Lower back pain (LBP) is the most common discomfort treated by physiotherapists in the private practice setting. It is possible to have acute bouts of LBP which with quick intervention and time can ease away. It is however the chronic episodes experienced by some that may take a little while longer to heal and at times find yourself reaching out for help from a GP or physiotherapist.
It is important to know how LBP can present so that you can be onto symptoms early and have a quick intervention to get life back to normal:
- First and obviously is localised discomfort to the lower back. This may feel like an ache whilst you have been sitting or standing in the same position for too long or have a sharp catch with movement. It may be felt central to the back or only on one side at times.
- LBP has the ability to radiate across the back of the hips, down into the buttock, across the anterior thigh or even into the groin area. Normally with these presentations they were preceded by a period of stiffness or discomfort in the back.
- Pins and needles or numbness in the legs or feet may also be result from a stiff or painful back. Similar to the radiating pain, these symptoms are normally preceded by a stiff or painful back.
As Easter is fast approaching and a lot of us will spend time sitting down on long car rides or family meals, it is important to know that if any of these symptoms are experienced there are ways to help with physiotherapy usually being the first point of contact. There are a few simple manoeuvres that you can try at home to see if this helps before reaching out:
- Heat packs and icing agents can be useful to help with numbing pain when severe but also heating up tight and stiff areas to free up motion.
- Positional awareness and being mindful of not being stationary for too long
- Mobility movements are key with any lower back pain, however this is something that should be prescribed and assessed by a clinician or therapist as some movement may only enhance your pain if performed.
All of our physiotherapists here at Coral Coast Physiotherapy are qualified and happy to help people suffering from either acute or chronic LBP.
To book an appointment, call our reception teams Bargara 07 4159 2904 or Bundaberg 07 4335 1888 or Book Online
