Back pain can change how you work, sleep and move. We find out what’s driving it and help you get back to doing what you enjoy.
Back pain is very common, and most people have it at some point. It’s easy to assume stiffness is normal and will clear up by itself. Often it doesn’t.
Maybe there’s no obvious cause. You put it down to a bad night’s sleep, your posture or getting older. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Lower back pain and sciatica are the problems we see most often in our clinic.
The questions we hear every day are “Why has this happened to me?” and “I’ve rested for weeks, so why isn’t it getting better?”
How we help your back
- Practical tips you can use to ease your back pain
- Expert advice from experienced physiotherapists
- A clear plan to help you understand and manage your back
Does this sound like you?
Many people tell us they’ve been advised to rest, take painkillers or rub in an anti-inflammatory cream. If that helps, the relief is often short-lived. You’re still unable to enjoy the things you want to do.
Have you been through this yourself?
So why does back pain hang around for so long?
One big reason is information overload. Friends, family, colleagues and Google all have advice. It’s well meant, but it often conflicts.
With so many mixed messages, it’s no surprise that many people give up looking for answers and simply put up with a poorer quality of life.
So what does cause back pain?
It’s natural to blame whatever you were doing when the pain started. More often, years of poor posture have left the muscles in your lower back weak. That final lift, twist or awkward sleeping position is simply the last straw.
Over time, this wear and weakening takes its toll. You end up sore and unable to do things you used to take for granted.
It’s tempting to accept this as something that happens to everyone. But accepting it makes you less likely to get the advice and treatment that could help.
Age is not a diagnosis!
Let’s be clear: getting older doesn’t explain your pain.
If it did, how could an 80-year-old run a marathon while a 50-year-old struggles to get out of bed? Don’t accept age as the reason for your back pain.
A good physiotherapist should never tell you your back pain is purely down to age.
5 common reasons your back pain is lasting longer than it should
1
You thought it would simply go away on its own.
2
Someone told you everyone gets back pain as they get older, so you accepted it as something to live with.
3
You’ve tried other healthcare professionals, or even a physio, without lasting results.
4
You tried exercises from YouTube or remedies from Google, but they didn’t help or made things worse.
5
You stopped being active and rested, thinking that was what your back needed. Instead, it left you even stiffer and tighter.
