Low back pain can certainly get you down, our role is to help you with best management and get you back to doing the things you love as quickly as possible.
You won’t be surprised to hear that having lower back pain is common. According to research by the Australian Physiotherapy Association, up to 80% of people will experience it at some time in their life and around 25% of Australians on any given day. Back pain can affect people in many different ways, from the niggling soreness felt as they undertake their daily work or sport, to much more limiting episodes that can result in people missing out on activities that they would otherwise love to be doing with friends and family.
The good news is that the vast majority of the time that back pain is not an indication of serious injury or illness. It has been shown that if sufferers have a good understanding of how to actively manage their back pain (see below) and are reassured and educated about what it does (and doesn’t) mean for them, then it can be the difference between being just a nuisance to a more significant problem.
It is a condition our therapists are highly skilled in managing and help clients with every day. We’ve put together these basic tips on how you can effectively manage back pain and reduce the chances of it becoming a persistent problem.
Most causes of back pain are not serious
The muscles, ligaments, discs or bones in your back are all possible sources of back pain. Stiffness, tightness or a lack of stability in the local structures, or surrounding body parts such as hips, pelvis or middle back may also be contributing. Fortunately, conditions like arthritis, cancer or infection are rare causes of back pain. Most people with back pain do not need an X-ray, CT or MRI scan.
As physios when we assess your back we piece together what you are feeling, the way it is affecting you and assess the nature and quality of your movement. We also test to exclude any more serious concerns. This allows us to guide you with the most appropriate recommendations to manage and improve your condition.
Very rarely, back pain may be related to pain, numbness or pins and needles in your leg(s), and weakness or balance problems, changes to bowel or bladder function, or other signs of being generally unwell. In these instances you should seek an immediate medical assessment to exclude a more specific disorder or illness.
Exercise is best
There is great evidence that a sensible level of exercise can greatly assist lower back pain. The key is knowing what to do and when to do it and this is where your Physio will guide you. Maintaining a healthy level of movement, taking short walks, changing postures regularly and performing lower back range of motion stretches can all help. Many people self-manage an episode of back pain very effectively by staying active and using simple pain medicines or a hot pack to relieve their pain.
Resting in bed will probably delay recovery, movement is key
There has been good studies to show that reverting to simple bed rest alone may in fact delay the speed and success of your recovery. Remember this doesn’t mean that resting in a laying position is all bad, for some presentations short spells of laying can be preferable to sitting for example in acute (recent onset) episodes, but the key is that it should only be part of your strategy and for limited time frames.
Have you tried heat?
Heat can be great for helping soreness. Most would know how good it can feel to soak under a hot shower. We often recommend the use of heat bags, rubs or patches for many forms of back pain as it can assist pain relief and also reduce muscle tone and tension that is often associated.
Vary your postures
Just as we said that bed rest isn’t great, similarly staying in any one position for too long can add to feelings of stiffness or soreness in your back. This could include sitting, standing, stooping or even laying. So do your best to vary postures and move frequently to minimise that positional stiffness.
Avoidance is rarely the answer
Sometimes we are inclined to completely avoid an activity or movement we associate with back pain. While this may be sensible in the short term after an acute injury, it can at times lead to an unhealthy mindset about movement. A thorough and successful management plan should include strategies to regain the range of movement, strength and confidence that is required to perform those tasks again.
Progress your activity
As with any recovery plan from injury or pain we know that gradually increasing your level of activity is ideal. For back pain this may mean gradually increasing the distance of your walks, degree of bending with daily tasks, amount of weight you are lifting or time you perform a given task.
Prevent further episodes or back pain
Regaining muscle strength, endurance and flexibility is the key. You achieve maximum control of your body when the team of muscles around the trunk and limbs work in harmony to achieve a given movement. Often rehab for back pain involves finding those subtle control muscles and improving their ability to work throughout functional (think real life!) movements. Pilates can be a fantastic way to facilitate the use of these muscle and is a way often help clients with their recovery.
So there you have it, remember most back pain isn’t serious, can be managed effectively with active self help strategies and scans and medical investigations are not necessary in most cases. The key for most people is understanding how to manage your soreness in the early stages and knowing what to do and when to do it when it comes to exercise and activity.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the clinic to speak to one of our therapist or come in to chat about your situation more specifically.