Spinal Decompression for Vineyard: After PT or Injections

Who is this page for?

People in Vineyard who've already tried common treatments and are deciding what to do next.

Vineyard sits on the east shore of Utah Lake next to Orem. The Springville office is south of Provo, so this is a drive across town rather than next door. If you haven't tried anything yet, start with when to see a doctor and the first-line options there.

How do PT, injections and decompression compare?

They have different goals and different evidence. None works for everyone, and they're sometimes combined.

	Physical therapy / exercise	Epidural steroid injection	Spinal decompression
Main goal	Strength, movement, self-management	Calm nerve inflammation and pain	Take pressure off irritated discs and nerves
Evidence	Exercise probably reduces chronic low back pain compared with no treatment or usual care (Cochrane 2021)	May give small short-term relief of sciatica (Cochrane 2020)	Traction reviews haven't shown clear benefit over sham or other care (Cochrane 2013)
What it involves	Visits plus home exercises	A procedure, sometimes repeated	About 20 visits over 6 weeks, 30 to 45 minutes each
Who provides it in Utah	Physical therapist (no referral needed)	Physician	At this clinic, Dr. Gordon Stapel, DC

Full comparisons: decompression vs. physical therapy · decompression vs. epidural injections.

What if PT didn't work?

It's worth understanding why before switching. "Didn't work" can mean different things.

It helped a little, then stalled. Some people do better combining continued exercise with another treatment.
It made leg symptoms worse. Tell any provider you see next; it matters for planning.
You couldn't keep up with it. Decompression also takes regular visits, so be realistic about time.

Guidelines recommend exercise and other non-drug care as early options for many people with low back pain (ACP). Decompression doesn't replace exercise.

What if an injection only helped for a while?

That's common. Injection relief is often short-term, and the next step depends on your exam and imaging.

Options include another injection, a surgical opinion, more rehab, or a trial of decompression if nothing rules it out. If you have worsening leg weakness or bladder or bowel changes, get medical care promptly instead.

What should I bring from my past care?

Anything that shows what was tried and what happened.

PT discharge notes or your home exercise sheet.
Dates of injections and how long any relief lasted.
MRI or X-ray reports. The clinic offers a free MRI review.

Dr. Gordon Stapel, DC has been in practice since 1993. Call (801) 491-8688.

Address and hours

Springville Disc Center at Stapel Family Chiropractic
Dr. Gordon Stapel, DC
230 E 400 S Ste 1
Springville, UT 84663

(801) 491-8688

Get directions

Hours

Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and 3:00 – 6:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Saturday – Sunday Closed

Questions from Vineyard

Is there an office in Vineyard?

No. Springville Disc Center at Stapel Family Chiropractic has one office, at 230 E 400 S Ste 1 in Springville, south of Provo.

I already did physical therapy. Is decompression the next step?

It can be one option to ask about, along with injections, a medical or surgical opinion, or continuing exercise. Whether it fits depends on your exam, what PT did and did not change, and any imaging.

Can I have decompression after an epidural injection?

Often the question is timing, not whether. Tell the doctor when you had the injection and how it affected your pain. He will decide whether and when decompression makes sense.

Should I stop my home exercises during decompression?

Not without asking. Exercise is a first-line treatment for back pain. The doctor will tell you which exercises to keep, pause or change during a plan.

Does decompression work better than PT or injections?

That has not been shown. There are few good head-to-head studies. Each option has a different goal, and some people use more than one.

Request a free consultation from Vineyard

Prefer to talk now? Call (801) 491-8688. Or send this short form and the office will call you back during business hours, usually within 2 business days.

Your name

Phone

Email (optional)

City

Where does it hurt?

How long has it hurt?

Have you had an MRI of this area?

Yes No Not sure

Best time to call

Please don't include detailed medical history here. You can go over that with the doctor at your consultation.

The consultation is free, and fees and payment options are discussed there before any treatment starts. Submitting this form doesn't make you a patient or schedule treatment.

Sources

This website is operated for Stapel Family Chiropractic (Springville Disc Center) in Springville, Utah. Care is provided by Dr. Gordon Stapel, DC, a licensed chiropractic physician. About this site.