Lower Back Pain physiotherapy
Low back pain can cause as much worry as it does pain. Seeking the right advice and the right treatment is key to getting better sooner, and avoiding the return of the problem.
It often starts as a small pain, perhaps a niggle that seems to get better a few weeks later. Then months or years later it comes back, but worse. Maybe it’s local to the low back. Or you feel it in your buttock. It can run down the leg. Maybe felt in the lower leg and not the thigh.
Sitting is an issue. In the elderly it can be standing or walking that aggravates it.
You’ll get advice from everyone, because they all have had it. Or you could see a highly trained and experienced Physiotherapist at Mawson Lakes. We see children with low back pain, adults with desk jobs, who play sport, weight train, and the elderly. We see patients after low back surgery.
While our low back pain treatment focuses on reducing pain, restoring mobility, and improving quality of life, longer term we aim to provide you with the tools and knowledge to avoid further episodes. With over 20 years of experience, we’ve helped countless individuals get back to their daily activities, pain-free. Our approach includes thorough assessments, hands-on therapy, and personalised exercises to achieve lasting relief.
Disc Irritation
Intervertebral discs, those shock absorbing jelly like blocks that sit between each back bone section, the vertebrae, can be one reason for low back pain. Those discs have their steak and chips at night. That is, they take on nutrients and fluid while you are lying down. This makes them increase in size. It’s also why you are taller in the morning. But if that disc is ruptured, damaged or otherwise problematic, it may be that as the disc gets bigger, the problem gets bigger. So what might be a little bit of discomfort at 2 in the afternoon becomes agony at 4 in the morning.
What Causes It?
Disc bulges commonly develop from:
- Poor lifting technique
- Prolonged sitting
- Excessive twisting movements
- Repetitive bending
- Poor posture
- Sudden heavy lifting
- Excessive physical demands
- Age-related changes
Our Treatment Approach
Our comprehensive treatment plan includes:
- Detailed assessment of your movement patterns and daily activities
- Hands-on therapy to relieve pain and improve mobility
- Acupuncture or dry needling
- Specific exercises to strengthen core muscles, improve spine stability and promote proper disc healing
- Posture correction
- Safe lifting technique education
- Workplace ergonomic advice
- Activity modification guidance
- Prevention strategies for long-term spine health
Facet joint strain
Facet joint strain affects the small joints that connect your spine bones (vertebrae) to each other. Each vertebra has four of these joints, connecting it to the bones above and below. When strained, these joints can cause specific, localised pain in your back, and sometimes pain may extend into your leg.
What Causes It?
Achilles tendinopathy often develops when:
- Suddenly increasing your exercise intensity or duration
- Starting new activities that stress the tendon
- Participating in activities involving walking, running, jumping, or hopping
- The tendon isn’t properly conditioned for your chosen activity
- Changing exercise surfaces or footwear
- Overtraining without adequate rest
Our Treatment Approach
Our comprehensive treatment includes:
- Thorough assessment of joint movement and function
- Hands-on therapy to reduce joint pain, improve mobility and restore normal movement
- Targeted exercises to strengthen supporting muscles, improve spine stability and maintain joint health
- Posture education
- Movement pattern correction
- Activity modification advice
- Prevention strategies for daily activities
Sciatica
Sciatica describes the condition of having pain running from your lower back down the back or side of your leg. This occurs when the sciatic nerve gets compressed or irritated, often leading to back pain, buttock pain, and leg symptoms that might include tingling, numbness, or weakness.
What Causes It?
Sciatic pain can be triggered by:
- Disc irritation pressing on the nerve
- Facet joint problems
- Tight muscles in the buttocks
- Poor posture
- Prolonged sitting
- Pregnancy
- Spinal stenosis
- Degenerative changes
Our Treatment Approach
Our comprehensive treatment includes:
- Detailed assessment to identify the root cause
- Hands-on therapy to relieve nerve pressure, reduce muscle tension and improve spinal movement
- Dry needling or acupuncture
- Targeted exercises for nerve mobility, core strength and flexibility
- Posture correction
- Sitting and standing advice
- Sleep position guidance
- Lifestyle modification strategies
- Prevention techniques for long-term relief