lower-back-pain-blog

What causes my lower back pain?

Did you know?

Approximately, 1 in 6 Australian suffer from a back related problem each year. 80% of Australians will experience lower back pain at some stage in their life. Lower back pain is one of the most common conditions our physiotherapists see in clinics.

What causes lower back pain?

Back pain is a complex and multi-faceted issue. There are many reasons why someone experiences lower back pain throughout their life. There are also lifestyle factors (e.g. obesity, smoking and stress) that can increase your risk of experiencing lower back pain. Here are some causes of lower back pain:

  • Mechanical back pain: a non-specific type of back pain that sometimes are associated with injury such as heavy and repetitive lifting. A common pattern we see are manual workers experiencing disc irritation/bulge due to repetitive bending over. A popular example is lifting boxes which is a flexion-based movement
  • Nerve related back pain: A common lower back nerve related issue is ‘Sciatica’. This is an irritation of the nerve in your lower back. This can be due to herniated disc pressing on the nerve root. People with sciatica often experience a numbness and a tingling sensation shooting down their leg.
  • Spondylolisthesis: This is a lower back condition where the vertebrae slips out of place and pinches the nerves in the spinal column. Young athletic youths who participate in sports that require a lot of hyperextension and rotation can increase the risk of experiencing this condition. This can also occur as you advance in age. As you get older, it is natural for the body to endure some changes where they are more susceptible to this health condition.

These are just some of many of lower back conditions. As you can see, there are many causes for lower back pain. MyPhysios’ physiotherapists can help provide you with safe and evidence-based treatment so you can take back control of your life.

How can physiotherapy help with my back pain?

Acute back pain (<3 months): There are evidence to suggest that spinal manipulative therapy which include physiotherapy mobilization techniques are helpful in encouraging early active lower back movement which can help hasten recovery.

Chronic back pain (>3 months): Evidence supports a structured exercise rehabilitation program that can help manage the symptoms of this health condition and reduce the recurrence of lower back pain.

It is important that people who experience lower back pain have a safe and structured treatment program to tackle this complex health problem. At MyPhysio, our highly skilled physiotherapists offer immediate pain relief treatments and provides a patient-centered rehabilitation program to help fix your irritating lower back pain.

Lower back pain can be frustrating and debilitating health condition. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. Book an appointment with one of our friendly and skilled physiotherapists today to get a tailored assessment and treatment of your lower back pain. Follow us on Instagram for physiotherapy tips for managing lower back pain.

References:

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2021. Back problems, What are back problems? – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. [Online] Available at: <https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/back-problems/contents/what-are-back-problems> [Accessed 3 September 2021].

2. Freburger JK, Holmes GM, Agans RP, et al. The rising prevalence of chronic low back pain. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(3):251-258. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2008.543