Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care.
You may hear different advice from different people:
👉 “See a chiropractor.”
👉 “Go straight to a pakar sendi.”
👉 “Physiotherapy should be enough.”
So… who is actually right?
The truth is, each professional plays a different role — and choosing the right one at the right time can save you months of pain, money, and frustration.
Let’s break it down clearly. 👇
A chiropractor focuses primarily on the spine and joint alignment, especially when pain is believed to come from joint restriction or stiffness.
✔️ Spinal and joint alignment
✔️ High-velocity joint adjustments
✔️ Improving short-term mobility
✔️ Reducing joint stiffness
Lower back stiffness
Mid-back tightness
Neck-related back pain
Postural discomfort
📌 Key role:
Chiropractors aim to restore joint mobility and alignment, especially in the spine.
⚠️ Limitation:
Does not address muscle weakness, movement habits, or long-term prevention on its own.
A pakar sendi (orthopaedic doctor) specialises in diagnosing structural problems of the spine, bones, discs, and nerves.
Their role is crucial for identifying serious conditions and determining whether medical or surgical intervention is required.
✔️ Medical diagnosis
✔️ Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT scan)
✔️ Medications & injections
✔️ Surgical decision-making
📌 Key role:
To diagnose and manage structural or serious spinal conditions.
⚠️ Limitation:
Does not provide long-term rehabilitation or movement retraining.
A physiotherapist focuses on how your body moves, not just where it hurts.
Instead of treating only one area, physiotherapists assess the entire system — spine, pelvis, hips, muscles, posture, strength, and movement patterns — to identify why the pain keeps coming back.
✔️ Pain relief without reliance on adjustments
✔️ Muscle strengthening & control
✔️ Posture and biomechanics correction
✔️ Functional movement retraining
✔️ Long-term recovery and prevention
Acute and chronic back pain
Disc-related back pain (non-surgical cases)
Postural back pain
Recurrent flare-ups
Back pain linked to hip or knee problems
📌 Key role:
Physiotherapists treat the root cause of pain and help prevent recurrence.
| Aspect | Chiropractor | Pakar Sendi | Physiotherapist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Alignment | Diagnosis & medical care | Movement & recovery |
| Primary tools | Adjustments | Imaging, meds, surgery | Exercise + manual therapy |
| Rehab exercises | Limited | Not provided | Core component |
| Long-term prevention | Limited | Not focus | Strong focus |
| Chronic pain care | Short-term relief | Medical management | Long-term solutions |
When treatment focuses only on symptoms:
❌ Pain keeps returning
❌ Muscles remain weak
❌ Movement habits don’t improve
❌ Dependence on repeated treatments develops
True recovery requires active rehabilitation, not just passive relief.
Back pain isn’t just about bones or joints — it’s about how your body moves and adapts.
✔️ Chiropractors help with stiffness
✔️ Pakar sendi diagnose serious conditions
✔️ Physiotherapists restore movement and prevent recurrence
For most people with back pain, physiotherapy is the key to lasting recovery.
1. Do I need an MRI before physiotherapy?
Not always. Many back pain cases improve without imaging.
2. Can physiotherapy help disc problems?
Yes — many disc-related back pain cases recover without surgery.
3. Why does my pain return after adjustments or injections?
Because strength, posture, and movement patterns were not corrected.
4. Can physiotherapy help avoid surgery?
In many cases, yes — especially when started early.
5. Can treatments be combined?
Yes — but long-term success depends on active rehabilitation.
At Benphysio, we don’t just treat back pain — we restore how you move.
Through hands-on therapy, personalised exercises, and education, we help you regain confidence, strength, and pain-free movement.
Move better. Live better. Recover fully.
Relieve Muscle Pain. Enhance Recovery. Boost Performance
Available at: Oval Damansara, Bangsar, KL Ampang, Cheras, Puncak Alam, Ayer Keroh Melaka, Mount Austin Johor & Iskandar Puteri Johor
Book Your Session now!
Expert Physiotherapy & Sports Recovery Near You – We offer sports massage, deep tissue therapy, injury rehabilitation, and recovery programs for conditions such as back pain, neck pain, slipped discs, knee pain, sciatica, and sports injuries. Whether you’re an athlete, recovering from surgery, or managing chronic pain, our personalised treatments help you move better, recover faster, and stay active.
At our clinic, we provide a full range of physiotherapy and sports recovery services to support your health and performance. Our treatments include sports massage, deep tissue massage, sports injury massage, rehabilitation massage, recovery massage, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, mobility massage, kinesiology massage, and targeted therapy for sprains, strains, and muscle tension. We also offer pre-event and post-event sports massage, manual therapy for athletes, and injury prevention programs.
We treat a wide variety of conditions, including back pain, lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, stiff neck, slipped discs (L4L5), scoliosis, spinal pain, sciatica, nerve pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, ACL injuries, knee arthritis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, headaches, migraines, jaw pain, TMJ disorders, sports injuries, posture issues, pregnancy pain, frozen shoulder, and post-surgery rehabilitation. We also address gastric issues, bloating, shortness of breath, foot cramps, and numbness.
Conveniently located across Malaysia, we welcome clients from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, and Pahang — including key areas such as KLCC, Bangsar, Cheras, TTDI, Mont Kiara, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Puchong, Klang, Ayer Keroh, Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Skudai, Kuantan, and more. If you’re nearby, you’re close enough to benefit from our professional physiotherapy services. Book your appointment today and take the first step towards a stronger, pain-free you.
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