Do you suffer from back pain?
Low back Pain is something most of us can identify with. A broad band of pain described as an ache across the lower back with or without referral into the buttock or leg is the most common presentation but can also be a sharper, more one sided pain.
“It’s as common as the common cold and most people will experience an episode of varying intensity at some time in their lives.”
Most of the time it is nothing to be alarmed about. Serious pathology is found in less than 1% of cases. Frequently it is easily treated in a few sessions of physiotherapy and some home exercises.
“Physiotherapy can be very effective in treating lower back pain.”
When we experience pain, our core muscles (tranversus abdominus and multifidus) tend to ‘switch off’ as a protective measure in order for our bigger muscle groups to increase in tone (or spasm) to form our bodies’ natural brace. So it’s important not just to treat this symptom of sore muscles that feel in spasm but also to attempt to reactivate the core. Modalities such as soft tissue techniques and needling are used to treat the affected muscles and bring relief. TENS is an electrotherapeutic modality that works not only at a local level to halt the nociceptive (pain) impulses going to the tissues but also at a central (brain) level to stimulate the release of the body’s natural pain killers.
“No more stiffness!”
On assessment of the lower vertebral joints (most commonly L4, L5 and S1), stiffness may be found to be contributing to the pain. This is why you may feel like your spine doesn’t bend and twist as easily as before. The physiotherapist may use different mobilization techniques to regain normal movement at these levels.
Depending on whether there is neural involvement, neural mobilization techniques may also be applied to allow for better, more smooth gliding of the nerves in their sheathes.
“Although a ‘pinched nerve’ is a common term, most of the time a nerve is not physically being impinged but rather the flow or the glide of the nerve is being restricted by the tight soft tissues of the nerve bed in which it runs.”
This can be released manually by the therapist and maintained at home by some simple neural glide exercises.
The home program is essential to a positive treatment outcome. It is a vital adjunct to the therapy and shows that the therapeutic process is a collaboration between client and therapist and it’s important that the client feels empowered and involved in the process.