Lower Back Pain Physio Cork

Symptoms

Lower back pain is generally pain that is localized in the lower back, however depending on the condition the pain can cause shooting or stabbing pain down the back side of the leg or the front side of the leg. Other times the back pain can cause symptoms into the hips and glutes. Some signs to look for with back pain.

Pain that travels down one leg with movement
Pain in the back when you bend down
Pain in the back when you stand up or sit down
Pain in the back with walking

There are different causes for lower back pain however more often than not a lot of the back pain is not due to a specific structural issue in the back. Some red flags to look out for with back pain are as follow: Electric shooting pain down both legs, problems with bladder or bowel control, pain in the back that is not increased or alleviated with movement, severe back pain and stiffness in the morning that will not ease up within the first 30mins. if you experience any of those symptoms seek advice from a GP.

How we treat it

We understand that lower back pain is a very distressing condition. However, depending on the type of back pain there are many options for treatment.

‍Osteoarthritis: In cases where back pain is due to osteoarthritic changes, there is a lot of pain management benefits from manual therapy. This is then very effective for long term relief when combined with rehabilitation exercises and a long term plan to improve general mobility and aerobic health.Sciatic/

Nerve pain:In individuals with sciatica or nerve symptoms down the leg, pain management, pacing and slow introduction to activities are the most important. That is sometimes used in adjunct with manual therapy. Education on self management of symptoms and exercises are also key to faster recovery.

‍Other Back Pain:In other cases of back pain, there is strong evidence to suggest increasing activity levels and building strong muscles to take the load is the best management. In times soft tissue work and mobilizations or dry needling can also help for short term pain relief to help the individual adapt to the new loads.

Generally depending on your goals you can expect to have more frequent physiotherapy sessions at the beginning while you’re trying to get the pain in control ~2-3 sessions. After that you will be more independent and you many only need to see your therapist every 2-3 weeks till you’re ready for discharge.

How physiotherapy works

What to expect

Similar to other physiotherapy sessions we start with a thorough history of your pain and how it came on. If you have any scans like X-rays or MRIs its helpful to bring them along, we can also sometimes talk you through the findings and help answer any questions you may have.

After that we will go through an assessment to understand your specific needs and the gaps that we will need to fill. At times this can be scary since they could be movements you haven't done in a while however your physio will always take your pain levels and comfort into consideration.

Lastly you and your therapist will discuss the best course of treatment that takes your goals and wants into consideration. You will most likely have to leave with some exercises till your follow up session.

Frequently asked questions

What sciatica exercises actually help?

One of the most comforting positions for Sciatica is child's pose from yoga. Another good exercise for sciatic pain is sciatic nerve flossing and pelvic tilts. Following the comfort phase we then go onto strengthening with exercises like glute bridges. There are loads of videos on YouTube with great exercises for sciatica, however this becomes complex since a lot of people are different and if the generic exercises for pain relief don't work you would need to seek more person centered care from a professional.

What causes lower back pain?

There is no one reason for back pain. There was a thought at time that back pain was caused due to increased bending in the back during movement. However, now its mostly thought that the main reason for back pain is decreased activity levels which decreases our movements of the back. A good start is to increase your daily steps or slowly introduce a new active hobby into your daily life. Again, there is no one size fits all answer, thus some people may need a more robust or specific rehab for back pain.

Why does my lower back hurt when walking?

The back and the hip are close in both anatomical location and in the way they work together. But in a lot of cases if your hips and legs are not strong enough to take the load of the walk, they will get more help from the back to help you more and stay upright. Thus when the load on the back is more than it can comfortably take, that’s when the pain set in during the walk.

How long does sciatica last?

Depending on the severity of the pain and the limitations, sciatica can take anything between 2-8months to improve. In some case the nerve symptoms may subside however there can still be lingering pain and weakness that could take longer to subside.

Lower Back Pain

Symptoms

How we treat it

What to expect

Frequently asked questions

What sciatica exercises actually help?

What causes lower back pain?

Why does my lower back hurt when walking?

How long does sciatica last?

Related reading

Lower Back Pain? Get it assessed properly

Lower Back Pain

Symptoms

How we treat it

What to expect

Frequently asked questions

What sciatica exercises actually help?

What causes lower back pain?

Why does my lower back hurt when walking?

How long does sciatica last?

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Lower Back Pain? Get it assessed properly