A Smarter Path Forward for Healing Low Back Pain

A Smarter Path Forward for Healing Low Back Pain 

Low back pain is rarely caused by a single problem—and it’s almost never solved by a single solution. 

Applied Functional Science (AFS) Physical Therapy focuses on understanding how the body moves as an integrated system in three dimensions. AFS looks beyond isolated muscles or symptoms and instead addresses how posture, gait, load, and movement variability contribute to pain and dysfunction. 

Movement is Medicine 

Applied Functional Science recognizes that the spine does not work in isolation. Low back pain often stems from: 

• Poor load transfer through the hips, pelvis, and trunk 

• Restricted movement in the ankles, hips, or thoracic spine 

• Asymmetrical movement patterns developed over time 

• Protective muscle guarding driven by pain or fear 

AFS physical therapy addresses these issues through 3D movement assessment, task-specific training, and progressive loading strategies that restore confidence and capacity. The ultimate goal is not just pain relief—but resilient, adaptable movement that supports real life.

We offer periodic FREE Pain Relief Workshops where you can learn the true causes of your pain, how AFS can identify your movement deficits and heal them naturally, without medications, injections or surgery. Find out when our next FREE workshops will be here: Events and Workshops | Superior Physical Therapy 

Pain, muscle tone, and tissue sensitivity can limit how effectively a patient is able to participate in physical therapy—especially early on. 

That’s where adjunct therapies like Dry Needling and Red Light Class IV Laser therapy can play a powerful role by preparing the body to move better, heal faster, and tolerate functional loading more effectively.

Dry Needling: Reducing Muscle Guarding to Restore Movement Options 

Dry needling is a targeted technique used to address dysfunctional muscle tissue, particularly trigger points and areas of excessive tone. In patients with low back pain, protective muscle guarding often develops as the nervous system attempts to stabilize perceived instability or threat. 

While protective in the short term, this guarding can: 

• Restrict spinal and hip motion 

• Alter movement sequencing 

• Increase compressive forces on the lumbar spine 

• Make functional exercises uncomfortable or ineffective 

Dry needling helps by downregulating overactive muscles and improving local blood flow. When paired with AFS therapy, this creates an important window of opportunity. 

Instead of simply “relaxing a muscle,” dry needling allows patients to: 

• Access movement ranges that were previously blocked 

• Tolerate rotational, bending, and loading patterns more comfortably 

• Relearn efficient movement without pain-driven compensation 

In other words, dry needling doesn’t fix movement—but it helps remove barriers so movement can do the fixing. 

Class IV Red Light Laser Therapy: Supporting Healing from the Inside Out 

Class IV Red Light Laser therapy (also known as intravenous photobiomodulation) works at a systemic level by delivering specific wavelengths of light into the bloodstream. This light interacts with cells to enhance mitochondrial function, improve circulation, and reduce inflammation. 

For patients with persistent or complex low back pain, especially those dealing with chronic inflammation, slow tissue healing, high nervous system sensitivity fatigue or recovery challenges Class IV Red Light Laser therapy can provide valuable physiological support. 

When combined with AFS physical therapy, Class IV Red Light Laser therapy may help: 

• Improve tissue recovery between sessions 

• Reduce inflammatory load that contributes to pain sensitivity 

• Enhance energy availability for healing and movement adaptation 

• Support overall nervous system regulation 

This systemic support can be especially helpful for patients who struggle to recover between functional training sessions or who feel “stuck” despite doing the right exercises. 

Why These Therapies Work Best Together 

The key to long-term low back pain relief is not passive treatment alone—and AFS makes that clear. Dry Needling and Class IV Red Light Laser therapy are most effective when used intentionally to support active, functional rehabilitation. 

Together, they create a synergistic effect: 

• Dry needling reduces local restrictions that interfere with movement 

• Class IV Red Light Laser therapy supports systemic healing and recovery 

• AFS physical therapy retrains the body to move, load, and adapt correctly 

This integrated approach respects how the body actually heals: through movement, variability, and progressive exposure—supported by therapies that reduce unnecessary friction in the process. 

Low back pain is complex, but treatment doesn’t have to be fragmented. 

When Dry Needling and Class IV Red Light Laser therapy are used as adjuncts to Applied Functional Science physical therapy, patients benefit from both precision and purpose—addressing pain while restoring the movement strategies needed for lasting relief. 

The result isn’t just feeling better.  It’s moving better, living better, and trusting your body again. 

Find out when our next FREE Back Pain & Sciatica Relief Workshop will be: Free Low Back Pain and Sciatica Workshop 

Watch our Video Playlist on Healing Back Pain.