BACK PAIN
Back pain a highly prevalent condition which most of us will experience at some point in our life. Up to 80% of the population will experience some form of low back pain in their lives and at any moment around 12% of the population is experiencing an episode of back pain. Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide.
The back is an impressive and complex structure with 26 vertebrae with discs in between making up the bony vertebral column that are held in place with many ligaments, this provides the majority of our trunk stability and helps us to maintain an upright position. There are also a large number of muscles that make up our back with a variety of functions, such as arching our back, twisting, helping our breathing, moving, and stabilising our shoulders and our pelvis. Furthermore, there are many 31 pairs of nerve roots that extend from our spinal cord out into our body.
Given the vast amount of structures, when presenting with back pain, it is often difficult to pin-point the exact structure that is causing the pain. Back injuries can present with a variety of symptoms from: pain, weakness, pins and needles or numbness.
Causes of Back Pain
For the majority, back pain is mechanical in nature with common causes of poor posture, altered or abnormal biomechanics during movement such as bending and twisting, repetitive activities and lifting heavy objects. Due to the amount of structures that are within the back, a thorough physiotherapy assessment is required to rule out neurological or visceral and systemic involvement.
Muscle or ligament strain
Strained back muscles and spinal ligaments can occur due to repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement. Find out more about sprains and strains and their treatment here.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis can affect the discs primarily in the lower back. In some cases, arthritis in the spine can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, a condition called spinal stenosis.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis affects approximately 1.2 million Australians, with gender (female), older age, previous medical treatments and lifestyle factors all being risk factors. Osteoporosis commonly affects the bones in the lower back and our spine's vertebrae can develop painful fractures if bones become porous and brittle.
Our physiotherapists are highly trained to treat conditions such as acute, chronic, and non-specific type back pain as well as radiculopathy and neuropathic type pain. We know that a functioning back is vital to perform our activities of daily living and our physiotherapists can help you get back into moving pain free. Call us on 07 3706 3407 or email info@articulatephysiotherapy.com.au for a booking or to see if our exercise programs might be right for you!
The back is an impressive and complex structure with 26 vertebrae with discs in between making up the bony vertebral column that are held in place with many ligaments, this provides the majority of our trunk stability and helps us to maintain an upright position. There are also a large number of muscles that make up our back with a variety of functions, such as arching our back, twisting, helping our breathing, moving, and stabilising our shoulders and our pelvis. Furthermore, there are many 31 pairs of nerve roots that extend from our spinal cord out into our body.
Given the vast amount of structures, when presenting with back pain, it is often difficult to pin-point the exact structure that is causing the pain. Back injuries can present with a variety of symptoms from: pain, weakness, pins and needles or numbness.
Causes of Back Pain
For the majority, back pain is mechanical in nature with common causes of poor posture, altered or abnormal biomechanics during movement such as bending and twisting, repetitive activities and lifting heavy objects. Due to the amount of structures that are within the back, a thorough physiotherapy assessment is required to rule out neurological or visceral and systemic involvement.
Muscle or ligament strain
Strained back muscles and spinal ligaments can occur due to repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement. Find out more about sprains and strains and their treatment here.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis can affect the discs primarily in the lower back. In some cases, arthritis in the spine can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, a condition called spinal stenosis.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis affects approximately 1.2 million Australians, with gender (female), older age, previous medical treatments and lifestyle factors all being risk factors. Osteoporosis commonly affects the bones in the lower back and our spine's vertebrae can develop painful fractures if bones become porous and brittle.
Our physiotherapists are highly trained to treat conditions such as acute, chronic, and non-specific type back pain as well as radiculopathy and neuropathic type pain. We know that a functioning back is vital to perform our activities of daily living and our physiotherapists can help you get back into moving pain free. Call us on 07 3706 3407 or email info@articulatephysiotherapy.com.au for a booking or to see if our exercise programs might be right for you!
