What is it?
Lower back pain is pain low in your back, sometimes spreading into your buttock or thigh. It can come on all at once, as with lumbago ('spit' in Dutch), or build up slowly. Often there is no clear cause.
For most people the pain eases within four weeks. It does tend to return: more than half of people have another episode within a year.
Moving helps you recover, and you cannot damage your back by moving. If the pain runs below your knee with tingling or weakness, read our herniated disc and sciatica pages as well.
Common causes
- Heavy physical work
- Lots of lifting, bending and twisting
- Long stretches of driving
- Being overweight
- A lot of stress
How we diagnose
We ask how the pain started, what makes it better or worse and what your work and sport demand. Your physiotherapist examines how your back moves and tests strength and sensation in your legs. That way we pick up signs that belong with your GP.
Scans often show wear or a bulging disc, also in people without back pain. So we rely on your story and the examination. With VALD Force Decks and Force Frame we measure your strength and how you move, so we can track your recovery.
Treatment approach
Your physiotherapist explains what is going on in your back and how to keep moving while it still hurts. You then build strength and load tolerance with an exercise programme matched to your work and sport.
Hands-on techniques are at most an add-on to the exercises. Once you have recovered, you can keep training in our gym.
Expected recovery
For most people the pain eases within four weeks. After three months about half are pain-free and as active as before.
If progress is slower, your physiotherapist reviews your plan after a few weeks. If you still do not improve, we contact your GP.
