Chiropractic Care for Lower Back Pain in Newmarket
Chiropractor for Lower Back Pain in Newmarket
Published: August 2026 | Last Updated: August 2026
Written By Dr. Kathy Trenholm, DC, HBSc | PhysioChiroWellness, Newmarket, Ontario. Reviewed by the PhysioChiroWellness Clinical Team
If you have been searching for a chiropractor in Newmarket because your lower back has been aching for weeks, you are not alone. Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people across Ontario miss work, skip activities they love, or struggle to get through a full day without discomfort. Whether it started after a weekend of yard work, a car accident, or simply crept up on you with no clear cause, that nagging ache in your low back can affect nearly everything you do, from bending down to tie your shoes to sitting through a workday.
At PhysioChiroWellness, we hear this story often from patients throughout Newmarket and the surrounding communities. Dr. Kathy Trenholm, one of our chiropractors, has spent years working directly with people experiencing exactly this kind of pain, and she has seen firsthand how the right combination of hands-on care, education, and a personalized plan can help someone go from guarded and uncomfortable to moving confidently again. This article walks through what causes lower back pain, who tends to benefit from chiropractic care, when it makes sense to book an appointment, and what you can expect from working with a chiropractor in Newmarket who takes the time to understand your specific situation.
Is Chiropractic Care Appropriate for Lower Back Pain?
Lower back pain can have many possible contributors, and the right approach depends on the person’s symptoms, medical history, physical examination, and functional limitations. Chiropractic care may be one option for people with uncomplicated musculoskeletal low back pain, particularly when treatment is combined with active strategies such as exercise and movement education.
A proper assessment is important before treatment begins. It helps determine whether the symptoms are appropriate for conservative chiropractic care or whether another healthcare professional, further investigation, or urgent medical assessment is needed.
In a Nutshell
- Lower back pain is extremely common and can have many possible contributors, including muscle, joint, disc, nerve, activity-related, and other factors.
- A chiropractor in Newmarket can assess your spine, posture, and movement patterns to identify what is likely contributing to your pain.
- Chiropractic care typically combines manual therapy, such as spinal adjustments and soft tissue work, with exercise guidance and lifestyle recommendations.
- Most mechanical low back pain improves with conservative, non-surgical care, though persistent or worsening symptoms should always be evaluated properly.
- The right treatment depends on the cause and characteristics of your symptoms, and some types of back pain require medical assessment rather than routine chiropractic care.
Understanding Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain, sometimes called lumbar pain, refers to discomfort felt anywhere from the bottom of the rib cage to the top of the hips. It can show up as a dull ache, a sharp stabbing sensation, stiffness in the morning, or pain that radiates into the buttock or leg. In many cases, the discomfort is described as mechanical, meaning it changes with movement, posture, or activity level rather than staying constant regardless of what you do.
Several structures in the lower back can contribute to pain, including the muscles that support the spine, the small facet joints between each vertebra, the discs that cushion the vertebrae, and the ligaments that hold everything together. When one or more of these structures becomes irritated, inflamed, or restricted in its normal movement, pain and stiffness often follow.
Different Types of Lower Back Pain
Not all lower back pain has the same cause. Some cases are related to muscles, joints, discs, or other structures in and around the spine. Other cases can involve nerve irritation, inflammatory conditions, fractures, infection, or other medical problems.
For this reason, the location of pain alone does not tell you exactly what is causing it. A person’s symptoms, medical history, movement, neurological findings, and other examination findings all help determine what may be contributing to the problem and what type of care is appropriate.
Most cases of low back pain are described as non-specific, meaning that a single structural cause cannot always be identified from symptoms or routine imaging. Several physical, psychological, social, and lifestyle factors can influence how a person experiences and recovers from back pain.
For people with uncomplicated low back pain, current clinical guidance generally emphasizes conservative management and active approaches such as education and exercise. Depending on the individual and their clinical assessment, physical therapies such as spinal manipulative therapy may also be considered. The appropriate combination of treatments varies from person to person.
Factors That May Contribute to Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain can develop for different reasons, and more than one factor may be involved. Some common contributors include:
- Repetitive lifting, bending, or twisting
- Sudden increases in physical activity
- Prolonged periods of sitting or reduced movement
- Previous episodes of back pain
- Reduced strength or physical conditioning
- Certain sports or occupational demands
- Changes in normal movement following an injury
- Age-related changes in the spine and surrounding tissues
- Stress, poor sleep, and other factors that can influence pain and recovery
These factors do not necessarily mean that a person has damaged their spine. In many cases, back pain is influenced by several factors at the same time. Identifying the factors that may be contributing to your symptoms can help guide an appropriate treatment and rehabilitation plan.
Common Causes We See in Newmarket Patients
Dr. Trenholm notes that the patients she sees at the clinic tend to fall into a few recognizable groups. Office workers who sit for long stretches at a desk may experience back discomfort associated with prolonged sitting and reduced movement. Tradespeople and physically active patients may experience back symptoms after lifting, twisting, or repetitive bending. Parents caring for young children, weekend athletes returning to a sport after time away, and older adults experiencing age-related changes may also seek care for lower back symptoms.
These patterns can provide useful context, but they do not establish the cause of an individual’s back pain. Two people with similar work or activity habits can have very different symptoms and underlying contributors. A clinical assessment is therefore important before assuming that posture, muscle weakness, lifting technique, or another single factor is responsible.
Newmarket’s mix of suburban families, commuters, and active retirees means our team regularly adapts care to very different lifestyles, which is part of why a personalized assessment matters so much before any treatment begins.
Who Can Benefit From Chiropractic Care for Lower Back Pain
Chiropractic care may be appropriate for some people with musculoskeletal lower back pain, but it is not automatically suitable for every person with back pain. The decision should be based on the person’s symptoms, medical history, examination findings, goals, and any warning signs that may require another type of care. It can be appropriate for a wide range of situations, including:
- People with a new or recent onset of lower back pain following an activity, lift, or minor injury
- Those dealing with recurring episodes of back pain that seem to flare up every few months
- Individuals with chronic low back discomfort that has lasted longer than three months
- Patients recovering from a motor vehicle accident or workplace injury
- Athletes and active individuals looking to address movement restrictions before they become a bigger problem
- Office workers experiencing stiffness and discomfort related to prolonged sitting
- Older adults managing age-related changes in spinal mobility
Dr. Trenholm often reminds patients that chiropractic care works best as part of a broader approach to musculoskeletal health. Depending on what your assessment reveals, she may recommend combining chiropractic adjustments with therapeutic exercise, soft tissue therapy, or a referral to another member of the care team when appropriate.
The goal of an assessment is not simply to determine whether a person can receive chiropractic treatment. It is also to determine what type of care is most appropriate. When symptoms suggest that another healthcare professional or further investigation would be more suitable, an appropriate referral may form part of the care plan.
When to Seek Chiropractic Assessment for Lower Back Pain
Not every episode of lower back pain requires professional treatment. However, an assessment may be worthwhile when pain is persistent, keeps returning, affects your normal activities, or is accompanied by symptoms that you are unsure how to interpret.
Consider arranging an assessment with a chiropractor in Newmarket if you have:
- Pain that is not improving over time or is beginning to interfere with your normal activities
- Discomfort that limits your ability to sit, stand, sleep, or complete daily tasks
- Stiffness that is worse in the morning and slowly loosens throughout the day
- Pain that radiates into the buttock, hip, or down the leg
- Recurring episodes of low back pain that keep returning
- Reduced range of motion when bending, twisting, or reaching
When Lower Back Pain Requires Medical Attention
Some symptoms can indicate a more serious problem and should not be managed as routine back pain. Seek prompt medical assessment if lower back pain occurs with symptoms such as:
- New loss of bladder or bowel control
- Numbness around the groin, buttocks, or inner thighs
- Significant or progressive weakness in the legs
- Fever or other signs of infection
- Unexplained weight loss
- Significant trauma, particularly when there may be a risk of fracture
- Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
These symptoms do not necessarily mean that a serious condition is present, but they warrant appropriate medical evaluation. A chiropractor may also refer a patient to another healthcare professional when the history or examination indicates that further investigation is needed.
What Happens During a Chiropractic Assessment?
A first chiropractic appointment for lower back pain typically begins with a discussion about your symptoms, medical history, previous injuries, daily activities, and goals for treatment. Your chiropractor may also ask when the pain began, what makes it better or worse, whether symptoms travel into the buttock or leg, and whether you have experienced numbness, tingling, or weakness.
A physical examination may include an assessment of spinal and joint movement, muscle strength, functional movement, and neurological findings when appropriate. The purpose is to understand the pattern of your symptoms and determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate.
The assessment also provides an opportunity to identify symptoms that may require referral or further medical investigation. If the findings suggest that another type of healthcare assessment would be more appropriate, treatment may be adjusted or a referral recommended.
Do You Need an X-Ray or MRI for Lower Back Pain?
An X-ray or MRI is not automatically required for every episode of lower back pain. The decision to order or recommend imaging depends on the symptoms, medical history, examination findings, and whether there are signs suggesting a more serious condition.
For uncomplicated low back pain without concerning clinical findings, routine imaging is often not necessary. When imaging is indicated, the type of imaging depends on what the healthcare professional is trying to investigate.
If your symptoms suggest that further medical investigation is needed, your chiropractor can recommend an appropriate referral or next step rather than proceeding with routine treatment.
What an Evidence-Informed Approach Looks Like
Evidence-informed care means considering the best available research alongside the patient’s symptoms, clinical findings, preferences, goals, and circumstances. For chronic primary low back pain, current WHO guidance supports education and exercise and allows for certain physical therapies, including spinal manipulative therapy, when appropriate. The guidance also emphasizes that care should be person-centred and may involve a combination of approaches rather than relying on one treatment in isolation.
In Canada, the Canadian Pain Task Force has also recognized exercise, spinal manipulation, and other conservative approaches within the broader management of chronic pain, while noting that the benefits and risks of individual therapies can vary between patients.
At PhysioChiroWellness, this approach begins with an assessment rather than assuming that the same treatment is appropriate for everyone. Depending on the findings, treatment may include:
1. Spinal Adjustments
Spinal manipulation or adjustment may be used when it is considered appropriate following an assessment. The technique is intended to influence movement in selected spinal joints and may be used as part of a broader treatment plan for some people with low back pain. The choice of technique depends on the individual’s symptoms, examination findings, preferences, and tolerance for treatment.
2. Soft Tissue Therapy
Soft tissue techniques may be used to address areas of muscle tension or tenderness that are contributing to discomfort or limiting movement. Depending on the assessment, treatment may involve muscles around the lower back, hips, or buttocks.
Soft tissue treatment is generally used as one component of care rather than as the sole strategy for managing persistent lower back pain.
3. Therapeutic Exercise and Movement Education
Guided exercises designed to build core stability, improve hip mobility, and correct movement patterns that may be placing unnecessary stress on the lower back. Dr. Trenholm places a strong emphasis on this part of the care plan because exercise and movement education can help patients build confidence with movement and participate more actively in their recovery.
Exercise recommendations should be matched to the person’s current abilities, symptoms, goals, and stage of recovery. The exercises that are appropriate during an acute flare-up may differ from those used later to build strength, endurance, mobility, or confidence with everyday activities.
For people with chronic primary low back pain, exercise is among the approaches supported by current international clinical guidance.
4. Lifestyle and Ergonomic Guidance
Practical advice about workstation setup, sleeping positions, and daily habits that can either support or undermine spinal health over time.
What the Research Says About Chiropractic Care for Lower Back Pain
Research on low back pain supports an individualized approach rather than a single treatment that works for everyone. Current WHO guidance for chronic primary low back pain includes education, structured exercise, and certain physical therapies, including spinal manipulative therapy, among the interventions that may be offered in appropriate circumstances.
Health Canada’s Canadian Pain Task Force has also identified exercise, spinal manipulation, spinal mobilization, massage, and other conservative approaches among interventions used in pain management. The report emphasizes that the benefits and risks of individual therapies can vary and should be considered through discussion between patients and healthcare providers.
This evidence does not mean that chiropractic treatment is appropriate for every person with back pain or that one treatment should be used on its own. A person’s symptoms, medical history, examination findings, preferences, and response to treatment should all help guide the care plan.
Dr. Trenholm’s multidisciplinary approach means treatment plans are rarely one-size-fits-all. A younger athlete recovering from a strain will have a different plan than an older adult managing chronic stiffness, and that individualized thinking is part of what defines her style of care.
What Can You Do at Home to Support Recovery?
Your daily habits can play an important role in managing lower back pain. Depending on your symptoms, useful strategies may include:
- Staying reasonably active rather than spending prolonged periods in bed
- Taking regular movement breaks if you sit for long periods
- Temporarily modifying activities that clearly aggravate your symptoms
- Gradually returning to normal activities as your symptoms allow
- Following an exercise program recommended for your individual needs
- Paying attention to sleep, stress, and other factors that may influence pain
- Seeking professional assessment when symptoms persist, worsen, or interfere significantly with daily activities
There is no single sleeping position, workstation setup, or exercise that is appropriate for everyone with back pain. If a particular activity consistently increases your symptoms, discuss it with a healthcare professional rather than assuming that you need to avoid the activity permanently.
How Long Does Lower Back Pain Take to Improve?
There is no single recovery timeline for lower back pain. Some episodes improve relatively quickly, while others persist or return over time. Recovery can be influenced by the cause of the pain, how long symptoms have been present, overall health, activity level, sleep, stress, previous episodes of back pain, and other individual factors.
Rather than focusing only on how many treatment visits you may need, it is often more useful to monitor changes in pain, movement, function, and your ability to return to normal activities.
If your symptoms are not improving, are getting worse, or are accompanied by new neurological or systemic symptoms, your condition should be reassessed.
A Note From Dr. Trenholm
A Practitioner Perspective
The following comments reflect Dr. Trenholm’s clinical approach to assessing and managing patients with lower back pain. Individual treatment recommendations depend on the patient’s assessment and circumstances.
One of the most common things I hear from new patients is that they assumed their back pain would just go away on its own, and then months later they are still dealing with it,” Dr. Trenholm explains. “What I try to do with every patient is figure out why the pain is there in the first place, not just treat the area that hurts. Sometimes that means looking at hip mobility, sometimes it means looking at how someone sits at work all day. Newmarket has such an active community, from families to retirees to people commuting into the city, and I enjoy tailoring care to fit each person’s actual life rather than applying a generic plan.
This patient-centred mindset has guided her work throughout her career, including her ongoing involvement in local health fairs and community events across the region, where she regularly connects with residents about spinal health and injury prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chiropractic visits will I need for lower back pain?
This varies significantly depending on how long you have had the pain, its severity, and your overall health. Some patients notice improvement within a few visits, while others with chronic or recurring pain may benefit from a longer-term plan. Your chiropractor will discuss an estimated timeline after your initial assessment.
Is chiropractic care safe for lower back pain?
Chiropractic care is generally considered a safe, conservative option for mechanical low back pain when performed by a licensed practitioner following a proper assessment. As with any treatment, your chiropractor will review your health history to confirm it is appropriate for your situation.
Do I need a doctor’s referral to see a chiropractor in Newmarket?
In Ontario, you do not need a physician referral to book an appointment with a chiropractor. However, some extended health insurance plans may require one for reimbursement, so it is worth checking with your provider.
Can chiropractic care help with sciatica-type pain?
Pain that travels into the buttock or leg can have different causes, including irritation involving a spinal nerve. Some people may benefit from conservative care that includes manual therapy and exercise, depending on the cause and clinical findings. A proper assessment is important before deciding whether chiropractic care is appropriate. New or significant weakness, bladder or bowel changes, or numbness around the groin require prompt medical assessment.
What should I expect at my first visit to PhysioChiroWellness?
Your first visit includes a thorough discussion of your symptoms and health history, a physical assessment, and a conversation about your treatment options going forward. Dr. Trenholm takes time during this visit to make sure you understand what is contributing to your pain.
Can lower back pain go away on its own?
Many episodes of lower back pain improve over time, particularly when there are no warning signs of a more serious condition. However, persistent, recurring, or worsening symptoms should be assessed so that appropriate care can be considered.
Should I keep exercising if my lower back hurts?
In many cases, remaining reasonably active is preferable to prolonged bed rest, but the appropriate level and type of activity depends on your symptoms. An individualized exercise plan can help you return to normal movement while avoiding unnecessary aggravation.
Can I see a chiropractor if my back pain travels into my leg?
Pain that travels into the buttock or leg can have different causes, including irritation involving a spinal nerve. A proper assessment is important before deciding whether chiropractic care is appropriate. New or significant weakness, bladder or bowel changes, or numbness around the groin require prompt medical assessment.
Take the Next Step Toward a Healthier Back
If lower back pain is affecting your work, sleep, exercise, or everyday activities, an assessment can help you understand what may be contributing to your symptoms and what treatment options may be appropriate.
At PhysioChiroWellness, Dr. Trenholm and the team assess each patient individually and develop care recommendations based on the findings, goals, and clinical needs of that person.
We proudly serve patients throughout Newmarket, Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Keswick and Georgina, Innisfil and Barrie South, Queensville and Vandorf, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Sharon and Holland Landing, and Stonehaven and Woodland Hill.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health condition. Every individual’s situation is different, and you should consult with a qualified healthcare professional, such as a licensed chiropractor or physician, before beginning any new treatment plan. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, including numbness, significant weakness, or loss of bladder or bowel control, seek immediate medical attention. The information in this article does not replace an individualized assessment, diagnosis, or treatment plan from a qualified healthcare professional.
Sources and References
The information in this article has been informed by clinical guidelines and health resources relating to the assessment and management of low back pain.
- World Health Organization. WHO guideline for non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain in adults in primary and community care settings.
- World Health Organization. WHO releases guidelines on chronic low back pain.
- Health Canada. Canadian Pain Task Force Report.
- Bussières AE, et al. Spinal Manipulative Therapy and Other Conservative Treatments for Low Back Pain: A Guideline from the Canadian Chiropractic Guideline Initiative.
Readers should consult the sources and a qualified healthcare professional for advice relating to their individual circumstances.
About the Author
Dr. Trenholm is a trusted chiropractor dedicated to empowering individuals to take control of their health through her holistic approach and personalized treatment plans. With a focus on addressing underlying imbalances, her practice treats chronic pain conditions, sports injuries, and other musculoskeletal and nervous system disorders. Her multidisciplinary strategy combines chiropractic care with evidence-based therapies. By prioritizing patient-centered care, Dr. Trenholm’s approach supports functional recovery and long-term management where appropriate. To discover how Dr. Trenholm’s unique approach can benefit your health, explore her chiropractic care services and treatment options further.
Throughout her career, Dr. Trenholm has remained committed to community involvement, regularly participating in local health fairs and charity events.