Low Back pain — why rest and massage might not be enough
Back pain is weird. Surprisingly weird.
First of all, less than 1% on new low back pain can be due to something serious. So if you’re worried, just get it checked. Another 5-10% are the kind structural of issues that are associated with nerve pain, odd sensations and sometimes losses of strength. The rest… we honestly don’t know the exact cause. Using tests to find out, including MRI scans still don’t tell us the cause. Weird, eh? But this is not bad news. Around 80% of novel back pain resolves itself in 2-6 weeks. It can be be seriously painful, without being seriously dangerous.
So what do we know? Back pain seems to have a lot to do with general health, so factors like diet, sleep quality, activity levels, body mass index, and alcohol consumption are very much associated with getting back pain. Broadly speaking, improving our health affects the likelihood getting back pain. Strange as it may seem, mental health can also play a part. Which can be tough, when pain is getting us down.
Check checked if you’re at all worried - let’s rule out anything serious that might need medical attention
If clear, we should start moving only as much as pain allows - not rest.
Pain relief - massage can really help with this. Not everybody, not all the time, but can be really helpful.
Increase movement - this is really important
As a movement therapist, I really like to help people safely explore their movement repertoire, expand what they can do safely and ultimately build resilience to reduce the chance of it coming back. This is also much more empowering as it gives people agency in self-management. A stronger, healthier, happier back is going to last longer and serve you well.
Safety first, NHS guidance on when to seek urgent help.
If you're dealing with back pain in the Towcester and Daventry area and want to explore what's actually possible, feel free to book a free discovery phone call click here