Common Causes of Low Back Pain
Here at Revive Physiotherapy and Sports Injury clinic we treat a variety of low back pain due to injuries and other complaints including:
Disc Injury:
Discs act as shock absorbers for the spinal bones, cushioned between each of the vertebrae. When a disc is herniated, it has become displaced and the result can be that the disc presses on the spinal nerve. This causes, quite often, severe pain. While herniated discs can occur on any part of the spine, they are more often found in the low back area or the cervical spine (neck area).
Disc injury can be as a result of one single excessive strain or injury, however it is most commonly due to the natural degeneration of the disc material. As we age the ligaments holding a disc in place begin to weaken, as such any minor injury or strain can cause a disc to become prolapsed.
Typically a low back disc rupture is preceded by a period of low back pain or intermittent back pain. If the disc is pressing on a nerve there may be pain, numbness or weakness in the area which the nerve affects.
Typical physiotherapy treatment may include home stretches, massage and the use of heat and ice to reduce inflammation. Treatments vary depending on the size of the herniated disc and the level of pain experienced.
Sciatica:
Sciatica refers to the pain that travels along the sciatic nerve. Typically the pain associated with sciatica is quite severe, however most cases can be treated by a physiotherapist and should clear within a few weeks. More severe instances of sciatica can cause weakness and bowel and bladder issues, these cases will most likely require surgery.
Sciatica pain can run anywhere along the sciatic nerve, but is mostly present from the low back, into the buttocks and down the back of the thigh and calf. The pain can vary from mild to severe, like an electric shock. Some people experience weakness or numbness along the area, or can feel numb in one part while having pain in another.
Some of the most common risk factors include advanced age, obesity and occupational prolonged sitting, whether due to driving long distances or sitting for office work. If you are at increased risk of developing sciatica, it may be worth visiting your physiotherapist to get advice, home exercises and stretches or regular massages to prevent sciatica developing.
Facet Joint Sprain:
A facet joint sprain can occur by a quick sudden movement, such as reaching over something, or a prolonged awkward back position, e.g. falling asleep on the couch. This can cause the facet joints, located in the lower back, to become stiff and the surrounding muscles may then go into spasm. Physiotherapists will be able to treat a facet joint sprain by first relaxing the muscles in the surrounding area, and then work gently to release the facets. Home exercises will be prescribed to help mobilisation, and if painkillers are required they can give you advise on the appropriate type of pain relief required.
Pelvic Girdle Pain:
Many women experience Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) or symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) in pregnancy. PGP and SPD are a collection of uncomfortable symptoms that result in stiffness and pain in the joints in the pelvic region. While PGP and SPD are not at all harmful to the baby, they can make it difficult to get around and to manage your daily life.
Physiotherapy can help to relieve the symptoms of PGP and SPD by improving the muscle function and joint stability. Our physiotherapist will be able to advise on exercises designed to strengthen your pelvic floor, stomach, lower back, and hip muscles. While the symptoms of PGP and SPD most likely wont resolve completely until the baby is born, with physiotherapy it is possible to ease the symptoms to allow a return to normal activities.
Treatments Available For Low Back Pain & Injuries
Here at Revive Physiotherapy Mitchelstown we treat all types of injuries and pain. Our highly skilled physiotherapists will put together a customised plan for each patient depending on a number of factors including; the cause of the injury or pain, lifestyle, fitness level, age and occupation. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to physiotherapy and we tailor our home exercises and treatment plans to fit in with each patients abilities and lifestyle using a range of treatments such as dry needling, kiniseo-taping and hands on manipulation of tissue/muscles.
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