Conditions

Low Back Pain

One-on-one care for low back pain in a private South Natick studio: a full session with a Doctor of Physical Therapy every visit, built for people who want their back to stop being the thing they plan around.

Built for the backs other approaches gave up on

A lot of the people who walk in here have had back pain for months or years. Many have already tried physical therapy somewhere else, done the printout of exercises, and stalled. That is the population we built this practice around.

Low back care here is led by clinicians with advanced residency training at the Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy, with an emphasis on hands-on spine care, and board certification as Orthopedic Clinical Specialists. Every session is one-on-one for the full visit. No aides, no handoffs, no exercise sheet doing the treating.

In Massachusetts you have direct access: no physician referral is needed to start. If your evaluation shows something outside the scope of physical therapy, we will tell you and point you to the right practitioner.

A Doctor of Physical Therapy guiding a lower back and hamstring stretch on the treatment table

Mobilize what's tight. Strengthen what's weak.

That is the whole approach, applied precisely. Your evaluation identifies which structures are restricted and which are underperforming, and treatment works both sides of that equation every session.

Hands-on treatment for what's tight

Restoring motion in connective tissue, joint capsules, and muscle:

  • Joint mobilization & manipulation
  • Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (Graston)
  • Deep tissue massage
  • Dry needling
  • Assisted stretching & mobility work

Progressive strengthening for what's weak

Rebuilding the support system your spine relies on:

  • Core stabilization
  • Lumbopelvic-hip strength and control
  • Graded return to lifting, sport, and activity
  • An individualized home program that evolves with you

Low back problems we treat

  • Herniated or bulging discs
  • Sciatica / radiating leg pain
  • Muscle strains & spasm
  • SI joint pain
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Degenerative disc changes
  • Chronic low back pain
  • Post-surgical recovery
  • Back pain with lifting or sport
  • Recurring flare-ups

Not sure what yours is? That is what the evaluation is for.

A Doctor of Physical Therapy coaching a core stabilization exercise on the stability ball

Results from real backs

"I was in rough shape when I first came in to see Shawn. Almost forty years of playing hockey had really begun to take its toll on my body. I was experiencing what I thought was a severely pulled groin and a very stiff lower back. Shawn created a program for me consisting of an intense physical therapy session once a week and a very beneficial stretching regimen that we implemented immediately. Within a month, the benefits were tangible, and my pain had subsided tremendously. I have been working with Shawn for three years, and I am a world away from where I was when I first came in."
Teddy O'Brien Forty years of hockey, stiff lower back · Google review
"A couple of years ago, I was experiencing back and leg pain which interrupted my running routine and often made my 50-minute commute to work agonizing. I connected with Dr. Shawn Sprague and, after a few sessions with him, began to feel better, and my ride to work eventually became pain-free."
Dan Gutekanst Back and leg pain, back to running · Google review
Case study: how one golfer went from managing back pain to playing his member tournament pain-free. Read the story →

Read all 81 reviews on Google →

Where it leads

The goal is not just a calm back. It is a back you trust again. When pain resolves, your plan progresses from rehab into performance training with the same clinician in the same facility, so the strength that protects your spine keeps building instead of stopping at discharge. That transition is the Progression Method.

Low back pain FAQs

Do I need a referral to see a physical therapist for low back pain in Massachusetts?
No. Massachusetts has direct access, so you can start physical therapy without a physician referral. Book a free 15-minute fit call and we'll tell you whether we're the right place to start.
How soon should I see a physical therapist for low back pain?
Sooner is better. Waiting out an episode tends to build guarding and deconditioning that then have to be undone. If pain is limiting how you sit, lift, sleep, train, or work, that's reason enough to be evaluated.
Can physical therapy help a herniated disc?
In most cases, yes. Disc-related pain usually responds to hands-on treatment that restores mobility combined with progressive loading that rebuilds core and lumbopelvic-hip strength. Imaging findings don't decide the plan on their own; what your body can and can't do does.
Do I need an MRI before starting physical therapy?
Usually not. Disc bulges and degenerative changes show up on scans of plenty of people with no pain at all. A thorough orthopedic evaluation tells us more about what's driving your symptoms. If we see signs that imaging or a physician consult is warranted, we'll tell you.
Do you take insurance?
We're an out-of-network, fee-for-service practice. That's what lets every visit be a full session, one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, with no aides, no double-booking, and no visit limits set by a payer. Many PPO plans reimburse a portion of out-of-network care through the Super Bill we provide, and HSA/FSA funds typically apply. We'll walk you through what care costs on your free fit call.
What happens in a session?
You work start to finish with one senior Doctor of Physical Therapy. Sessions combine hands-on treatment, such as joint mobilization or manipulation, Graston, deep tissue work, or dry needling, with corrective and strengthening exercise, plus a home program you actually understand.
Can I keep lifting, running, or golfing while my back hurts?
Often yes, with modifications. Complete rest is rarely the answer. Part of the evaluation is working out what you can keep doing safely and what needs to change temporarily, so you're not starting from zero once the pain settles.
I already had back surgery. Can you still help?
Yes. We treat clients after lumbar surgery, including people who finished post-operative rehab elsewhere and still don't feel like themselves. The work is the same: restore what's stiff, build what's weak, and progress load until you're back to what you did before.

Start with a free 15-minute fit call

Tell us what your back is doing and what it is keeping you from. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right fit, what care would look like, and what it costs.

Book a Free 15-Minute Fit Call