Your Lower Back Can Be Such A Pain
The Issue:
Lower back pain is an extremely common condition with up to 80% of the population experiencing back pain at some time during the lives, with 15-20% being debilitating. Low back pain is the third most common reason why people present to the G.P. Although the underlying pathology of low back pain is usually not serious, it is the major cause of musculoskeletal pain in today’s society. Low back pain has a considerable impact on the economy due to time taken off work; healthcare costs and the many associated psychosocial factors. Whilst the vast majority of patients with back pain will recover within 6 weeks, a small number will go on to develop chronic back pain and a gradual deterioration of functionality. This gradual deterioration can lead to lifelong activity limitations and play a significant role in a person’s quality of life.
Causes Of Lower Back Pain
Most causes of low back pain are the result of irritation or poor function of the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, fascia or nerves in your back. Such irritation can be the result of spinal segment dysfunction, a common condition that occurs when the spinal vertebrae compress or irritate the delicate nerve structures of your lower back, which often results in poor muscle recruitment patterns and long term dysfunction.
Other common types of low back pain may include:
- Disc protrusions.
- Muscular spasm.
- Facet joint irritations.
Low back pain is often ‘referred’ from another location in the body and this is a reason why a generic physiotherapy or exercise program will not yield good results. The most common referral areas include the hips, sacroiliac joint, thoracic spine, ribs or due to biomechanical dysfunction elsewhere such as poor foot mechanics.
Your TPM physiotherapist will always conduct a thorough full body assessment to get to the heart of the problem.
Associated Problems:
A large percentage of low back pain is worsened by common lifestyle factors. Some common factors directly contributing to low back pain include:
- Overweight and obesity.
- Poor postures.
- Work and home stress.
- Lack of exercise.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Nutrient deficient diet.
- Repetitive overuse e.g. workplace specific.
- Childbirth and repetitive lifting/holding and positioning of children.
Assessment Of Lower Back Pain
Your Physiotherapist will perform a detailed history, orthopaedic, neurological and spinal examination to determine the exact cause of your lower back pain. Exercise and dietary assessments may also be required. Other tests including x-rays may also be required.
Treatment Of Lower Back Pain
Physiotherapy treatment of low back pain focuses on restoring function to poorly moving spinal joints, as well as reducing muscle tension and increasing muscle strength. This results in improved movement, reduced pain and deceased nerve irritation.
Treatments are tailored to the individual case usually consisting of *spinal and soft tissue mobilisation *trunk stabilization techniques *stretching *exercise therapy *taping and many other therapeutic interventions.
Please contact us to arrange your comprehensive lower back consultation to help identify the exact cause of your back pain and begin a course of corrective care today!
