Acute low back pain can be a frightening experience. However, most acute low back pain disorders are simple tissue strains that, if managed well, will settle quickly.

For those disorders that don't settle within expected healing time there are many factors that y contribute to the pain experience.

Structured injury or pathology is commonly thought to be the reason for persistent pain, however this is only the case in 10% of cases.

Did you know that pathology identified by an MRI is very common in pain free populations?

• Degeneration (91%)

• Disc Bulges (56%)

• Disc Protrusion (32%)

• Annular Tears (38%)

This means that if you have these diagnoses there is a high chance your back pain is not just related to those findings. That's good news as other factors play a role in your back pain like:

A lack of movement control of your spine that results in increased strain and pain of sensitive spinal structures.

• Lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep, sedentary lifestyle and stress can sensitize the nervous system making pain worse.

• Fear of movement or avoiding movement can actually increase disability and risk of re-injury.

• Reduced strength and endurance of different muscle groups can result in abnormal patterns of movement to increase pain.

• Psychological factors such as too much focus on pain, fear of reinjury, anxiety and low mood can amplify back pain.

The combination of these factors are different for everyone and many of them are modifiable. Your physiotherapist will work to understand the factors underlying your pain and develop treatment and management approaches. We’re skilled at unravelling the puzzle of persistent back pain!