Tel: 03 9857 3143
LOW BACK PAIN
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Low back pain is very common, in fact almost everyone at some stage in their life will suffer from back pain. Low back pain is the leading cause of activity limitation and work absence throughout much of the world, and is associated with an enormous economic burden. (Kent 2015)
Whilst low back pain is usually confined to the area of the spine, low back issues can also refer pain into other areas; it’s not unusual to experience pain going into the buttock, hip, leg or foot in one or both legs.
When low back pain is acute, movements such as bending forward, rolling in bed, getting in/out of the car and getting up from sitting can be particularly painful.
Whilst most episodes of low back pain resolve over a period of time, between 24-33% of sufferers will experience recurrent episodes. (Kent 2015)
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While low back pain is usually confined to the area of the spine, low back issues can also refer pain into other areas. It’s not unusual to experience pain going into the buttock, hip, leg or foot in one or both legs, sometimes without any pain in the low back.
When low back pain is acute, movements such as bending forward, putting on shoes and socks, rolling in bed, getting in/out of the car and getting up from sitting can be particularly painful.
Whilst most episodes of low back pain resolve over a period of time, between 24-33% of sufferers will experience recurrent episodes. (Kent 2015)
What causes low back pain?
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There are a number of things that can cause low back pain, and fortunately, the vast majority of causes are non-life-threatening. Additionally, most causes of back pain are NOT due to damaged or torn structures in your spine. A thorough examination will help reach a diagnosis of what is causing your back pain.
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What should you do if you suffer from low back pain?
Firstly get a DIAGNOSIS! It’s important to know exactly what has been injured. Once you have a diagnosis, then get a PLAN moving forward! A thorough assessment by your Sports Chiropractor will ensure that treatment and rehabilitation can address any issues identified, and reduce the chances of you suffering another injury, and get you back out there as soon as possible.
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It’s vital to see your health practitioner to firstly assess and diagnose your problem and secondly to create an INDIVIDUALIZED rehabilitation program.
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Secondly, it's important to remain as active as possible. The days of recommending bed rest are well gone. Remaining active ensures you keep movement through your spine, and also prevent weakening & stiffness in the spine. Initially, this activity might just be small walks. There are usually modifications that you can perform for your chosen sport to keep you training and playing. For an article, we have previously written on modifying common gym exercises for low back pain click here
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At Health & High Performance we pride ourselves on a thorough examination to ensure an accurate diagnosis to then lead to targeted treatment, allowing you to get back to the things you love as soon as possible.
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Firstly, it is important to have a thorough discussion about your problem and some of the factors that may have contributed to it. This will include a chat about any lifestyle factors that may be playing a role in your low back pain ie sleep, stress, diet, occupation and exercise.
Our comprehensive physical assessment protocols for low back pain include:
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Mobility assessment of the spine & hips
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Strength of the spine & hips using our state of the art AxIT system​. Read more about the AxIT system here.
Rehabilitation & return to sport
“Every low back episode is unique, treatment should be too”
Treatment
After a comprehensive examination, we are able to identify factors that contribute to your low back pain, and treatment can then focus on these.
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We consider every case on a holistic basis and create Comprehensive Management Plans incorporating three primary modalities:
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Manual Chiropractic Therapy (spinal adjustments, soft tissue)
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Active Care (dynamic rehabilitation, exercise therapy, movement modification, training load management and running gait modification)
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Lifestyle Advice (stress management, recovery, sleep, nutrition)
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We actively integrate and openly communicate with each patient and other members of their health & performance team (GPs, coaches, personal trainers, other health practitioners etc.). This ensures that everyone is on the same page to help you recover.
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Rehabilitation exercises
Immediately commencing rehabilitation: from Day 1 there will be exercises you can perform to hasten your recovery. These exercises are prescribed according to criteria (what you can/can’t do) not just based on time. In a 2017 study by Bayer et al, they compared commencing rehab at 2 days versus 9 days, and found that those starting rehab 1 week earlier, returned to their sport a staggering 3 weeks earlier! Read more here
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To read all about how you can continue to train in the gym, head to our blog on this topic here.
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Here is an example of some of the exercises that we will get patients to do optimize recovering from low back pain
Need further help?
Please don't hesitate to contact us for a thorough assessment of your low back issues and to formulate a plan to get you back to health & high performance!
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Health & High Performance “Realize your goals”