Lower back, or lumbar spine pain is very common. Roughly 70-80% of the general population experience back pain at some stage in their lives.

There are many causes for this pain. We often see an injury to the soft tissues, the facet joints of the vertebra or the disc itself. The nerve roots at each level can be compressed by extruded disc material. This causes referred pain into the leg and in serious cases, muscle weakness and sensory loss.

ASSESSMENT:
At Louth Physiotherapy, we take a thorough history and assessment to determine the exact location of the pain. We look for it’s aggravating and easing factors and mechanism of onset. Our physical assessment involves us looking at your movement and palpating the lower back to detect several issues. These include: Spasm, stiffness, pain or/and tenderness in the muscles and joints of the comparable area. We perform a neurological examination if nerve root irritation is described.

TREATMENT:
The aim of our treatment is to reduce pain and to restore movement and function. We aim to restore our patient to a fully functioning pre-injury state as quickly as possible. We use massage, manual therapy, and personalised exercise prescription. Once we identify the cause and nature of the problem, we aim to correct dysfunction and educate patients to prevent recurrence. Exercise therapy is a vital component to the treatment of the patient with low back pain. Exercises will restore full range of motion and provide stability to the area as it is healing. We provide a home exercise programme and a return to full fitness is our desired goal.

Louth Physiotherapy has a great deal of specific clinical experience in the treatment of back pain and back injuries. These issues can be caused due to a number of different reasons. Our Physiotherapists will assess your condition and find the appropriate treatment for your pain.