How long should I wait before I see a doctor?

Maybe you recently turned your ankle while walking the dog or felt a dull pain in your low back while picking up the laundry. Unless the pain or injury is acute, you can take it easy for a few days to give the body a chance to begin healing on its own. However, if your pain or movement does not begin to improve by day three, you will want to make an appointment for a physical therapy evaluation to determine what’s going on and if you need further treatment.

Early intervention is the single most important factor in the quickest possible recovery!! If you ignore an issue for more than a week, the body will start to compensate. Your muscles can become guarded on the side of the injury which can lead to a cascade of other issues. For instance, if you’re a runner who’s been pushing through knee pain, you may notice that your back starts to hurt because that knee pain has caused you to start moving differently. When you attack the root cause of your pain early on, you minimize these kinds of additional side effects that can prolong your recovery.

If you are experiencing acute pain or injury or intense back pain, you should see an MD or physical therapist right away.