2020 - It’s time to finally address your Back Pain
It’s the beginning of a New Year and new decade, perhaps a great time to finally improve your back pain. Back pain is one of the most common complaints we see here in Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic. The internet can be a minefield of information, of which may not be specific or relevant to you. For this reason, I am going to keep this piece broad and non-specific.
Reasons for my back pain
There are a variety of reasons why you may be suffering from back pain and therefore it is important to get a comprehensive assessment from a qualified physiotherapist. A detailed history of your symptoms will be taken and your past medical history. Furthermore your hobbies and occupation will be discussed as this may be impacting on your back.
Risk factors for back pain
Two of the biggest risk factors for non-specific low back pain are a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight. Although people may find talking about their weight to be a sensitive subject it is important to accept that additional body weight may be putting your spine under more strain. Of recent years we as a society have become a lot more sedentary, through our work, use of transport, technology and time saving convenient strategies such as ordering your food shop to be delivered to the house. Addressing both issues and following a healthier lifestyle with have a positive impact on your spinal health.
Physiotherapy for back pain
Your physiotherapist will assess the movement of your spine during gross movements and individual sections of the spine which include: the lumbar (lower); thoracic (mid-back) and cervical (neck) spine. Your hip movement will also be considered. This will allow your physiotherapist to understand if there is a movement dysfunction of the spine. Ensuring the joints of the spine are moving well can make gross movements like getting in and out of a chair, bending down to put your shoes on or putting the washing in much easier and with reduced pain.
Overall exercise is the best treatment for back pain. Moving more can help relieve your symptoms and give you a better quality of life. Increasing your cardiovascular fitness is shown to have a positive impact in individuals suffering from chronic low back pain.
Following a detailed assessment your physiotherapist will create a plan to improve your symptoms and address your back pain. This may include a variety of different treatments including education and advice; exercise therapy; manual therapy and posture re-education. As previous discussed, exercise should be the corner stone of your treatment as it is shown to have the greatest benefits for people with back pain. Your physiotherapist will help you to gradually reach your goals and overall have a better quality of life.
If you are suffering from back pain, please contact the clinic today to book your assessment. We have early morning, afternoon and evening appointments to suit even the busiest of schedules. You can book online or contact us on (01) 660 6582.