BACK
More information about each condition can be found below:-
How UFIXU manage back injuries:
At UFIXU we will provide a short and effective home or gym exercise programme using the latest scientific research. Rest is important, although it is vital to build strength and conditioning into your rehabilitation. We will take a proactive approach and NOT rely on passive treatments (massage, acupuncture, manipulations etc) that have very minimal scientific evidence in helping long term. At UFIXU we pride ourselves on educating you on the best way to manage your injury so YOU can FIX YOU.
At UFIXU Physiotherapy we will take a full history and figure out the best treatment based on a number of factors including :
How old you are
Your overall health and health history
How much pain you have
How well you can handle specific medicines, procedures, or therapies
How long the condition is expected to last
Your opinion or preference
Lower Back pain
Low back pain is classified as acute (or short term) and chronic. Acute low back pain lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute low back pain will resolve on its own. Chronic low back pain lasts for more than 3 months and often gets worse. The cause of chronic low back pain can be hard to find.
These are the most common symptoms of low back pain. Symptoms may include discomfort or pain in the lower back that is:
Aching
Burning
Stabbing
Sharp or dull
Well-defined or vague
The pain may radiate into one or both buttocks or even into the thigh or hip area.
The symptoms of low back pain may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always see your healthcare professional for a diagnosis.
Mechanical Lower Back Pain
What is it? Mechanical lower back pain is pain in your lower back that generally varies with certain positions or activities and so can comes and go. It is a common issue which affects over 90% of people at some point in their life. This type of pain can develop gradually over time or come on suddenly.What is it caused by? Muscle imbalances or extended training schedules. Lower back pain is common in adults.
What causes it? Muscle imbalances or extended training schedules. Repetitive trauma and overuse are common causes of chronic mechanical low back pain, which is often secondary to workplace injury. Most patients who experience activity-limiting low back pain go on to have recurrent episodes.The exact cause of low back pain can be hard to determine. In most cases, back pain may be a symptom of many different causes, including any of the following:
Overuse, strenuous activity, or improper use (such as repetitive or heavy lifting, exposure to vibration for prolonged periods of time)
Injury
Degeneration of vertebrae (often caused by stresses on the muscles and ligaments that support the spine, or the effects of ageing)
Infection
Abnormal growth (tumor)
Obesity (often increases weight on the spine and pressure on the disks)
Poor muscle tone in the back
Muscle tension or spasm
Sprain or strain
Ligament or muscle tears
Joint problems (such as spinal stenosis)
Smoking
Protruding or herniated (slipped) disk
Disease (such as osteoarthritis, spondylitis, compression fractures)
What are the symptoms? Pain with specific movements of the spine, aggravation with extension and training.
How do I manage it? It can vary for each individual. Aims are to restore pain-free movements of the spine, correct any muscle imbalances. DETAILS
Facet Joint Inflammation
What is it? Facet joint syndrome is an arthritis-like condition of the spine that can be a significant source of back and neck pain.
What is is caused by? It is caused by degenerative changes to the joints located between the spine bones. The cartilage inside the facet joint can break down and become inflamed, triggering pain signals in nearby nerve endings.
What are the symptoms? Facet joints become inflamed, resulting in pain, soreness and/ or stiffness.
Facet Joint Syndrome Symptoms Vary
Facet joint pain produces different symptoms based on the spinal region affected.
Cervical Facet Joint Syndrome
Facet joint syndrome in the neck can produce neck and shoulder pain that can restrict your range of motion, making it difficult to rotate your head comfortably. Facet joint syndrome in the cervical spine may also cause headaches.
Thoracic Facet Joint Syndrome
Thoracic facet joint syndrome can cause pain in your mid-back, and you may find your range of motion restricted to the point where you find it necessary to turn your entire body to look over to the right or left.
Lumbar Facet Joint Syndrome
Low back pain is commonly caused by facet joint syndrome. You may feel pain in the lower back and sometimes in the buttocks and/or thighs (the pain usually does not go below the knee). Inflammation of these joints can cause stiffness and difficulty standing up straight and getting up out of a chair. Pain with initiating motion is the most prevalent symptom. The condition may cause you to walk in a hunched over position.
How do I manage it? Core strengthening exercises and lower back stretches. DETAILS
Spondyloysis
What is it? Spondylolysis. Pars defect. Stress fracture. These three terms are used interchangeably, all referring to the same condition. Spondylolysis is a stress fracture through the pars interarticularis of the lumbar vertebrae. The pars interarticularis is a thin bone segment joining two vertebrae.
What is it caused by? It is the most likely area to be affected by repetitive stress. This condition is fairly common and is found in one out of every 20 people.
What are the symptoms? Spondylolysis doesn’t always have symptoms. When it does, the only symptom is usually back pain. The pain often gets worse with activity and sport, and is more notable when bending backward. Generally, the pain doesn’t interfere with everyday activities. If it persists, it is recommended to seek a medical professional.
How do I manage it? Spondylolysis treatment focuses on managing the pain and helping you return to your daily activities. This condition doesn't typically put you at risk for spinal cord injury or nerve damage.
Depending on the degree of pain, treatment options include:
Rest/break from sports
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Physical therapy for muscle strengthening and general conditioning
A lumbar brace
Surgery to repair the fracture is rarely needed, as the pain is expected to fade over time in most cases. DETAILS
Spondylolisthesis
What is it? It is a condition which affects the vertebra. Typically found in the lower back (lumbar spine). Spondylolisthesis (spon-duh-low-lis-THEE-sis) happens when the front part of a vertebra (bone in the spine) slides away from the back part. In kids and teens, it's often a complication of spondylolysis, and is a common cause of lower back pain in these age groups. Spondylolisthesis usually is mild and heals with rest and other "conservative" (or nonsurgical) treatments. However, sometimes it can be severe and need surgery to fix the problem.
What is it caused by? The spine (or backbone) has 33 bones called vertebrae (VER-tuh-bray). Nine vertebrae are fused together to form the tailbone, and the other 24 are in the back. The lumbar vertebrae are in the lower back and closest to the tailbone. This is where spondylolisthesis usually happens.
Sometimes the front and back parts of one of the vertebra aren't connected. This happens because of a fracture (break) in the part of the vertebra called the pars (or pars interarticularis). Each vertebra has two pars, one on the left side and one on the right. If both pars are fractured, the front part of the vertebra can slide away from the back part.
Most of the time, the front slides away only a little bit. But if it slides away a lot, it can cause the spinal cord and nerve roots to become pinched.
Some kids are born with a spondylolisthesis and some cases probably are genetic (passed down by parents to their children). Spondylolisthesis can get worse while kids are growing and even into adulthood.
What are the symptoms? Individuals do not tend to show symptoms, it is often discovered through scans. Many people with spondylolisthesis don't realize that they have it. Their backs might feel just fine despite a vertebra being out of place. When there are symptoms, they often include:
pain in the lower back that might feel like a muscle strain
pain in the thighs and buttocks
stiff muscles and tenderness in the lower back
muscle tightness, especially in the hamstring muscles.
If the vertebra slips far enough to press on the spinal cord or smaller nerves, it can cause increased pain and, in more serious cases, nerve damage. Signs of this include:
pain that radiates down the legs
weakness in the legs or trouble walking
trouble peeing or bladder accidents
numbness and tingling in the groin and/or buttocks
How do I manage it? Maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, ensure abdominal and back muscles are strong. Most people with spondylolisthesis get better by resting and doing exercises designed to stretch and strengthen the back. Only in rare cases is surgery needed to fix the condition.
As with spondylolysis, health care professionals probably will recommend:
a break from sports and other strenuous activities
plenty of rest
core-strengthening exercises that don't strain the lower back
flexibility training
Physiotherapy
medicine to help ease pain and swelling
Conservative treatments usually are enough to fix the pain from spondylolisthesis.
For more severe cases, a surgical procedure might be needed. In surgery:
The bone that has slipped forward is moved back into place (this is called a reduction).
Another piece of the vertebra is removed to take pressure off of the nerves (this is called a decompressive laminectomy).
Rods and screws are put in to hold the spine in place while it heals and the bones fuse together, making them more stable (this is called a spinal fusion.) DETAILS
Sacroiliac Joint Pain (SIJ Pain)
What is it? The sacroiliac joints are the joints where the lower part of the spine (sacrum) connects to the pelvis. There are two sacroiliac joints, one on each side, with ligaments in each joint that hold the bones together.
Sacroiliac joint pain can be difficult to diagnose as other conditions can cause similar symptoms. Sacroiliac joint pain is most commonly felt in the low back and buttock but can also be referred into the thigh and leg. If numbness and tingling or weakness is present, an alternative diagnosis should be considered. Sacroiliac pain can be aggravated with prolonged sitting or standing, standing on one leg, stair climbing, going from sit to stand, and with running.
What is it caused by? Potential causes of sacroiliac pain include arthritis, traumatic injury, pregnancy and post-partum, systemic inflammatory conditions, and infection. Other potential contributors include spinal scoliosis, leg length discrepancy, and previous lumbar spine fusion. Sometimes, there is no clear cause for sacroiliac pain. The sacroiliac joint accounts for approximately 16% to 30% of cases of chronic mechanical low back pain. Pain originating in the sacroiliac joint is predominantly perceived in the gluteal region, although pain is often referred into the lower and upper lumbar region, groin, abdomen, and/ or lower limb(s).
What are the symptoms? t can mimic other conditions such as a herniated disc or hip problem. Pain that spreads to the hips, buttocks, and/or groin. One of the most common areas to feel SI joint pain is in the buttocks and upper back or side of the thigh. Pain is typically felt only on one side, but may be felt on both sides. Sciatic-like pain in the buttocks and/or backs of the thighs that feels hot, sharp, and stabbing and may include numbness and tingling. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction may cause sciatica-like symptoms that rarely extend below the knee. Some symptoms of SI joint pain include:
Stiffness and reduced range-of-motion in the lower back, hips, pelvis, and groin, which may cause difficulty with movements such as walking up stairs or bending at the waist.
Worsened pain when putting added pressure on the sacroiliac joint, such as climbing stairs, running or jogging, and lying or putting weight on one side.
Instability in the pelvis and/or lower back, which may cause the pelvis to feel like it will buckle or give way when standing, walking, or moving from standing to sitting.
Aggravation of the sacroiliac joint can commonly result in inflammation, also called sacroiliitis. This condition may be the primary cause of pain, stiffness, and other symptoms.
How do I manage it? Limit prolonged sitting, change sitting position and strengthen glutes. DETAILS
Osteoarthritis
What is it? Osteoarthritis of the spine may cause stiffness or pain in the neck or back. It may also cause weakness or numbness in the legs or arms if it is severe enough to affect spinal nerves or the spinal cord itself.
What is it caused by? This disease is caused by the deterioration of cartilage. This is the smooth, elastic tissue that protects joints and provides the lubrication necessary for normal joint function.
The cartilage within a joint begins to break down and the underlying bone begins to change. OA of the spine specifically affects the facet joints, the cartilage between the bones that make up the spine, and the ligaments in the spine.
As you age, the cartilage coating the facet joints can slowly wear away. Your invertebral discs are made primarily of water. These discs can dehydrate as you grow older. This can cause the discs in your spine to narrow and put increased pressure on facet joints.
OA is caused by slow deterioration of cartilage around joints in the lower back. The exact cause of this deterioration is unknown, but some people have a higher risk for the disease. This includes individuals who have experienced a spine trauma.
Experiencing an injury at a younger age can make your cartilage break down much faster. Obesity can also play a role in OA of the spine because extra body weight puts added stress on the joints in your spine. Other risk factors include:
advancing age
being a female
family history of osteoarthritis
working in an occupation involving repetitive stress
defective joints or cartilage at birth
What are the symptoms? OA of the spine causes various symptoms. The most common is back pain. Pain often starts in the lower back. In the early stages of the disease, you may only have pain in the mornings due to hours of inactivity. Since this is a progressive disease, symptoms typically worsen over time. Other symptoms of osteoarthritis of the spine include:
joint tenderness
joint stiffness
limited range of motion
weakness or numbness in the legs or arms, tingling in the legs
Back pain caused by OA of the spine is often worse when sitting upright or standing. It usually improves when lying down. Some people who have osteoarthritis of the spine don’t have any symptoms.
How do I manage it? There’s no cure for osteoarthritis of the spine, and the condition isn’t reversible. The goal of treatment is to relieve pain and to improve the mobility of the affected joint. Mild cases of OA of the spine may respond to over-the-counter medications. Surgery isn’t a common treatment for OA of the spine, but in severe cases you doctor may recommend a procedure to replace damaged discs in your spine.
Other therapies for treating and coping with osteoarthritis of the spine include:
gentle exercises (e.g., tai chi and yoga) to reduce pain and improve range of motion in the remaining cartilage
heat or cold therapy
occupational and physiotherapy
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
What is it? AS is a chronic inflammatory disease causing axial arthritis, frequently resulting in inflammatory low back pain early in the disease course, with eventual severe impairment of spinal mobility due to structural changes.
What is it caused by? In ankylosing spondylitis (AS) several parts of the lower spine become inflamed, including the bones in the spine (vertebrae) and spinal joints.
Over time this can damage the spine and lead to the growth of new bone. In some cases this can cause parts of the spine to join up (fuse) and lose flexibility (ankylosis).
It's not known exactly what causes AS, but in many cases there seems to be a link with a particular gene known as HLA-B27.
Disc Injury
What is it? Part of the material from the disc is displaced.
What is it caused by? Most commonly due to age or due to an acute injury. It can occur at any spinal level.
What are the symptoms? Sensory ir strength logs in both legs, groin area, bladder dysfunction, bowel incontinence, sexual dysfunction.
How do I manage it? Aerobic and motor control exercises, strengthening exercises, manual therapy and taping. DETAILS
Pars Defect
What is it? A stress fracture of the bones of the lower spine.
What is it caused by? Typically causes due to overuse of the spine. They can be on one, or both, sides of the vertebra.
What are the symptoms? Pain and stiffness in the center lower back.
How do I manage it? Some people need surgery to stabilize the spine. DETAILS
Sciatica
What is it? Sciatica, also called lumbar radiculopathy, is a pain that originates along your sciatic nerve. This nerve extends from the back of your pelvis down the back of your thigh. Your sciatic nerve is the main nerve in your leg. It is also the largest nerve in your entire body.
What is it caused by? Usually, sciatica is caused by a herniated (or bulging) disk in your spine that presses on your sciatic nerve.
Other reasons for pressure on your sciatic nerve may include:
Obesity
Poor posture
Tumor
Abscess
Blood clot
Awkward sitting position
Any nerve disorders
Sometimes, the cause for your sciatica cannot be identified.
What are the symptoms?
Lower back pain that radiates or spreads down your buttock and the back of one thigh
Pain that extends from your buttock down to your foot
Numbness (in severe cases)
Weakness (in severe cases)
The symptoms of sciatica may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always see a healthcare professional for a diagnosis.
How do I manage it? Sciatica usually heals on its own with rest and time. To help relieve the pain, treatment may include:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS) medicines such as ibuprofen
Heat or cold applied to the sore muscles
Movement (keeping your body in motion minimizes inflammation)
Physiotherapy
Surgery (to repair your herniated disk, if the condition persists)
DETAILS
