Most adults will suffer low back pain at some point in their life, in fact, recent research has put back pain 4th, as one of leading worldwide disability problems we have to adjust our daily lives to (heart disease is number 1).

The pain can vary from a mild ache to a severe and debilitating problem; it can last seconds to a long-term problem which we seem to have had forever. When we talk about back pain, we say it can be acute (very painful and sudden) or chronic (long-lasting). No matter the severity or the cause, it can have a major impact on our ability to carry out everyday tasks – when you have back pain suddenly that thing you dropped on the floor seems a long way off!

The back is a complex structure made up from 5 lumbar vertebrae (these are the building blocks of the spine)

These vertebrae all have discs in between them which help cushion the force and then the whole structure has a complex pattern of ligaments and muscles which help keep its integrity.

Although we have evolved to walk upright, there are a large number of issues where evolution hasn’t caught up yet – so being upright is hard work and we have invented a whole range of so-called labour saving devices such as the car, chair or even the computer which has led to us having a much more sedentary lifestyle. This can cause huge problems to the spine and the low back especially.

If we don’t keep mobile we will seize up and this can be a cause of numerous problems – a simple thing to remember is motion is lotion…generally the more you move the better – which the NHS backs up.
When your back is bad you might be thinking I can’t move, I will make it worse. This is completely understandable but be reassured most low back pain is not serious and will improve without the need for scans or x rays. In the vast majority of cases an image will add no value and make no difference to treatment. There are certain red flags (warning signs) we look for and if we are in doubt we will let you know.

If you have back pain it is worth having it checked, we can see what is going on and advise on what we can do from a treatment perspective and more importantly, what you can do to get mobile and stay there. There are some tips on our staying well page so it is worth a look.