Back pain can be the result of direct trauma,such as whiplash from a car accident, arthritic changes or postural strain. Back pain can be referred into the legs and this is usually called sciatica. Ann-Marie Ennis has over 20 years experience treating back pain. With increasing use of computers and sedentary lifestyles back pain will affect most people at some stage of their lives. Recent research has shown that early movement after a back injury speeds up recovery.It is no longer advisable for back pain patients to rest in bed. Extended rest allows muscles to weaken , joints stiffen and this will slow down long term recovery . Chartered physiotherapists are experts in restoring movement . At Swords physiotherapy we like to see back pain patients as soon as possible. The following spinal structures can be injured and cause pain: DISCS – these can move out of alignment and irritate or compress nerves causing local and/ or referred pain into the legs.[slipped discs] MUSCLES – Muscles can be torn causing back pain. Also very weak muscles give the spine poor support making it easier to damage other structures within the spine. JOINTS – Joints can become stiff from disuse or inflammed from arthritic conditions or trauma. NERVES – Nerves, when injured can cause pain , pins and needles or numbness. Nerves in the low back supply sensation to the legs so symptoms in the legs may be a feature of a severe back strain. Physiotherapy for back painIf you have back pain a chartered physiotherapist will make a detailed assessment to identify the source of the pain. A treatment plan will then be implemented to resolve the problem and prevent recurrence.Firstly physiotherapy will be directed at reducing pain. Once pain levels are manageable, treatment will be directed at restoring movement in the back and improving muscle strength.It is very important to fully rehabilitate the spine i.e. restore normal flexibility and strength to minimise  the possibility of relapse.Physiotherapy can involve specific muscle strengthening and/or stretching, postural correction, ergonomic advise, joint mobilisation, dry needling,T.E.N.S., Therapeutic ultrasound,Interferential therapy, manipulation, traction and massage. Almost always a personal therapeutic exercise program is prescribed and compliance with this is important.We will always give our patients at Swords Physiotherapy a printed exercise sheet to take home. This helps patients remember the exercise techniques. Many of our younger clients like to have us record them doing their exercises correctly on to their smart phone-this gives them  4D  feedback.For postural correction we can tape the patients back with special sticky bandages to help remind them to stand and sit tall. There are many apps available to download to devices which remind the user about posture and the importance of movement during the day.Sciatica [leg pain coming from the sciatic nerve] is a common problem associated with back pain. It can occur without back pain too but less often. In the middle age group the intervertebral disc is often the cause of the problem. Most cases respond well to physiotherapy. Treatment will be directed at off loading the sciatic nerve using manual therapy and exercise.In a small number of cases the disc has actually ruptured and this can cause incontinence and noticeable weakness in the legs. These patients will require surgery to remove the disc material that is compressing the nerve. We work closely with Orthopaedic and Neuro surgeons and will refer to them  patients we feel may be surgical cases. Back Pain in ChildrenWe treat ever increasing numbers of kids and teenagers with back pain. This can be related to heavy school bags , poor posture and prolonged sitting. At times of increased study such as  junior and leaving cert exams kids are more prone to back and neck pain. Physiotherapy will be initially directed at easing the pain. Once pain levels are manageable physiotherapy will be directed at restoring range of movement and strength. Postural correction in sitting and standing is very important.  Exercises will be prescribed to improve posture . It is important to take  “movement”breaks from study frequently. Healthy joints and muscles require movement.School bag may need to be changed or modified. It is always advisable to keep weight in school bag to a minimum.School bags should NEVER weigh more than 10% of the child’s body weight. Parents should check this and inform teachers if necessary Downloadable leaflets on back care for children; School Bag Leafletcpp_back_care; a leaflet for parents and kids on back care for kids WhiplashWhiplash type injuries occur usually in car accidents [where a car in rearended] but also in contact sports such as rugby. The neck is most commonly injured. However the mid back [ thoracic ] and low back can be injured.Often the sacro-iliac joint is strained in car accidents as the force from the collision is transmitted through the leg into the pelvis. We often have to treat 2 or 3 parts of the spine in whiplash injuries. Physiotherapy will help ease the pain and ensure full movement is restored. Back care information leaflets to download/print physiotherapy_and_the_workplace iscp_computer_use_dl_outside iscp_computer_use_dl2_inside Leaflet_back_care Physiotherapy for Anklyosing Spondylitis Anklylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory condition that in severe cases will cause the vertebrae to fuse together. Pain from this condition  is usually gradual in onset, worse first thing in the morning and eased with exercise. The patient will usually be under 45 when the pain starts and stiffness in the low back is a common feature. Rest does not help the pain. As the sacro-iliac joints in the pelvis can be affected patients often have buttock pain. As this condition will need medical management we will liaise with the patients G.P. and Rheumatologist as appropriate. Sometimes from physiotherapy assessment of a patients back pain we may suspect an inflammatory condition such as A.S. In these cases we will ask the patients G.P to organize further testing such as X-Ray or blood tests to get a definitive diagnosis. Physiotherapy treatment will consist of back education, pain management, postural correction and muscle strengthening. If the patient is … Continue reading Back Pain