Lower Back Pain - What's Actually Going On?

Lower back pain is one of the most common health complaints in Australia - and one of the leading reasons people seek physiotherapy. If you're dealing with it right now, you're in good company. Research suggests around 80% of people will experience significant lower back pain at some point in their lives.

But common doesn't mean you should put up with it.

Why Does Lower Back Pain Happen?

The lower back is a complex structure. It includes bones, joints, discs, muscles, ligaments, and nerves - and any of these can contribute to pain. The most common causes include:

• Muscle and ligament strain - often from a sudden movement, heavy lifting, or prolonged poor posture
• Disc issues - including bulges or degeneration, which can sometimes irritate nearby nerves
• Joint irritation - the small facet joints in the spine can become inflamed or stiff
• Poor movement patterns - how you sit, stand, lift, and move places repetitive stress on the lower back over time
• Muscle weakness - particularly in the core and hips, which are key stabilisers for the lower back

In many cases, lower back pain doesn't have one single clear cause. It's often a combination of factors that build up until the body can no longer compensate.

Acute vs. Chronic Back Pain

Back pain is generally described as either acute (recent onset, usually under six weeks) or chronic (ongoing, lasting more than three months). The treatment approach differs depending on which category you fall into.

Acute back pain is often managed with hands-on treatment, gentle movement, and short-term activity modification. Chronic back pain typically requires a more comprehensive approach that addresses movement patterns, strength deficits, and sometimes pain education.

What Physiotherapy Can Do

Physiotherapy is one of the most well-supported treatments for lower back pain. A good assessment identifies the likely source of your pain, how your movement is contributing to it, and what needs to change. Treatment may include:

• Manual therapy to reduce pain and restore joint movement
• Specific exercise programs to build core strength and stability
• Postural and movement retraining
• Education about what's driving your pain and how to manage it long-term
• Dry needling or soft tissue work where appropriate

What You Can Do Right Now

• Keep moving gently - prolonged bed rest is rarely helpful
• Apply heat to ease muscle tension
• Avoid activities that significantly worsen your pain, but don't stop all movement
• Note what makes it better or worse - this is useful information for your physio

Don't Wait It Out

One of the most common mistakes with lower back pain is waiting too long to get help. The longer a problem goes unaddressed, the more the body adapts and compensates in ways that make recovery more complex.

If your lower back pain is limiting what you can do, has been going on for more than a week or two, or keeps coming back - book an appointment with the team at Physio Local in Glenmore Park. We'll work out what's going on and put a clear plan together to get you moving better.