Lower back pain treatment Melbourne

lower back pain treatment

 

At Balance Osteopathy we can help to relieve back pain with safe and effective strategies for acute back pain or chronic low back pain by conducting a functional movement assessment to determine where limitations of your body’s movement may be impacting your low back.

We believe the body is a unit, and moves as such, therefore while determining which tissue is generating the pain is important, from a practical point of getting you moving again, it is really most important we understand what set this off in the first place. We will also use orthopaedic tests to determine which tissue is problematic (e.g. is it a muscle strain, disc problem, facet joint sprain, other pain generating tissue or perhaps referred pain that is involved with your presentation). In conjunction, we use functional movements (e.g. walking assessments, lunge, reaches…etc) to assess how well you move and where limitations exist. Then, consistent with Applied Functional Science we can address the symptoms, cause and compensation in one approach.

Common causes of lower back pain

  • Repetitive lifting or twisting without appropriate preparation
  • Moving very heavy items without effective movement or preparation
  • Prolonged slumped postures either sitting or lying down unsupported.

This can present as various common tissue injuries

  • disc pathology
  • facet joint inflammation
  • muscle strain
  • ligament sprain

Your lower back pain have associated

  • sciatica, or sharp pain down the leg
  • referred pain
  • abdominal discomfort
  • changes in sensation in certain areas (e.g. numbness in leg)

It is important that we collect a thorough case history to determine the likely cause and diagnosis for your back pain and if this is a condition that can be treated with our approach (most often this is the case), or does further investigation need to be conducted to make sure nothing more concerning is part of this presentation.If needed we can refer for further imaging or special tests to assist with the diagnostic process.

In terms of acute or chronic lower back pain treatment, our Osteopaths then will use hands on techniques and gentle movements whilst you are stable to reduce muscle spasm, improve range of motion of joints and soft tissues and to reduce pain and restriction. We will give you an individualised home exercise program if required to assist your rehabilitation. This process will help return your movement and ability to return to things you are used to being able to do each day in regards to your body movement.