When you experience lumbar strain, it can significantly impact your ability to perform daily activities and may lead to functional limitations and decreased quality of life. Our team of orthopedic specialists begins the evaluation process with a thorough assessment of your medical history, followed by a physical examination and may utilize imaging studies such as X-rays or MRI to rule out other potential causes of your symptoms.
A lumbar strain — a pulled muscle or ligament in the lower back — is one of the most common causes of sudden back pain. The good news: most strains heal with the right care. Our team treats lower-back injuries across Long Island and northern New Jersey, with offices in Plainview, New Hyde Park, and Ronkonkoma, NY, and Clifton, Montville, and Plainfield, NJ.
The short version
- A lumbar strain is an injury to the muscles or ligaments of the lower back, often from lifting, twisting, or overuse.
- Typical symptoms are localized pain, stiffness, and muscle spasm — usually without pain shooting down the leg.
- Most strains improve within a few weeks with conservative care.
- If pain lingers or travels down a leg, it may be more than a strain and worth evaluating.
What a lumbar strain is
A lumbar strain happens when the muscles or ligaments supporting your lower back are stretched or torn — commonly from a sudden movement, heavy or awkward lifting, poor posture, or repetitive activity that overloads the area. The result is localized lower-back pain, stiffness, muscle spasms, and difficulty moving comfortably.
Unlike nerve-related back problems, a strain usually stays in the back itself and doesn’t send pain, numbness, or tingling down the leg. That distinction matters, because it points toward a different, simpler treatment path.
How we treat lumbar strain
Lumbar strains are treated conservatively in almost all cases:
- Relative rest and activity changes — briefly easing off the movements that aggravate it, while avoiding prolonged bed rest.
- Ice or heat — ice early to calm inflammation, heat later to relax tight muscles.
- Medication — anti-inflammatories or, at times, a short course of muscle relaxants to ease spasm.
- Physical therapy — stretching, strengthening, and posture work that promotes healing and helps prevent the strain from returning.
- Trigger point injections — if a painful muscle knot develops and won’t release, a trigger point injection can help relax it.
Worth knowing: Most lumbar strains resolve within a few weeks. Staying gently active actually speeds recovery — long periods of bed rest tend to make stiffness worse, not better.
When it might be more than a strain
If your pain hasn’t settled after a few weeks, keeps returning, or starts radiating down a leg with numbness or tingling, the cause may be more than a muscle strain — for example an irritated nerve or a disc problem. In that case, take a look at our low back pain or sciatica pages, and let us evaluate you to find the real source.
Seek urgent care if: back pain follows a serious fall or accident, or comes with loss of bladder or bowel control, groin numbness, fever, or rapidly worsening leg weakness. These aren’t typical of a simple strain and need prompt attention.
Why patients across Long Island and North Jersey choose Empire
We’re a local pain and orthopedic practice, so your evaluation, treatment, and follow-up all happen close to home with the same team.
- New York: Plainview, New Hyde Park, and Ronkonkoma — across Nassau and Suffolk
- New Jersey: Clifton, Montville, and Plainfield — serving Passaic, Morris, and Union County communities
- Interventional pain management and orthopedics under one roof
- Conservative-first care that gets you moving again
Insurance
Coverage varies by plan and by location, and we accept many major insurance plans across our New York and New Jersey offices. The simplest way to know exactly what your plan covers is to call — our team will verify your benefits before your visit, so there are no surprises. Whether you’re on Long Island or in North Jersey, reach out and we’ll walk you through your options.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a lumbar strain take to heal?
Most improve within a few weeks with conservative care. More significant strains can take longer. If yours isn’t improving after a few weeks, it’s worth an evaluation.
Should I rest or stay active?
Brief, relative rest is fine early on, but staying gently active speeds recovery. Prolonged bed rest tends to increase stiffness and slow healing.
How do I know it’s a strain and not something worse?
A strain usually causes localized back pain and stiffness without shooting down the leg. Pain that radiates, or comes with numbness or weakness, suggests a nerve issue and should be evaluated.
What helps a lumbar strain fastest?
A combination of gentle activity, ice then heat, anti-inflammatory medication, and physical therapy usually works best. We can tailor a plan to your situation.
Can a strain keep coming back?
It can, especially without addressing the underlying cause — posture, core strength, or lifting technique. Physical therapy focused on prevention helps reduce repeat strains.
Do I need an injection or procedure?
Usually not. Most strains resolve with conservative care. Occasionally a trigger point injection helps a stubborn muscle knot, but strains rarely require anything more.
Pulled something in your lower back?
Our team sees patients across Long Island, NY and northern New Jersey. We’ll confirm it’s a strain, rule out anything more serious, and get you on the fastest safe path back to normal.
New York: 516-229-1443 | New Jersey: 732-630-7246
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Accepted at our New Jersey Locations
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Medicare and Medicaid are not accepted at our New Jersey locations. Not sure about your plan? Call us and we'll verify before your visit.
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Meet Our Pain Management & Orthopedic Specialists
Dr. Monica Misak
Interventional Pain Specialist
Dr. James Yu, D.O.
Board Certified Anesthesiologist
Board Certified Interventional
Pain Management Physician
Dylan J. O'Rourke
Certified Physician Assistant
Pain Conditions Affecting Daily Life
Improve your quality of life with our comprehensive approach to pain management
We are dedicated to finding individualized treatment options tailored to fit your needs. Our team is dedicated to helping you lead a productive and active life, free from pain and disruption.
We use an integrative approach to conduct a comprehensive evaluation and assess your condition.
Physical examination and review of your medical history. We assess the cause of your pain, determine its severity and duration, and help you develop an individualized treatment plan.
We provide a range of treatments and procedures to address your chronic pain. These include nerve blocks, injections, physical therapy, implantable therapies and more. We also offer health education to help you better manage your condition.