Low Back Pain

Low back pain is a very common condition. Most of us will be affected by back pain at least once in our life.

The causes of back pain can be varied. Occasionally pain can begin very suddenly. This may occur during an accident or when making a lifting or twisting movement. In these cases it is possible that you have strained some of the soft tissues of your back. In the spine these are the bones, joints, and muscle. You also have discs, which sit between your vertebral bones, and allow for movement between the bones.

For many people, back pain comes on more gradually. Sometimes the cause of pain is unknown and cannot be attributed to damage to the soft tissues of the spine. This is why health guidelines do not recommend routine imaging for people with back pain.

The good news is that in most cases pain will reduce over time. Research has demonstrated that specific exercises and keeping active is the best thing to get you back on track.

If you have a long history or recurrences of back pain, it’s important to remember that pain is not always due to structural damage. You can be feeling pain if you have lost muscle strength or if you aren’t moving freely. And it can also be worse if you feel anxious and fearful about your pain. Often, it’s about working on these things – learning to move freely and improving your muscle strength, that will help you to get back on track and pain-free.

TrackActive Me provides you with an exercise program to help you do this. You can also access other helpful advice videos through the app to help you stay active and reduce your pain.