Abstract
A 66-year-old male patient with chronic low back pain (LBP) with radiculopathy was seen for 6 sessions over the course of one-and-a-half months at an outpatient physical therapy facility. Treatment was provided by a student physical therapist under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. The patient was evaluated at the initial encounter with the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Sahrmann core stability test, range of motion (ROM) testing, neurological exam, passive Straight Leg Raise, manual muscle test, and Oswestry Disability Index, and a plan of care was established to address his impairments, limitations, and restrictions. The patient’s main impairments included chronic LBP peripheralizing to the left knee and leg, abdominal motor control and strength deficits, neural mechanosensitivity impairments, left lower extremity weakness, limitations in activities of daily living, and restricted ability to work full-time as a diesel mechanic. The main goals for the patient were centralizing his comparable symptoms, improving abdominal strength and motor control, strengthening the left lower extremity, and improving standing and walking tolerance to allow him to work full-time as a diesel mechanic. The main interventions used were directional preference exercises into flexion, Sahrmann’s abdominal motor control exercises, and lower extremity strengthening exercises. The patient achieved the following goals: centralization of comparable symptoms, improved motor control and strength, and improved left lower extremity strength allowing the patient to complete activities of daily living and work full-time. The patient was discharged to continue living at home with a home exercise plan.