Acute low back pain, the right approach to resolving.
Published: 23 November 2023
Get Relief Fast from Acute Low Back Pain with Our Biopsychosocial Approach
Does your back painfully lock up when you try to get out of bed? Do sudden movements cause a sharp spasm in your lower back? If you’re suffering from an acute flare-up of back pain that came on recently, our biopsychosocial approach to physiotherapy can help ease your discomfort quickly and get you moving normally again.
What is Acute Low Back Pain?
Acute low back pain comes on suddenly and lasts less than 3 months. It’s typically caused by injuries, muscle or ligament strains, bulging discs, arthritis, or pinched nerves in the lower spine.
The low back includes your lumbar region below the ribcage. Pain often radiates into the hips, buttocks and thighs as nerves can become irritated.
At our clinic, we recognize biological, psychological and social factors all likely play a role in acute pain episodes to varying degrees.
Biological factors may include injuries, joint irritation, disc problems or nerve impingement. Psychological influences can involve anxiety, stress, fear of movement or low moods exacerbating pain. And social components like job dissatisfaction, financial worries, sleep habits and lack of support can heighten back pain.
Common Causes of Acute Back Pain
Activities that often contribute to sudden back pain include:
- Sports twists and strains
- Heavy lifting with improper form
- Falls and accidents
- Too much sitting or lack of activity
- Arthritis flares
- Disc bulges irritating nerves
Sometimes the source is clear, other times it’s unknown. Regardless, our biopsychosocial physiotherapy approach can help.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms often involve:
- Sudden sharp pain with muscle tightness reducing mobility
- Dull ache varying from mild to severe
- Increased pain bending and transitioning positions
- Tenderness over the lower spine
- Radiating pain into the legs (nerve related)
- Numbness or tingling into legs
Seeking early treatment facilitates recovery and prevents chronic issues. Contact us if discomfort hasn’t improved after a few days rest.
Our Biopsychosocial Approach to Treatment
The good news is acute back pain generally resolves quickly when managed actively through physiotherapy using a biopsychosocial lens.
We perform in-depth assessments to identify potential biological, psychological and social influences specific to your situation. We then create customized active rehabilitation programs to address these factors through:
- Targeted stretches and exercises to improve mobility of your back and ease nerve irritation
- Hands-on techniques like mobilization and massage to reduce muscle tension
- Pain science education to reduce fear and anxiety about movement
- Activity pacing training to avoid peaks and valleys in pain
- Graded return to activity programs to rebuild strength and prevent re-injury
- Referrals to additional services like counselling or community programs if warranted
Your program will be tailored to your needs and recovery stage while empowering you to take an active role.
The Benefits of Our Approach
Choosing biopsychosocial physiotherapy to treat acute back pain flares has many advantages:
- Experienced clinicians identify multiple contributing factors
- Hands-on techniques bring faster relief
- Avoid potential medication side effects
- Learn to self-manage minor flares
- Make full recovery while lowering recurrence risk
- Non-invasive care with little to no adverse effects
Take Control of Your Recovery!
If you’re suffering from sudden acute back pain, don’t wait. Call to book an assessment so we can start easing your discomfort while addressing all factors influencing it. We’ll have you actively on the road to recovery in no time!