Evidence based treatment for low back pain
The information detailed in this article refers to acute non specific low back pain. Acute low back pain describes symptoms lasting 6 weeks or less.
About 80% of us will experience back pain in our lifetime and most of us may experience this more than once and nearly all of us will go on to make a good recovery.
The advice……Stay active…… research indicates that one of the most important treatments for low back pain is movement. People who stay active at home and at work despite the pain get better more quickly. Simple pain relief with painkillers can be useful if required. If you need them, try to take them through the day as indicted rather than waiting until the pain is really bad to ‘get ahead’ of the muscle spasm and symptoms. It is also important to remember that maintaining the neutral ‘S’ shaped posture (as opposed to C shaped) of your back reduces the stress through the discs, joints, ligaments and muscles.
If your symptoms don’t resole quickly with the above advice, seek advice from a Physiotherapist. Physiotherapy can assist with a wide variety of musculoskeletal problems. Physiotherapy involves assessment of the injury/symptoms, treatment through exercise prescription and other modalities together with advice and education. How can physiotherapy help low back pain?
• Advice and early return to graded activity.
• Mobilisations.
• McKenzie therapy.
• Specific stabilisation exercises.
• General exercises and stretches.
• Ergonomic advice.
• Postural advice.
For further information please contact the United Health physiotherapy team.
