What can I do for my LOW BACK PAIN?

Low back pain is very common. Up to 80% of people will experience this type of pain in their life. For up to 30% of people, their pain may become persistent (lasting for longer than 12 weeks) and interfere with many aspects of their life. This can look like having difficulties in the ability to do day to day activities, exercise, work and be engaged in social activities and hobbies which you enjoy.

Very similar to our general health, the health of the structures of our lower back is maintained through regular movement, keeping the back, trunk and legs strong, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy body weight, caring for our mental health, regularly sleeping well, and not smoking or drinking too much alcohol.

It’s very important to understand that back pain usually improves with the right treatment even if you have had it for many years. Our Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, Hayley, has a special interest in managing low back pain. She can help you to understand why you have pain, and get you back moving, active and living again. Call our friendly team for assistance today.

References – Hartvigsen, J., M. Hancock, A. Kongsted, et al., What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention. The Lancet, 2018.O’Sullivan, P.B., J. Caneiro, K. O’Sullivan, et al., Back to basics: 10 facts every person should know about back pain. 2020, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine.

Tips for the Off Season

The last few months of sport have been chaotic- a lot of training and games are packed into a short space of time. We have seen a large number of injuries during this time as there was a huge spike in activity after the COVID break. As a lot of sport is winding down for the year, focus now shifts to preparing for next season. Here are a couple of tips to help during the off season and help you prepare for next season.

1. REST. This may seem like a silly one considering we have had a lot of time off physical activity this year but after a busy few months it’s important you allow yourself some time to rest. This rest is important both physically and mentally. Enjoy your weekends and spend some time with friends and family.
2. FOUNDATION OF FITNESS. Most pre seasons will begin in January (after some trials in November/December). While rest is important, don’t spend the next three months doing absolutely nothing! The goal is to begin pre season with a base level of fitness already under your belt. A helpful guide is to do two 30 minute fitness sessions per week. This may include a run, a bike ride, a swim or even a gym session. Feel free to mix it up during this period and try things you may not usually include in a typical training week.
3. GET YOUR NIGGLES SORTED. If you have experienced any niggles this year- tight calves, an achey back or some heel soreness- now is the time to get this assessed. Book an appointment with your physiotherapist and they can provide some advice and exercises to help you start next season strong, fit and ready to go.

    Please call us on 5578-7155 to book an appointment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Osteoarthritis and Exercise

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder worldwide [1]. Although it is more common in older adults, it can also affect individuals as young as 30 years of age. Osteoarthritis often results in pain, disability and reduced quality of life.

Current national and international clinical guidelines recommend education, exercise and weight loss as first line treatment for OA [1, 2]. While you may worry that exercising with OA could harm your joints and cause more pain, high quality research shows that people can and should exercise when they have OA [2-4]. 

Physiotherapy plays a very important role in the treatment of OA. Our Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, Hayley Thomson, is very passionate about managing OA. Her approach aims at improving quality of life and the joint’s health by targeting the various factors that are influencing the person’s pain experience. If you or a loved one experiences pain related to OA,

Please call us on 5578-7155 to book an appointment with Hayley

REFERENCES

1. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. NICE guideline on osteoarthritis: The care and management of osteoarthritis in adults, NICE clinical guideline 177. 2014.   2. Wellsandt, E. and Y. Golightly, Exercise in the management of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Current opinion in rheumatology, 2018. 30(2): p. 151-159.  3. Skou, S.T. and E.M. Roos, Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA: D™): evidence-based education and supervised neuromuscular exercise delivered by certified physiotherapists nationwide. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2017. 18(1): p. 1-13.     4. Abbott, J., et al., Incremental clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of providing supervised physiotherapy in addition to usual medical care in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee: 2-year results of the MOA randomised controlled trial. Osteoarthritis and cartilage, 2019. 27(3): p. 424-434.

Low Back Pain

Low back pain is very common. Up to 80% of the population will experience this type of pain in their life. For most people (70%) who get back pain they will mostly recover, although recurrences are common. For a smaller group of people (up to 30%) it may become persistent (lasting for longer than 12 weeks) and disrupt many aspects of one’s life. This can include difficulties in the ability to do day to day activities, exercise, work and participate in social activities and hobbies.

Very similar to our general health, the health of the structures of your lower back is maintained through regular movement, keeping the back, trunk and legs strong, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy body weight, caring for our mental health, regularly sleeping well, and not smoking or drinking too much alcohol. So, when these things go wrong, the structures of the back can become sensitised and unhealthy and we experience back pain.

It’s very important to understand that back pain usually improves with the right treatment even if you have had it for many years. Our Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, Hayley, has a special interest in managing low back pain. She can help you to understand why you have pain, and get you back moving, active and living again. Call our friendly staff for assistance today.

Hayley Thomson

References

Hartvigsen, J., M. Hancock, A. Kongsted, et al., What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention. The Lancet, 2018.

O’Sullivan, P.B., J. Caneiro, K. O’Sullivan, et al., Back to basics: 10 facts every person should know about back pain. 2020, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine.

A Prescription for Exercise

Exercise can be prescribed as a therapeutic intervention as with other treatments such as medication, because it produces measurable and predictable physiological changes that follow a clearly defined response curve and achieves long-term benefits.

For example, aerobic exercise will increase heart rate, cardiac output, respiratory rate and volume as well as delivery of glucose and fat stores to the body for use as energy. As the body is repeatedly exposed to this activity, the heart, lungs, muscles and other organs adapt giving vital health benefits. Your muscles and bones become stronger including your heart, your body becomes more efficient at delivering oxygen and nutrients to the cells, tissues and organs. Your metabolic rate or the rate at which you burn energy is increased so you have an increased vitality, your sleep more soundly and think more clearly. Your joints, flexibility and balance improve giving stability, strength and ease of movement.

More specifically, the therapeutic benefits of exercise for certain medical conditions are outlined below.

An exercise program designed by a university qualified Exercise Physiologist will provide specific exercises, duration, intensity and frequency according to the specific needs of the client. An assessment will be completed firstly to ascertain those needs. The assessment covers pre-existing medical/surgical conditions as well as any injury. A complete fitness assessment along with muscle strength, flexibility and balance as well as blood pressure and body fat. Your program should focus on behavioural change with a holistic approach according to the individual ability and needs of the client. Your exercise prescription is initially monitored on a weekly basis along with home-work until you are confident and positive improvements are seen. Your prescription is usually re-assessed every 4-6 weeks and modifications made as you gain strength, ability and gain wellness.

Exercise should be part of your daily lifestyle, what you don’t use you invariably lose and subject yourself to illness and injury. Make time now to exercise on a regular basis and promote your health before your doctor tells you your life depends on it.

Lauren Postans, Exercise Physiologist, Rothbury Heath & Lifestyle Connection at Physiologic.

Lauren Postans BHMS,MAAESS,AEP,AES

Acute Injury Management