Back In MotionBrighton, South Australia

Lower Back Pain is one of the most common complaints we hear in the clinic, affecting millions of people worldwide. It can be overwhelming at times, as it can impact your quality of life. The good news? With the right approach, most cases of low back pain are manageable and preventable.

What causes lower back pain?

The lower back is a complex structure made up of bones, muscles, ligaments and nerves. Acute lower back pains often results from an imbalance or change in the way the components of our back work together and can come from a variety of factors which may include:

• Poor posture or prolonged sitting
• Muscle imbalances or weakness
• Repetitive strain or overuse injuries
• Poor lifting techniques
• Lack of physical activity
• Age-related changes

Knowing what’s causing your lower back pain is the first step to finding relief. For example, if your pain is caused by weak muscles, target exercise programs can help strengthen your back and prevent future pain. The key takeaway? Lower back pain is rarely just “bad luck”, it’s often the result of specific factors that can be identified and addressed.

How can physiotherapy help?

Physiotherapists play a crucial role in both treating and preventing your lower back pain. Our goal is to address the root cause of your pain while empowering you with the tools to manage it independently. Here’s how we can help:

1. Manual Therapy: Physiotherapists are highly trained in the aspects of manual therapy, which involves a hands-on approach to utilise techniques that apply pressure and precise movements to your joints and soft tissues. This may include massage/soft tissue release, joint mobilisations and trigger point therapy. The goal is to provide some pain relief and increase mobility and is best used in conjunction with other treatments as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
2. Exercise Therapy: Exercise therapy is an effective tool available to treat lower back pain. Unlike quick fixes that mask the pain, exercise therapy addresses the root cause by improving strength, flexibility and overall health.
3. Strengthening exercises: Helps build muscles that support your spine, stabilising your lower back and helping to reduce the load on your lower back.
4. Stretching exercises: Loosen up tight muscles, improve flexibility and reduce tension in your lower back.
5. Mobility: Improves the range of motion of your spine and joints, reducing stiffness around the area and making it easier to move without pain.
6. Education and advice: When it comes to managing your lower back pain, knowledge is power. Understanding what is causing your pain, what lifestyle changes can help and how to move properly are all crucial in your recovery journey.
7. Ergonomic and posture: Poor posture is often one of the leading causes of lower back pain. Whether you are at a desk, standing or lifting a heavy object, improper alignment can strain your back. Ensuring that we adjust our workspace to better support our back, and maintaining proper posture can help reduce chances of low back pain.
8. Movement and staying active: When dealing with lower back pain, our first instinct might be to rest and avoid movement. While rest can be helpful in the short term, prolonged inactivity can make your pain worse. Movement is medicine for your back and staying active is one of the most effective ways to manage and prevent your lower back pain.

Lower back pain is a multifaceted condition, but with the right approach, it is highly manageable. Physiotherapy offers a holistic, patient-centred approach to treatment, focusing on pain relief, functional improvements and prevention. If you're struggling with lower back pain, give us a call and one of our team will be able to assess, diagnose and treat your aches and pains.