Low Back Pain

Low back pain probably affects around one-third of the UK adult population each year and roughly 2.6 million of those in the UK seek advice about back pain from their GP.

The objective of any early management of low back pain from a Chartered Physiotherapist should be to improve your symptoms to prevent your episode from resulting in long-term withdrawal from normal activities, including sickness absence from work. The therapist should also advise you on how to manage any further episodes.

Clinicians should offer you one or more of the following treatment options, taking your preference into account and most importantly, treatment should have a timescale and not continue indefinitely. If the chosen treatment doesn’t help, consider trying another of these options.

1.Advice and education. To help you self manage your back pain.

2.Exercise advice. Staying physically active is likely to be beneficial. This can include:- aerobic activity, movement instruction, muscle strengthening, postural control and stretching. It may be group exercise or on a one to one basis.

3.Manual treatment including spinal manipulation, spinal mobilisation or massage comprising up to a maximum of nine sessions over a period of up to 12 weeks.

4.Acupuncture – up to 10 sessions over a 12 week period is recommended by NICE.

5.Pain relief – Always speak to your GP or pharmacist for advice on medication.

At Progressive Physiotherapy we are able to offer all of the above treatments as well as TENS advice, loan and instruction. We are also more than happy to see you for one off advice sessions to avoid the higher cost of regular hands on treatment. We also offer a home visit service for those with acute pain who require advice and treatment more urgently. We always screen for more serious problems and will refer you back to your GP with a report should we feel it necessary. Remember to always contact your GP if your symptoms worsen or change.