Low Back Pain
What is it?
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Low back pain is very common and normally gets better over a few days or weeks.
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Although the pain may last longer than a few weeks, or may come and go, this does not mean your back problem is serious.
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Back pain is rarely due to serious disease or damage.
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Your spine is one of the strongest parts of your body and is surprisingly difficult to damage.
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The amount of pain felt is not related to the amount of damage.
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With the right information, support and treatment, most people can manage their own back pain.
Typical Symptoms/features
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Pain in the lower back region.
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Stiffness that may last up to 30 minutes.
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Pain with bending, twisting or lifting.
Management
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Activity modification
- When you first start noticing low back pain, it may help to reduce your activity for a short amount of time to allow the pain to settle.
- However, there is strong evidence that says keeping active and slowly returning to your normal levels of activity can actually help the pain to settle quicker.
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Ice or heat
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Pain relief
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Physiotherapy including range of movement exercises and a graded strengthening programme.
Do I need imaging?
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Imaging (X-rays or scans) is rarely required to diagnose low back pain pain.
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Scans correlate poorly with symptoms. Most people without low back pain have changes on scans and x-rays which do not cause any pain at all.
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X-rays and scans are most appropriately used after a serious injury.
