Back Pain - Sioux Falls, SD
Back Pain in Sioux Falls — What's Causing It, What Works, and When to See a Chiropractor
Back pain is the most common reason people search for a chiropractor. Here's what you actually need to know — what's causing it, what chiropractic does about it, what works, what doesn't, and why same-day mobile care changes the equation for most people in Sioux Falls.
Or Call/Text (605)201-4862
110
5-Star Google Reviews
10+
Years treating back pain in Sioux Falls
< 20
Minutes per follow-up
Same Day Availability
Appointments usually available.
The Honest Picture
Most back pain is mechanical. Most mechanical back pain responds to chiropractic.
Low back pain affects roughly 80 percent of adults at some point in their lives. It's the third most common reason Americans see a doctor of any kind, and the most common musculoskeletal complaint in every demographic from desk workers to tradespeople.
Most of it is not structural damage. Most of it is not a disc herniation, not a fracture, not a tumor, not anything that shows up clearly on imaging. Most of it is a mechanical problem — a joint that has stopped moving correctly, surrounded by muscle that has tightened to protect it, creating compression and pain that won't resolve until the movement is restored.
Most back pain is a mechanics problem - and mechanics problems respond to mechanical solutions
What This Page Covers
Everything a Sioux Falls patient needs before their first visit
This isn't a generic health article about back pain. It's a clinical reference written by a practicing Sioux Falls chiropractor for people who are deciding whether and how to get help.
It covers what's actually causing the pain, which presentations respond well to chiropractic and which don't, what a visit involves, and why the mobile model changes the access equation for most people in the Sioux Falls area.
If you already know you want to book, the availability button is at the top. If you want to understand what you're getting into first — keep reading.
Chiropractic care is a mechanical solution. It addresses restricted joints directly, prepares the surrounding tissue before doing so, and gives the body the input it needs to reduce the pain signal. For the presentation that drives most back pain searches — acute or recurring mechanical low back pain — it works.
Understanding the Problem
What actually causes back pain?
01
Joint restriction and muscle guarding
The most common chiropractic presentation. A spinal joint stops moving through its normal range — from sustained posture, a minor strain, or a sudden movement. The surrounding musculature contracts to protect it. That guarding creates its own pain signal. The adjustment restores movement to the restricted joint. The guarding releases. The compression reduces. This is the mechanism behind most acute mechanical back pain.
03
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
The SI joint — where the sacrum meets the ilium at the back of the pelvis — is a common source of low back and buttock pain that is frequently misidentified as lumbar disc pathology. SI joint dysfunction responds well to specific manipulation and is one of the most satisfying presentations to treat because the response is often rapid and dramatic.
05
Sciatica and Nerve Root Irritation
Pain that radiates from the low back into the buttock, leg, or foot — sometimes with numbness or tingling — is often described as sciatica. The term describes a symptom pattern, not a diagnosis. The cause can be lumbar disc herniation compressing the nerve root, piriformis syndrome creating external compression of the sciatic nerve, or referred pain from joint and soft tissue structures without true nerve involvement. Each responds differently to treatment.
02
Disc involvement
Disc herniations, bulges, and degenerative disc changes are common findings on imaging — and commonly blamed for back pain even when the relationship between the finding and the symptom is unclear. Mild-to-moderate disc involvement responds well to chiropractic care. Severe herniations with significant neurological deficit, or presentations with progressive weakness or bowel and bladder involvement, require medical evaluation before chiropractic management.
04
Postural and Ergonomic Overload
Sustained sitting, prolonged standing, forward head posture, and repetitive asymmetrical loading all create chronic mechanical demand on the lumbar spine that accumulates over months and years before producing a threshold event — the moment the back "goes out" that often gets attributed to a minor trigger that was simply the last straw. Addressing the mechanical contributors while treating the acute presentation is what prevents recurrence.
06
Deconditioning and stability deficits
Weak core stabilizers — specifically the deep musculature that supports the lumbar spine between external loads — create a spine that is vulnerable to strain from movements that shouldn't produce injury. This is often the underlying factor in patients who "always hurt their back" doing minor things. Addressing stability deficits is part of the clinical picture, not an alternative to it.
Know the difference
Back Pain Red Flags — When to See a Doctor Instead of a Chiropractor
Chiropractic care is appropriate for most mechanical back pain. It is not appropriate for all back pain. The following presentations require medical evaluation before or instead of chiropractic management.
Seek emergency care or medical evaluation for these presentations
-
Back pain with bowel or bladder dysfunction — sudden inability to control either, or sudden urinary retention
-
Progressive neurological deficit — weakness in the legs that is worsening, not just painful
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Saddle anesthesia — numbness in the groin or inner thighs
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Back pain following significant trauma — fall from height, motor vehicle accident, direct impact
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Back pain with fever, chills, or unexplained weight loss
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Constant severe pain that is not position-dependent and does not change with movement
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History of cancer with new-onset back pain
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Pain that is markedly worse at night and wakes from sleep consistently
A competent chiropractor screens for these presentations at the first visit and refers appropriately when they are present. If you are unsure whether your presentation is appropriate for chiropractic care, a phone call or text to (605) 201-4862 will get you a straight answer before you book.
The Clinical Sequence
How a Sioux Falls Chiropractor Treats Back Pain — And Why the Sequence Matters
Every MyChiro visit follows three stages in order. Each one prepares the body for the next. Skipping stages is why some adjustments don't hold.
Percussion therapy — preparing the tissue
01
A handheld percussion device reduces neuromuscular guarding in the surrounding tissue before anything else happens. The muscles that have been contracting to protect a restricted joint won't release through an adjustment alone — they need direct mechanical input first. Percussion therapy creates the window in which stretching and adjustment are more effective and more comfortable than they would be on unpreparated tissue.
PIR stretching — restoring range of motion
02
Post-Isometric Relaxation uses the contract-relax cycle to access range of motion the nervous system actively protects from passive holds. The patient gently contracts the target muscle against resistance for five to seven seconds, then fully relaxes. During the relaxation phase, the muscle releases further than it would under passive stretch. Three cycles produces meaningful and lasting improvement in range that static stretching rarely achieves, particularly for chronic presentations.
Chiropractic adjustment — restoring joint motion
02
A precise, controlled force applied to restricted spinal segments restores normal movement and reduces the pain signal associated with restriction. By this stage the surrounding tissue has been prepared — the adjustment requires less force, meets less resistance, and holds longer than it would without the preceding stages. Technique is selected based on presentation: Diversified for most cases, Thompson Drop for lumbar and pelvic work, Activator for lower-force requirements.
First visits include a health history and movement assessment in addition to the full treatment sequence — typically 30 to 45 minutes. Return visits focus entirely on treatment and run 15 to 20 minutes. Most patients are done before they would have left for a traditional clinic appointment.
Setting expectations correctly
How Long Does Back Pain Take to Resolve With Chiropractic Care?
Back pain doesn't resolve the same way for every presentation. Understanding the realistic timeline prevents both premature disappointment and unnecessary continuation of care.
Presentation Type
Typical Response Time
Chiropractic Appropriate?
Acute Mechanical Low Back Pain
Meaningful improvement within 1–3 visits
✓ Yes
Recurring low back pain (episodic, known pattern)
Faster relief than acute; consider maintenance
✓ Yes
Chronic low back pain (months to years)
Longer arc; 4–8 visits before sustained improvement
✓ Yes, with realistic expectations
Sciatica — mild to moderate
2–6 visits depending on nerve irritability
✓ Yes
SI joint dysfunction
Often rapid — 1–3 visits for significant improvement
✓ Yes
Disc herniation — mild to moderate
Variable; 4–10 visits; imaging helpful
✓ Often, with monitoring
Severe disc herniation with neurological deficit
Requires medical evaluation first
→ Medical referral
Back pain from fracture or infection
Requires medical management
→ Emergency care
The goal is not to create a patient who comes indefinitely. The goal is to restore function, reduce pain, and give you the tools to maintain what was gained. At visit six or two weeks — whichever comes first — we do a brief progress check and discuss whether continued care makes sense.
The MyChiro difference
Why Mobile Chiropractic in Sioux Falls Changes the Equation for Back Pain
The access barrier to chiropractic care is particularly high for acute back pain — the people who need same-day care most are also the ones for whom getting to a clinic is hardest.
Acute back pain is the presentation that most clearly illustrates the problem with the traditional chiropractic model. The patient whose back locked up overnight — who can barely stand upright, for whom sitting in a car is painful, who needs same-day care — is also the patient for whom navigating a commute to a clinic is the most difficult.
The traditional model asks the patient to solve the access problem on their own before care begins. The mobile model removes the access problem entirely. The van comes to the driveway. The appointment happens without the patient having to get in a car first.
There's also a clinical argument for same-day mobile care that goes beyond convenience. Acute back pain triggers a protective muscle guarding response that becomes more entrenched over time. A house call that arrives the morning of the acute episode treats the problem before the secondary guarding pattern has had time to develop. The patient seen on day one presents with an uncomplicated restriction. The patient seen on day four presents with the original restriction plus four days of compensation.
New Patient: $175 | Return Visit: $100 | Cash-based | HSA/FSA accepted
Back Pain Deep Dives
In-depth guides on back pain in Sioux Falls
Every article answers one specific question about back pain — cause, treatment, recovery, or when to seek care. Each links back to this page and to related articles.
01
What Back Pain Actually Needs - And What It Doesn't
Most people who wake up with back pain do the same thing: They wait. Here is why the window matters more than you think - and what actually helps.
02
Sciatica Is Not What Most People Think It Is.
The term describes a symptom pattern, not a diagnosis. Treating the wrong cause is how people end up with six months of treatment for a problem that wasn't responding to it.
03
Why Didn't I Feel Better After My First Visit?
Acute low back pain doesn't always resolve after the first visit-and there's a physiological reason why for that. Here is what the recovery process actually looks like.
04
Your Back Hurts. Check Your Breathing.
The diaphragm isn't just a breathing muscle-it's a pressure regulator for the lumbar spine. When it stops working correctly, the back compensates.
05
Same-Day Back Pain Care In Sioux Falls
There is a clinical argument for same-day care that people don't think about. Every day of untreated acute back pain gives the guarding pattern more time to become entrenched.
07
Why Your Back Pain Keeps Coming Back (And What Actually Fixes It)
A patient called me convinced something was seriously wrong with her spine. She'd thrown her back out reaching into the dishwasher. Nothing was structurally wrong — that's almost always the answer, and it's almost never the one people want. The moment of pain is rarely the moment of damage; the damage builds quietly for months, and the dishwasher is just the final straw. Here's why most back pain treatments miss this, and what actually keeps it from coming back.
06
Why Driving Causes Back Pain — And What to Actually Do About It
A patient asked before a road trip: "Is there anything I can do so my back doesn't lock up on the drive?" It's one of the most common questions I get — and the answer goes deeper than adjusting your seat. Dr. Lucas Marchand explains the mechanical reason driving causes back pain, what actually helps before and during a long drive, and what to do when it locks up anyway.
Your Provider
Dr. Lucas Marchand, DC
Dr. Marchand has been treating back pain in Sioux Falls since 2016. A graduate of Northwestern Health Sciences University, he runs MyChiro as a solo practice — every visit is with him, not a rotating associate. He built the practice around mobile delivery specifically because the access barrier to chiropractic care for acute back pain was the single most common reason people didn't get the help they needed.
110
5-Star Google Reviews
10+
Years treating back pain in Sioux Falls
Solo
Same provider every visit
Common Questions
Back pain and chiropractic — answered directly
The questions most patients have before their first visit — answered without the hedging that makes most health content useless.
How do I know if my back pain is appropriate for chiropractic?
If the pain is mechanical in nature — meaning it changes with position and movement, is worse with certain activities, and doesn't have accompanying neurological symptoms like progressive leg weakness or bowel and bladder dysfunction — it's almost certainly an appropriate chiropractic case. The warning signs that suggest a different clinical pathway are listed in the red flag section above. When in doubt, a call or text to (605) 201-4862 gets you a straight clinical answer before you book.
Do I need imaging before seeing a chiropractor?
For most acute mechanical back pain presentations — no. Imaging is appropriate when there's a history of trauma, progressive neurological deficit, prior cancer, or presentations that don't respond to conservative care within a reasonable timeframe. A clinical assessment can usually determine what's going on and whether imaging is warranted without requiring X-rays or MRI before the first visit. Unnecessary imaging exposes patients to radiation (X-ray) or significant expense (MRI) without changing the initial management for most common presentations.
How many visits will I need?
Acute mechanical back pain that hasn't been present for long typically responds within one to three visits. Chronic presentations that have been present for months take longer — four to eight visits before meaningful sustained improvement is common. At visit six or two weeks, whichever comes first, there's a brief progress check to discuss whether continued care makes sense. You're never locked into a treatment plan or pressured to continue beyond what produces results.
How many visits will I need?
Acute mechanical back pain that hasn't been present for long typically responds within one to three visits. Chronic presentations that have been present for months take longer — four to eight visits before meaningful sustained improvement is common. At visit six or two weeks, whichever comes first, there's a brief progress check to discuss whether continued care makes sense. You're never locked into a treatment plan or pressured to continue beyond what produces results.
Is Chiropractic safe for back pain?
For mechanical back pain without neurological deficit or structural contraindication — yes, chiropractic is safe and well-supported by the research literature. The risk profile for lumbar spinal manipulation is low when performed by a licensed chiropractor on appropriate presentations. Soreness after the first one or two visits is common and typically resolves within 24 to 48 hours. Serious adverse events from lumbar manipulation are rare.
What's the difference between a chiropractor and a physical therapist for back pain?
Both professions address musculoskeletal pain, but with different primary tools. Chiropractic emphasizes joint manipulation and soft tissue preparation to restore movement to restricted segments. Physical therapy emphasizes therapeutic exercise, movement retraining, and functional rehabilitation. For acute mechanical back pain, chiropractic typically produces faster initial relief. For long-term stability and movement quality, exercise-based approaches often play a larger role. They're complementary rather than competitive for most presentations — and a good chiropractor will tell you when a referral or concurrent PT is appropriate.
Can I chiropractor come to my home for back pain?
In Sioux Falls — yes. MyChiro is a fully mobile practice. The clinic comes to your home, office, or wherever you are throughout Sioux Falls and surrounding communities. Same-day appointments are usually available. For acute back pain specifically — when getting into a car is the hardest part of the visit — the mobile model is a meaningfully better fit than a traditional clinic.
What does a visit cost?
New patient visits are $175 and include health history, movement assessment, and the full treatment sequence. Return visits are $100. Cash-based practice — no insurance billing, no hidden fees. HSA and FSA cards accepted. You know the cost before the van arrives.
"I went to urgent care and they said it's muscular — should I see a chiropractor?"
Yes — and this is one of the most common situations we see at MyChiro.
When urgent care says "it's muscular," they've done their job: ruled out fractures, cord compression, and anything requiring emergency care. The steroids and muscle relaxants they prescribed are appropriate for managing the acute pain.
What they didn't have time to assess is the underlying mechanical picture — which spinal segments are restricted, which muscles are in protective guarding, and what created the conditions for the episode in the first place. That's what chiropractic care addresses.
The medication manages the symptom. The adjustment addresses the mechanism. The two approaches work together rather than competing.
Read the full explanation here — including what "it's muscular" actually means clinically and what usually helps next. →]
Back pain doesn't wait.
Neither does MyChiro.
Same-day appointments usually available. The fully equipped clinic comes to your door — home, office, hotel, or driveway — throughout Sioux Falls and surrounding communities.
Or Call/Text (605)201-4862
New Patient: $175 | Return Visit: $100 | Cash-based | HSA/FSA accepted
Serving Sioux Falls, Brandon, Tea, Harrisburg, Renner, Canton & Dell Rapids