Did you know up to 60-80% of the adult population can expect to have low back pain at some time in their life? (NICE, 2020). That’s shockingly high!
Most people do not have any known cause for the onset of their symptoms, although sometimes a specific injury can initiate their symptoms.
Sedentary lifestyles, increased body weight, reduced physical activity and poor postures are all contributing factors to LBP. Back pain can strike suddenly or build up slowly over time. Some people report a sudden and severe onset of back pain from a seemingly innocent movement such as bending over to put on their socks. Others find that their back aches towards the end of the day and follows a regular pattern.
Whilst some episodes of low back pain can be severe and debilitating, most people recover from an episode of back pain reasonably quickly (within six to eight weeks). However, knowing what to do when you get it, long term management and how to prevent it recurring is crucial.
In most people, low back pain is non-specific i.e. there is no underlying structural cause/abnormality. Some common causes include:
Muscle sprain or strain
Herniated or bulging disc
Sciatica (irritation of the nerve that runs from the lower back to the feet)
Osteoarthritis (age related changes of the spine)
Seeing a physiotherapist will help to understand how the back pain started as they will do a thorough assessment, offer a working diagnosis, and treat your symptoms appropriately.
While no-one can prevent back pain with 100% certainty, there are several lifestyle factors proven to help reduce the risk. Keeping active and doing core stability exercises such as Pilates has been clinically proven to reduce the severity and frequency of episodic low back pain.
Pilates is a ‘Functional’ method of exercise. In our daily lives, we all bend, twist, reach, extend, lose balance and catch ourselves from falling. This is called normal movement. So many people with back pain are scared to bend and twist and reduce their level of activity. Unfortunately this just makes matters worse.
Pilates can help you learn how to do these every day, habitual things with ease, strength and greater awareness. Pilates works on building a stronger and better functioning body as a whole, rather than isolating individual muscles. In Pilates we aim to lengthen tight muscles, strengthen weak muscles, align the spine, and bring the body into a better and more harmonious balance.
If you would like some more information about our Pilates classes taught by Physiotherapists, or to join our fabulous classes, call 01923 283845.
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