Almost every single one of us have experienced lower back pain at some point or other. Sometimes the pain subsides on its own. And you feel so relieved, so lucky. But when it doesn’t that’s when you seek help. Some will procrastinate even to a stage where they become unable to perform daily activities without pain. Sounds familiar? Well, then welcome to the club!
Did you know that you can experience back pain from one/more anatomical structures viz.:
- Disc
- Facet joint
- Nerve root
- Spinal muscle,
- Sacroiliac joint
- Ligaments that support spine
- Furthermore, you can experience back pain as referred pain from viscera like kidney.
Now, why is it so important to know the cause? After all, you can always pop a pill and get rid of pain whatever might be the cause. Right? Yes, absolutely! That’s what you can do and should do when necessary, as per medical advice.
But, for how long? How often? You cannot continue popping pills weeks or months in succession. Obviously, knowing the side effects of long-term consumption of pain relievers, one should think twice before taking the pain medications, and should take it only for the medically prescribed period.
Now, comes the role of a Physiotherapist. After ruling out all the red flags, your physio will prescribe you exercises according to your diagnosis (cause of pain producing tissue) and wherever necessary use electro therapy and manual therapy for pain relief. Because each tissue (muscle, ligament, disc, nerve etc.) has a different time for healing. And thus, it is crucial to know the cause of pain for a definitive, effective treatment.
Now, what exercises are proven effective for lower back pain? Obviously in this era of Google one can find innumerable exercises that might help you. Yes, beware of the word ‘might’ here. And the exercises which ‘are’ going to be effective for you, only your Physiotherapist can tell you. As, self medication is a sin, so is a self prescribed exercise. Alright, may not be a sin, but surely is harmful.
Coming to the most awaited part. Evidence based and effective exercises for low back pain. To name a few,
- Lumbar and pelvic stabilization/Core exercises
- McKenzie exercise
- Williams exercises
- Neurodynamic exercise
All the above encompass a wide range of exercises which can be subdivided and prescribed as per individual diagnosis. These constitute the baseline of treatment for lower back pain. And, apart from the above exercises, ergonomics, postural correction, supportive braces (in case you need one) will help you in complete rehabilitation of your lower back.
So, which exercises will be the most useful and effective – only your Physiotherapist can tell upon assessment.
What are you waiting for? Call your Physiotherapist today and be pain free.
About the author
Dr. Neha Deshpande Manakeshwar, M.P.Th (Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy), is presently working as a consulting Physiotherapist at Health Point Polyclinic, Pune, Maharashtra, India. She is an alumnus of the prestigious Seth G.S. medical college & K.E.M hospital, Mumbai. She is a University gold medallist, Internationally published Physiotherapist with more than a decade of successful Clinical practice. Her special interests include Spine, Shoulder, Knee, Women’s health, and Sports rehabilitation.
Please note that the above article is written for a layman/general understanding of role of physiotherapy in low back pain. Any queries are welcome on neha.manakeshwar@gmail.com.
