There is evidence for both manipulative (manual) and therapeutic exercise in the back. 80% of people will experience severe lower back pain in their lifetime. 80% of these people will go on to have further episodes of lower back pain. If treated correctly, specific exercise therapy has been found to reduce this recurrence rate to 30%.
Sue Kelley has been extensively involved in research at the University of Queensland in the role of specific exercises on lower back pain. We use ultrasound to look at the activation of your deep tummy muscles so we can teach them to you correctly.
Sue has completed a Masters degree on the effect of two exercise programs following back surgery. She is often referred difficult cases and is a Fellow of the Australian College of Physiotherapists (awarded in 2010).
We will look at and assess:
- Posture
- Active back movement
- Palpation of your back
- Straight leg raise
- Muscle strength
- Sensation assessment
What to expect:
We will initially conduct a subjective examination which involved lots of questions regarding your pain. These include:
- The area of your back pain
- The areas that your pain refers to
- Whether you have any pins and needles or numbness
- What aggravates and relieves your pain
- How your pain changes through the day
- What activities you can’t do because of your back
- The history of this and other episodes of low back pain
- What investigations you might have had already
- What previous treatment you might have tried
Treatment may involve a combination of:
- Information and advice
- Postural correction
- Manual therapy
- Exercise therapy
- Tape
- Ergonomic advice
- Further referral to other practitioners if required
- Acupuncture if required
You will be given a home program of exercises to continue on your own.
Activating your Abdominals to Reduce Back Pain
This video is one of our leading physiotherapists, Sue, demonstrating how activating your abdominal muscle can assist with managing your back pain.