Back Pain, Backaches, Back Sprain, Strain, Weak Back, Slipped disc, Back Stiffness
More than 80% people will experiences back pain at some point in their life. Back pain usually originates from muscles, nerves, joints, discs, bones or ligaments.
Back pain can be classified as either:
- Acute – Sudden pain that lasts for short term, usually a few days to a few weeks.
- Chronic – Pain that lasts for more than three month, or pain that recurs.
What are Symptoms of Back pain problems?
- Pain may be limited to the back itself, or it may spread to the groin, buttock, leg or foot on one or both sides.
- Pins and needles, numbness or burning sensations in one or both legs or feet
Is Back Pain Serious?
Back pain can be a sign of serious medical condition although this is rare underlying causes:
- Typical warning signs of a potentially life-threatening problem are bowel or bladder incontinence or progressive weakness in the legs.
- Severe back pain that occurs with other signs of severe illness (e.g. fever, unexplained weight loss, interrupted sleep) may also indicate a serious underlying medical condition.
- Back pain that occurs after a trauma, such as a car accident or fall may indicate a bone fracture or other injury.
- Back pain with medical conditions that put them at high risk for a spinal fracture, such as osteoporosis or multiple myeloma
- Back pain with a history of cancer (especially cancers spread to the spine like breast, lung and prostate cancer)
What causes Back Pain?
Back pain is primarily caused by poor posture and bad habits. More than 70% of back ailments start during routine functional activities. Among the main causes of back pain are: postural stress, muscular strains, ligament sprains, and disc pathology, wear and tear of lumbar spine, degenerative arthritis, or severe whiplash. Frequently, active population sustains an injury at work or at home, when one of the lumbar discs are affected (prolapsed, bulging, or even herniation or rupture), as a result of a major mechanical stress associated with prolonged, sitting, lifting or twisting.
Common back conditions:
- Sciatica
- Lumbar Spondylolisthesis
Physiotherapy Treatment for Back Pain
At Physioclinic, our Physiotherapist will perform a thorough assessment and determine the potential cause of the problem, and will develop a management plan for your back pain.
Physical therapy treatment plan for back pain may include:
- Manual techniques, including mobilizations, manipulations and soft tissue muscle release massages
- Modalities, such as Ultrasound, Heat therapy, Electrical Stimulation to decrease pain and tightness
- Stretching and strengthening exercises, to improve joint and muscle flexibility, core (deep abdominal muscle) stability and strengthening
- Postural strengthening and general conditioning
- Education in proper body mechanics and ergonomics at work, school and home with activities of daily living.
Seek help early to treat your back pain. Speak to our physiotherapist: 9639 0509 or Email Us
