Lower Back Physiotherapy

Understanding Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is located in the area of your back from the bottom of your ribs to the top of your legs. The lower section of your spine is called the lumbar spine and sometimes lower back pain is referred to as lumbosacral pain. It can originate from a wide range of structures in your back such as bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and tendons.  

Discs of cartilage sit between each vertebra, acting as shock absorbers and allowing your spine to bend. Some lower back pain can come from these discs. It is difficult to determine what causes lower back pain, but some risk factors can increase the risk of this injury. For example, having severe low back curvature, a forward-tilted pelvis, weak back or abdominal muscles, tight hamstrings, and participating in pushing and pulling sports such as weightlifting, football, tennis, and golf. 

The symptoms of lower back pain are: 

  • Sudden lower back pain  
  • Spasms in the lower back that result in more severe pain 
  • Lower back feels sore to touch 

Lower Back Physiotherapy: When To See A Physiotherapist?

If you experience lower back pain that is causing you significant problems or is not getting better after a few weeks, seeing a physiotherapist can help alleviate the pain.  

Lower back physiotherapy is useful for different types of back pain, more specifically:  

  • Non-specific lower back pain: Back pain with no cause  
  • Sciatic pain: This pain spreads from your back down your legs and may be caused by a prolapsed disc  
  • Degenerative disc disease: Back pain that is caused by the aging of discs in your spine 
  • Spinal stenosis: When the space around your spinal cord narrows, putting pressure on your spinal cord and causing pain
lower back physiotherapy

An Initial Assessment With Us

Lower back physiotherapy can help restore movement and function of your joints and muscles. It can reduce lower back pain, help you regain mobility, and reduce the risk of back pain returning.  

 When you visit our physiotherapists for an initial assessment, we will first find out your medical history, past injuries, and lifestyle factors to understand the context of your lower back pain. Next, we will do a physical examination to find out the range of movement, muscle strength, alignment, and any signs of inflammation. The physiotherapist will then evaluate how the pain affects your daily activities, mobility, and specific movements that worsen or relieve the pain. These factors will determine the type of treatment plan recommended.

If you are experiencing lower back pain, our experienced physiotherapists are here to help.