Lower Back Pain
08 March 2023
We see a large number of clients who come into the clinic with back pain, specificaly lower back pain. Often, they have no idea what brought it on or how to get rid of it. Pain killers are usually a temporary measure until additional help is required. Unless there is a likely explanation for lower back pain, such as doing lots of digging or gardening, taking a fall, or being involved in car crash for example, it often needs some investigation to find the root cause of the issue.
Back pain accounts for 11% of UK disability at an estimated cost to the NHS of £12 billion.
There are various tests that we can run through to try and find what might be causing the pain. We also take into account our clients' lifestyle to see whether there are any clues. Occupation, hobbies, interests and activities can be contributing factors.
Poor posture is very often to blame and often consequently a weak core and shortened, tight muscles. Manual labour, long hours sat at a desk, repetative tasks and high mileage driving are just a few of the ways posture can be affected from different occupations. Inactivity can also have an effect, as can over-training, incorrect training, or training certain muscles and neglecting others.
Another common cause of lower back pain which we are able to help manage is due to a slipped disc. It's quite a misleading term because discs don't actually slip. A disc is filled with a gelatinous substance that acts like a shock absorber between your vertebrae and when they are damaged it can cause varying levels of pain. It can refer pain down into the buttocks and legs due to the close proximity to the sciatic nerve, causing what is commonly known as sciatica. Disc injuries usually involve the disc bulging, protruding or prolapsing.
We can help with back pain but there are additional measures that we often give out as homework which can really help. Exercise, stretching, strength training and pilates are all good ways to improve chronic pain longer term.
The key is to figure out what could be causing lower back pain and aim to correct the issue or issues long-term as well as helping with temporary relief.
Author: Cross Massage Therapy