t want to sound like a broken record. You force a smile, push through the day, and hope no one notices how much you’re hurting. But deep down, you’re exhausted from trying everything and still not finding relief.
- "I wake up stiff every morning." No matter how much you stretch or what mattress you use, your back feels locked up when you get out of bed.
- "Sitting for too long makes it worse." Whether it’s at work, driving, or just watching TV, prolonged sitting increases stiffness and discomfort.
- "I feel fine after stretching, but the pain always comes back." Temporary relief is frustrating when the pain always returns within hours or days.
- "My back hurts when I try to work out." Even though you’re doing everything right—strength training, core exercises, yoga—the pain still flares up when you move.
- "I’ve tried everything, but nothing seems to work." Many people have already seen chiropractors, massage therapists, and doctors but still haven’t found a lasting solution.
- "I’m worried this will turn into something worse." The fear of long-term damage, surgery, or losing mobility can be just as bad as the pain itself.
- "I just want to not have to think about my back 24/7." Back pain have as much emotional and mental consequences as it have physical.
Why Traditional Approaches Fall Short
- Stretching and massaging only provides short-term relief – If your muscles are constantly tightening up, there’s a reason. Stretching without addressing the cause won’t fix the problem.
- Rest doesn’t lead to true healing – Avoiding movement may reduce pain temporarily, but it doesn’t help your body adapt to handle stress better in the future.
- Core exercises alone aren’t enough – Strengthening your core is important, but if your movement patterns are off, no amount of planks will fix your back pain.
- Surgery and injections don’t always guarantee results – Many people still experience pain even after invasive procedures because the actual problem wasn’t addressed.
- Spinal Adjustments are short-lived – Research had shown that spinal adjustments alone is only effective for immediate relief and nothing more. Most people are stuck in a cycle of infinite back adjustments with no long term changes to show for it.
Should I Get a MRI, Cortisone Shot, or Surgery?
These are very common question that most people with back pain struggle with. The traditional medical system doesn’t make it any easier to navigate. That is why our founder Dr. Jia sat down with Dr. Bowen Jiang to discuss this in great detail in this one hour unfiltered panel discussion.
Dr. Bowen Jiang is the Director of the Providence St. Jude Neuroscience Institute at Fullerton, CA. and a board-certified, fellowship trained neurosurgeon and spine surgeon.
In this live recording, Dr. Bowen Jiang discusses the following:
- Should I get a MRI?
- What should I look out for in my MRI findings?
- What is a cortisone shot and when is it appropriate?
- When is surgery necessary?
- When is conservative treatment the right approach?
The PhyziX Approach To Back Pain
Our approach is based on neuroscience, biomechanics, and a deep understanding of how the body adapts. We focus on:
- Identifying What’s Actually Causing Your Pain. Back pain isn’t just about the back. It’s often a compensation for something happening elsewhere—your feet, hips, or even your breathing patterns.
- Reprogramming How Your Body Moves. Many people move in ways that put excessive strain on their back. We help you retrain your movement patterns so your body moves efficiently and pain-free in an unconscious way.
- Building Strength Without Overloading Your Spine. Instead of generic core exercises, we help you develop strength in a way that supports your back and allows you to move with confidence.
- Integrating Movement Into Everyday Life. We don’t just focus on exercises in a clinic. We teach you how to sit, stand, walk, and move in ways that support a healthy, pain-free back.
Common Back Pain Issues We Treat
- Chronic lower back pain
- Sciatica
- Disc herniations and bulges
- Stiffness from prolonged sitting
- Pain from prolonged walking
- Pain after failed surgeries
- Muscle tightness and spasms
- Pain with squatting
- Numbness and Tingling
- Pain with deadlifting
- Stiffness from group exercise classes
- Back pain from running
- Scoliosis
- Degenerative disc disease
Take Control of Your Back Pain
You don’t have to live with back pain or rely on temporary fixes. At Phyzix, we help you build a body that works with you, not against you. Our unique, approach has helped countless people regain control of their movement and live pain-free.
Book A CallWhat Our Clients Say
Marianne Was Able To Get Off Her Pain Medication 4 Days After Her First Visit After Trying Everything Else With No Result.
Roger Went From Sleeping On The Floor To Finally Have Zero Back Pain After Suffering for Over 20 Years!
Back Pain Questions, Answered
Chronic back pain is rarely just a back problem. After an injury, your body quietly changes how it moves — these compensation patterns can shift excess strain onto the back from the feet, hips, or even your breathing mechanics. Treatments that focus only on the spot that hurts often miss this, which is why the pain keeps coming back.
No. Massachusetts allows direct access to physical therapy, so you don't need a physician referral or an MRI to be evaluated. In fact, research shows most back pain doesn't require imaging at all. If your evaluation reveals signs that do warrant imaging or a physician's opinion, we'll tell you and point you to the right specialist.
Often, yes. Injections and surgery address structures, not the movement patterns that overload those structures. Many of our clients come to us after cortisone shots, chiropractic adjustments, or even surgery, and improve once the underlying movement problem is retrained. Every case is different, which is why we offer a free phone consultation first.
The majority of our clients feel a noticeable difference within their first visit or two, because we immediately change the movement patterns that provoke pain. Building lasting change typically takes a personalized plan over several weeks — far fewer visits than traditional insurance-based therapy, since every session is one-on-one with a doctor of physical therapy.
PhyziX is a cash-based, out-of-network practice. You pay upfront, and we provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for possible out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA funds can be used. Because care is one-on-one and highly targeted, most people need fewer total visits than in-network therapy.