Effective physiotherapy treatment for back pain, spinal injuries and sciatica.
Physiotherapy for low back pain focuses on the assessment and rehabilitation of conditions affecting the lumbar spine, as well as the surrounding muscles and joints. Treatment addresses pain that may arise from muscles, joints, soft tissues, or nerves.
Your physiotherapist at VCF will assess your movement, posture, strength, and mobility to identify the underlying cause of your symptoms.
Based on this assessment, treatment may include manual therapy and deep tissue mobilisation to reduce stiffness and pain, targeted exercises to improve range of movement and muscle strength, acupuncture, education on posture and movement patterns, and strategies and treatments to reduce pain and prevent recurrence. The aim is to reduce pain, restore movement, improve strength and function, and support long-term spinal health.
Common low back pain conditions
Common low back pain conditions include:
Muscle strains
Gym-related injuries
Disc herniation and sciatica
Osteoarthritis
Spondylolisthesis
Sacro-Iliac (SI) joint pain
Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain (PRPG pain)
Ankylosing spondylitis
Low back muscular strains
Low back muscular strains can occur when muscles or tendons in the back are overstretched or torn, causing pain, stiffness and sometimes muscle spasms. Muscular strains of the back are often caused by a sudden injury such as a fall or gradually over time such as by lifting heavy objects with poor technique, repeated bending, twisting or lifting. Symptoms may include:
Pain and stiffness in the lower back
Pain on palpation of the muscle
Pain radiating to the buttocks or back of the thigh
Muscle tightness or spasms
Pain that worsened when bending forwards
Pain with coughing or sneezing
A disc herniation
A disc herniation of the lower back (also called a prolapsed disc) is when the soft cushion of tissue between the bones in your spine (disc) bulges outwards. This can cause pressure on the nerves and result in sciatica symptoms including pain, pins and needles or numbness down the leg. Causes of a disc herniations include trauma, or by lifting and twisting which puts increased pressure on the spinal discs. Symptoms may include:
Lower back pain
Pain when bending or sitting
Sharp or aching pain down the leg to the calf/foot
Leg pain worse than back pain
Numbness or tingling in your legs or feet
Lumbar osteoarthritis (OA)
Lumbar osteoarthritis (OA) is a common form of arthritis affecting the lower back, characterised by the breakdown of cartilage that protects the joints in the lumbar spine. Degeneration of the cartilage causes vertebral osteophytes, facet joint osteoarthritis, and disc space narrowing. The most significant risk factor for OA is age. Symptoms may include:
Pain in your back
Stiffness, especially first thing in the morning or after resting
Crunching or grinding noises when moving your back
Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain (PRPG pain)
Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain (PRPG pain) is a term to describe pain in and around the joints that make up the pelvic girdle. This includes the pubic bone and/or the sacroiliac joints at the back of your pelvis, hips and lower back. It can be caused by the changes in hormones, changes to muscles due to increased or decreased movements and different postures that you may develop. Symptoms may include:
Low back, pelvis or hip pain
Pain when standing on one leg
Pain when moving your legs apart (e.g. getting in and out of the car)
Difficulty walking or sitting too long
Pain may also refer into the backs of your legs
Treatment techniques for the back may include:
Joint mobilisations
Soft tissue mobilisation techniques
Techniques to reduce swelling
Ultrasound therapy
Acupuncture
Manipulations
Core strengthening programs
Stretches
Proprioception and balance retraining
Pilates
Frequently asked questions for back pain
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You should seek physiotherapy if your pain is persistent, affecting your daily activities, stopping you from exercising, or not improving after a few days or weeks.
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We advise wearing loose fitting clothing and ideally shorts so that the lower back and lower limbs can be assessed. You may also be asked to remove your t-shirt within the session.
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No. In most cases, staying gently active is better than complete rest. Movement helps reduce stiffness and supports recovery. Your physiotherapist at VCF will help to modify any activities or sports you may be struggling with to remain as active as possible.
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Most cases of low back pain are not serious and improve with the right treatment, exercises and advice provided. Your physiotherapist at VCF will assess your symptoms to rule out any more complex issues within your assessment.
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Not usually. Most cases of low back pain can be diagnosed and treated without imaging. If a scan is needed, your VCF physiotherapist will advise you of this.
Why Choose VCF Physiotherapy
Experienced Physiotherapists: Our team has extensive experience in treating back injuries, from acute strains and disc-related pain to long-term conditions such as persistent low back pain. Several members of our team are active in sports such as netball, football and pilates giving us first-hand understanding of how back pain can affect performance, training, and daily life.
Back Injury and Sports Expertise: VCF Physiotherapy specialises in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of back and sports-related injuries. We focus on restoring spinal mobility, core strength, and movement control, helping you recover efficiently and return to sport or daily activities safely and confidently. We can also provide 1:1 Pilates sessions to support your rehabilitation process in addition to your physiotherapy treatment.
Personalised Goals: Every patient receives an individualised treatment plan tailored to their sport, position, lifestyle, and performance goals. Our aim is not only to reduce pain, but to support a safe return to full function, with ongoing advice and rehabilitation to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Expert-Led Practice: Our Practice Manager Vivienne has a PhD in acupuncture and manual therapy for low back pain and shares her expertise with the team during in service training sessions to develop team knowledge and expertise within the area.
Experienceing back pain?
Book an appointment with our expert physiotherapists at VCF by filling out our online form, or call us on 01733 331212 today and begin your personalised physiotherapy treatment plan.