With so many of us (70-90% according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) suffering from low back pain (LBP) at some point in our lives, we’ve put together a quick summary of the types and causes of LBP, as well as how an Osteopath may be able to help.

Low back pain is typically broken down into three categories:

• Non-specific LBP
  • This is the most common type of LBP, accounting for approximately 90% of cases. Prognosis for this type of back pain is good, with most people having a resolution of pain within 1-2 months. Essentially there is no severe damage to the spine, and most commonly the pain is coming from structures such as the ligaments, muscles, joint capsules and tendons of the back.  Pain can be quite strong initially but will tend to subside within days.
• LBP associated with sciatica or canal stenosis
  • This type of LBP is due to nerve irritation or damage. This can be due to conditions such as arthritis, disc bulges and traumatic injury.  Symptoms are usually moderate-to-severe.
• Serious spinal pathology
  • Accounting for approximately 1% of LBP cases, these include conditions such as malignancy (cancer), cauda equina syndrome (serious nerve impingement/damage), fracture and spinal infection. Although rare, it is important if any serious spinal pathology is suspected that it be investigated further before appropriate treatment can be administered.

Low back pain triggers:

The following are common triggers that may exacerbate or bring on an episode of LBP:

• Bending with a twist or lean in the back
• Incorrect lifting/carrying techniques
• Repetitive lifting/bending
• Prolonged sitting (including driving) or standing

The pain may come on immediately, or sometimes will have a delayed onset and appear 1-2 days after the triggering event.

Where possible it is a good idea to try and avoid the above triggers to reduce the likelihood of having an acute episode of back pain.

What to expect from an Osteopath:

Low back pain is a very common condition that Osteopaths treat. You can expect your Osteopath to take a thorough history of both your current episode of LBP and your past medical history in order to have the best clinical understanding of how your pain began.
They will then assess your movement and function and may do a couple of tests to determine which part of the back is causing the pain.
Once your Osteopath has diagnosed the nature of your pain they will discuss this with you and indicate the type of treatment that may help improve the healing process.*
Typically an Osteopath will treat an episode of low back pain with a combination of techniques that help to loosen overactive/tight soft tissues and stretch the related joints of the spine and pelvis.         A treatment session will often conclude with advice on the best way to manage your back pain outside of the clinic (including stretches/exercises and things to avoid aggravating your pain), when/if another treatment session is appropriate, and what to expect for the following days/weeks so that you can mange your recovery as well as possible.

*If your Osteopath suspects there may be a serious underlying condition causing the pain, they may refer you to a GP for tests and further investigations before an Osteopathic treatment is commenced.