What is acute and chronic lower back pain?
Lower back pain can make every bend, lift and car journey a struggle. We find the cause and help you move freely and confidently again.
Lower back pain is either acute (sudden and short-term) or chronic (long-term, and often getting gradually worse).
Acute pain usually comes on suddenly. It’s often triggered by a small movement, such as twisting or bending to pick something up. It can be mild or severe and may last from a few days to a few weeks. If it isn’t addressed, it can become chronic.
What causes lower back pain?
Most lower back pain is mechanical. That means it comes from strain on the structures of the lower back, or from a long-term condition such as arthritis.
Common triggers include:
- Jobs around the house or garden
- Lifting something from the floor while twisting
- A sudden jolt, such as a car accident
What symptoms would I have?
Acute pain: It often starts as a sharp pain that builds over a few hours as inflammation develops. You’ll usually feel it at the base of your back, in the middle, on one side or both.
- Pain may spread into your buttocks, the back of your thigh or your lower leg.
- Sharp, stabbing pain running in a line down the leg suggests nerve irritation, sometimes from a ‘slipped disc’.
- More often, buttock and leg pain is referred from the lower back and may feel like a heavy ache.
Chronic (long-standing) pain: You’ll usually feel it at the base of your back. It may be worse at night or after sitting or standing for a long time.
- Pain may stay in your lower back or spread down either leg.
- A dull ache can build until it feels very sore.
- Stiffness is common.
Physiotherapy for lower back pain
Our physiotherapists will assess your back, explain what’s going on and treat it to ease pain and inflammation. The aim is to get you back to everyday life with confidence.
The sooner you start, the better. Your treatment is tailored to you and depends on whether your pain is new or long-standing. It combines hands-on therapy, advice and exercise to help you recover as quickly as possible.
Your treatment at Recover Physio may include:
- Joint mobilisation and, where appropriate, manipulation
- Posture advice and practical changes
- Soft tissue therapy
- Trigger point therapy
- A tailored exercise programme to build flexibility and strength
- Acupuncture
- Mobilisations with movement
