Most people at some point will experience back pain. It can be very painful and worrying, but it is common, and it is rarely a sign of a more serious underlying illness. There are some people who will experience back pain repeatedly which can be disabling for that time period, whereas for others, it may be a one-off and they will recover reasonably quickly without too much treatment.
Reasons for needing physiotherapy for your lower back pain:
- Sciatic pain – this pain spreads to your legs and sometimes down to your foot. It can be caused by a prolapsed disc and can leave you with pins and needles and numbness
- Non-specific pain – this is when there is no real attributable cause or known pathology for the pain
- Ageing process – this is often caused by osteoarthritis. As we age our discs become worn and the lack of fluid in the joint may result in pain
- Spinal stenosis – this pain can occur when the space around your spinal cord narrows and can cause radiating pain down both legs
- Muscular pain – due to an injury or poor posture
- Psychological factors – having a fear of moving can contribute to more pain as your body becomes weaker and weaker over time
- General health – your lifestyle, ie. being rundown and tired, not getting enough sleep, not exercising enough, being overweight can all contribute to back pain
- Stress – sometimes having added stress in your home life or work life or a stressful event can be a trigger for back pain
Your GP may prescribe you some pain medications in the first instance and suggest for you to see a physiotherapist.
How we can help you
If after a few days your back pain does not seem to be improving it would be worthwhile seeing a physiotherapist.
Upon your first meeting with your physiotherapist, they will do a thorough assessment of your medical condition(s), taking a detailed history of your back pain.
They will then do a physical examination to see how your movement, joints and nerves are working, and will look at your overall posture.
Once you have had your assessment, your physio will discuss the options that they feel will help you in your recovery, such as:
- An exercise programme built for your own needs for strength and mobility
- Manual, hands on treatment
- Giving you advice on pain management, that will help you, in order to be able to carry out your exercise programme without too much pain
In most cases of back pain, however painful and restricting it is for you to continue with your day, back pain usually does tend to get better with the right pain medication, staying active and some physiotherapy.