Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints known to athletes and weekend warriors alike. Picking up a chair to throwing a ball may elicit pain in the unconditioned person. Pain is usually elicited in the unconditioned person with muscle imblances between the anterior and posterior (back and front), right and left sides of the body. These imbalances usually cause one or more muscle groups to tighten/ spasm and another muscle or muscle groups to weaken. This type of scenario will gradually cause excesive strain on the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints,  thereby causing pain and injury.
The type of pain allows therapists to gauge which type of injury is being presented. Pain may present as dull, achy, sharp, numb etc and lead the therapist to determine whether the cause is at the site of injury or presenting as a symptom caused by a problem somewhere else on the kinetic chain. A full history taking together with a physical assessment will determine the best way forward in rehabilitation.
The best way forward to address lower back pain is to engage in a prescriptive exercise rehabilitation strategy. Biokineticists, chiropractors, physiotherapists can assist in reducing and eliminating back pain. A combination of these therapies may assist in getting the patient pain free with full mobility.
Causes of Lower Back Pain:

• Muscle Strains and Sprains
• Abdominal Aortic aneurysm
• Sciatica
• Protruded or herniated disc
• Fracture
• Disc space infection
• Benign - space occupying lesions
• Spinal infections (TB)
• Ankylosing spondylitis (arthiritis of the spine)
• Neoplastic Tumour (primary or metastic)

This article was written by: Nabeel Yasin Biokineticist
www.biowellness.co.za
nabeel@biowellness.co.za