Low Back Pain

How did you end up with low back pain? 

This common ailment affects millions worldwide and shows up in clinic everyday. It usually presents due to an accumulation of factors and causes rather than a single incident. Meaning if you’ve “thrown your back out” while sleeping in a hotel bed, after a long car journey or bending over to tie your shoes… it’s likely not from this single incident rather it’s been building over time. 

Some of the main causes of low back pain are:
~ specific movements: Repetitive actions or movements that strain your muscles, ligaments or tendons. 
~ excessive load: Lifting or carrying objects that are heavy, placing stress on your back. 
~ sustained postures: Prolonged sitting, standing, or other uncompromised postures that create muscle fatigue or discomfort. 
~ insomnia: Sleep problems can lead to low back pain or make it worse. 
~ inflammation: Chronic inflammation in the body can cause low back pain and other painful conditions such as spinal arthritis. 

During your appointment I’ll ask questions about your lifestyle, work and movement practices so we can get to the bottom of your pain and ultimately get you out of pain. 

Yoga, Pilates and Strength Training are often recommended to low back pain sufferers (and are activities I also recommend). These types of exercise can eliminate symptoms and make your body more resilient to injury. In these practices you’re often working on 
- hip mobility
- ankle mobility
- core stability
- back strength 
All of which helps give your spine less chance to buckle under tension and keep you well :)

The next time you have a bout of back pain, book a massage… and perhaps also consider if there are other practices you can adopt consistently to strengthen your body and prevent reoccurring injury or pain.

Written by Tarren Hehir, Remedial Massage Therapist
Treating the people of Fitzroy, Collingwood, Carlton, Clifton Hill, Abbotsford, Richmond.