Back Pain

Cause?

Acute and chronic back pain can be severe, preventing normal daily activity from being easily carried out and it can have a detrimental social and recreational impact on our lives.

Occupational hazards that contribute to back pain

Our posture and prolonged repetative activities can compound back pains, potentially straining the muscles and joints of the spine. The spine is designed to withstand a great amount of gravitational downward force, however the discs and joints within the spinal column do not withstand twisting forces with pressure over a sustained period of activity or time. Rotational shear forces such as starting up a lawnmower can place enormous compressive and shear loading on the spine. Shear loading can lead to weakness within the fibres of the discs of the spine and subsequent radial tears, thus weakening the discs and reducing space between the bones or vertebra. Accompanied with disc degeneration come bony degenerative changes and the development of osteaoarthritic bony projections. A decrease in disc spacing and excess degenerative changes can contribute to neck pain if left unattended.

Manual labour and lifting techniques

Although modern equipment makes accelerated degenerative change a less prevalent side effect of manual labour, poor lifting techniques and awkward lifting positions can really take their toll on a young and weak back. Occupations like furniture removals, carting scaffolding, digging and plumbing are examples of jobs where ideal lifting technique is nigh on impossible. However- we are increasingly seeing back issues occurring in patients with desk jobs due to too much time spent sitting down, poorly ergonomically adjusted work spaces, prolonged working on laptops, tablets or mobile phones and not enough time spent stretching and moving about during regular breaks.

Help for back pain at Wembley Physiotherapy

At Wembley Physiotherapy we understand that that everybody is different, we know why back spasm and joint restrictions occur and we can help rid it from being a factor in our patients’ lives. Physiotherapy has many forms and our physiotherapists will develop the best program of care for you as an individual.

Prolonged sitting and compressive forces on the spine

Sitting places much more load on the lower back than standing by nearly 3-4  times. Constantly squishing the intervertebral discs in the lower back with compressive forces from prolonged sitting places those lower back joints at risk from developing early signs and symptoms of back pain. The discs in our spine lose their cushioning effect with age and they are at increased risk of tearing with minor repetitive insults and compressive loads.

The warning signs of lower back pains and stiffness

Warning signs in the form of stiffness, pinching, numbness in the buttocks and restricted movements let us know that we need to take action. Physiotherapists can detect the cause, relieve the symptoms and help restore back movements, reducing the likelihood of re-occurrence.

Some other factors that contribute to back pain

Postural problems, continual stiffness from shortened and hypertonic muscles.

Do core exercises for the abs and lower back pain to help reduce back pain

Back pain due to postural issues can be managed with physiotherapy at Wembley Physiotherapy and recovery can be enhanced but with at-home exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles and stretch the tighter muscles. Our Wembley physiotherapy services include prescription of structured rehab and conditioning exercises for individuals requiring extra help to ease their road back to health. Our physiotherapy patients can gain themselves extra protection from back pain and back spasm by following their rehab programs provided by their physiotherapist.

Have work place ergonomic assessments to reduce desk based strain and back pain

Use ergonomic and work place assessments to help improve posture and take the strain off the lower back, neck and shoulders. Ensuring your desk, chair and computer is at the correct height for your body is a crucial element often overlooked when preventing back pain. Call Wembley Physiotherapy Clinic for a workplace ergonomic assessment (08) 9383 7883.

Back Supports, Back Braces, Lumbar Supports and Cushions

Lumbar pain can be debilitating, preventing us from carrying out our normal day to day activities. At Wembley Physiotherapy Clinic we have a wide range of back braces, lumbar supports, supportive cushions for work and the car to help ease back pain and provide support. Please drop in for a demo and ask for one of our team to explain how they work.