Dispelling the myths of low back pain

Misunderstood and mismanaged, acute low back pain is a source of suffering for many people. Most of us will experience an acute low back pain episode at some point in our lives, and its part and parcel of everyday living like getting a cold.

If you do develop lower back pain, don’t panic! It’s incredibly common and although sometimes recurrent, it is rarely serious. We know it can feel severe and frightening, but most of people recover within six to eight weeks.

Where the waters get a little murky is knowing what to do when you suffer an acute low back injury. To ice or not to ice? To move or not to move? To take pain killers or sit it out? Everyone has their own method of dealing with it and there is a lot of information – and misinformation - out there, so it can be confusing.

Here are some of our tips on how to address acute low back pain. If at any point your pain becomes more acute undertaking any of the below, then you should seek further help from your GP or a Physio:

• Remain active and continue with your normal activities. If you’re in pain, it’s common to be hesitant about carrying out your day-to-day routine, however strong evidence supports that keeping active (even when in pain) and continuing normal activities and hobbies is crucial to aid recovery.
• Avoid bed rest or prolonged rest. We know from decades of research that if you remain active, you’ll perform significantly better in the long-term. In fact, people who stay in bed or rest for longer periods because of low back pain have worse pain and disability outcomes.
• Keep working or aim to return to work as soon as possible. The more time you take off work due to low back pain reduces the likelihood of making a successful return to work in the future and can delay your recovery.
• Exercise helps reduce pain and the likelihood of recurrent episodes. Exercise is a saviour for low back pain. The most effective form is something you enjoy the most and are likely to stick with over time. Walking, running, Pilates, swimming, yoga, or weightlifting are all safe and effective exercises for treating low back pain.
• Find the balance between activity and rest. Finding the right balance between allowing your pain to settle and keeping active is important. Think of your low back pain as a recently sprained ankle. It may be a good idea to avoid aggravating movements for a few days to allow pain to settle, however resting your ankle for too long results in it getting stiffer and weaker. You can typically start progressing back to your normal activity or sport after a few days. It may be sore to walk or run on your ankle, but you are not damaging the ankle any further. Your back pain is similar.
• Don’t be fooled by quick fixes. Just like obesity and depression, there is no quick fix for low back pain. The media is always touting a new device, gadget, pill, cream, or brace that is a miracle cure. The biggest problem with these ‘quick fixes’ is the fact they are unproven, and they distract you from doing the right things to help your pain.
• Be aware of the bigger picture. Most people believe that pain is always equal to injury or tissue damage, however this not true. You can have pain without tissue damage, and you can also have tissue damage without pain. It’s no coincidence that most episodes of low back pain present themselves at inconvenient times. Non-physical factors such as psychological (stress, anxiety, low mood and fatigue), lifestyle (lack of sleep, inactivity, being overweight, smoking and drinking) and social (financial problems, relationships issues, lack of social support, low job satisfaction and stressful life events) are all common triggers and can act as amplifiers for pain.

Taking steps to improve your overall health may help reduce your risk of low back pain and injuries. Getting more sleep, increasing your exercise, finding ways to manage stress and spending more time with people who make you happy are all sensible ways to treat lower back pain and reduce the likelihood of it recurring.

Here at The Urban Physio, we do more than just treat your symptoms. We focus on uncovering the underlying cause for your pain or injury to improve your overall health and well-being. If you have suffered a lower back injury recently or are struggling to settle your symptoms, we’re here to help. We understand everyone’s circumstances are different and so we deliver a bespoke treatment plan to every client.