Common Causes of Back Pain

Last Updated on July 19th, 2019

There are a massive number of reasons that you can get back pain.  Here I’ve tried to simplify it:

1. Acute mechanical lower back pain.  You have strained a ligament, pulled a muscle, compressed a facet, strained a disc or tweaked one (or a number) of pain sensitive structures around the spine.    GOOD NEWS… most back pain recovers in 2 weeks.  Don’t stress, take it easy for a while (the body needs rest to recover from injury) and make sure that while you’re healing you think about your posture more than usual.  Try to resume your normal ex levels slowly.

2. Chronic low back pain.  NUTS!  It’s not fixed itself and now its been a few months and you still can’t move properly, and it’s still hurting.  You need to be aware that, although there can be persistent ‘issues in the tissues’, chronic pain is best managed by a combined approach of physiotherapy, gradual restoration of normal movement patterns and cognitive behavioural therapy.  It’s important you understand pain itself as an entity and stop thinking about how damaged the tissues are.

3. Back pain with pins and needles in your arms or legs, pain into your calf and ankle, or arms and hands, and weakness making you feel more clumsy.  These are indicators we need some imaging (Xray/CT/MRI) to evaluate whether there is significant pressure on your nerve tissue.  If there is, treatment can be with anything from conservative physio to localised injections to spinal surgery.   Best get that one checked out.

Overall if you move well, ensure you’re not putting on too much weight, if you’re sleeping and eating well and develop good postural habits you significantly reduce your risks of developing back pain.  Despite all these things though some people still get back pain and for these people there may be a genetic predisposition.  If you’re one of these people – blame your parents!  But also manage the issues again as you would for the chronic back pain group.

The skill of a physio in the management of back pain is to evaluate underlying movement dysfunctions and work towards re-establishing normal movement whilst optimising postural control and endurance.

If you are suffering from back pain please feel free to contact the team at Sydney Physio Solutions to make an appointment.

Author

Dr Brad McIntosh

Although he is one of the most experienced and sought after Doctors of Physiotherapy in Australia, Brad makes all his patients feel like they are #1.

He also leads his team of caring reception staff and expert physiotherapists with the same degree of passion, which is why Sydney Physio Solutions has built the outstanding reputation it has.

Managing Director BSc (ExSci) MPT (Physio) DPT (Physio) CSCS APAM MSMA

See author's posts