🤔 What Is It?

An acute back spasm or “lock-up” is a sudden onset of intense lower back pain — often described as:

• “My back just went”

• “It seized up out of nowhere”

• “I can’t stand up straight”

• “It feels like my whole lower back is in spasm”

It usually happens after:

• Lifting, bending, or twisting

• Standing up after sitting

• Sneezing, coughing, or sudden movement

These spasms are usually protective — your muscles are bracing around an irritated joint or structure. It’s painful, but not dangerous, and almost always resolves well with movement, reassurance, and targeted care.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Sudden or awkward bending, lifting, or twisting

• Lack of spinal support from glutes or core

• Underlying disc, facet, or SIJ irritation

• Fatigue, poor posture, or deconditioning

• Past back issues that weren’t fully rehabbed

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Don’t panic — this is common and treatable

• ✅ Keep moving gently — short walks, pelvic tilts, and breathing drills

• ✅ Use heat, walking, or light mobility to reduce spasm

• ✅ Avoid bed rest — but also avoid pushing through pain

• ✅ Book physio early — the sooner we assess, the faster you recover

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Reassure you — you’re not broken, even if it feels bad

• Use hands-on therapy and dry needling to calm the muscles

• Identify the root cause (disc, facet, SIJ, or postural overload)

• Build a recovery plan with pain relief, mobility, and strength

• Help you return to work, lifting, or sport with confidence

• Prevent future flare-ups with targeted rehab

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. Why did my back just suddenly seize up?
Often, there’s an underlying issue (e.g. stiff joint, weak core, tight hips) that builds over time. The spasm is your body’s way of protecting an area that feels threatened — like a circuit breaker.

2. Is this dangerous?
No — while the pain can be intense, most acute back spasms are benign. With early treatment, you’ll usually be moving better within days to a week.

3. Should I rest or move?
Move — but gently. Short walks, supported positions, and light mobility are ideal. Avoid complete rest, which often makes it worse.

4. Will it go away on its own?
Sometimes, yes — but it may come back if you don’t address the underlying cause. Physio ensures you recover fully and prevent future flare-ups.

5. Do I need medication?
Anti-inflammatories may help temporarily, but we’ll focus on movement, release work, and load management for a lasting fix.

6. When can I train again?
Most people return to modified training within 1–2 weeks. We’ll guide you through a pain-free path back to full performance.

7. What exercises help acute back pain?

• Pelvic tilts, gentle cat-cow, and supported child’s pose

• Walking and spinal decompression drills

• Breathing and core bracing exercises

• Glute bridges and light hip activation

🤔 What Is It?

Between each vertebra in your spine is a spinal disc — a gel-filled cushion that helps absorb load and allow movement. A disc bulge or herniation happens when the inner disc material pushes outward, creating pressure on the outer layer or nearby nerve roots.

This can lead to:

• Localised lower back pain

• Shooting pain into the buttock or leg (sciatica)

• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot

• Pain that's worse with sitting, bending, coughing, or lifting

Disc-related pain can be intense, but the good news is — most cases improve with the right movement, load management, and rehab. Surgery is rarely required.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Repetitive bending or lifting without spinal support

• Prolonged sitting or slouching (e.g. desk work, driving)

• Sudden twisting or loading under fatigue

• Core weakness or poor load transfer during activity

• Past injuries that were not fully rehabbed

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Avoid prolonged sitting or deep bending during flare-ups

• ✅ Try short walks or gentle standing movements

• ✅ Use a lumbar roll or support when sitting at work or driving

• ✅ Begin a physio-guided movement plan as soon as possible

• ✅ Avoid fear — discs heal with movement, not rest

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Confirm if the pain is truly disc-related vs another source

• Use manual therapy or dry needling to reduce spasm and nerve sensitivity

• Prescribe stage-appropriate exercises to relieve pressure and restore strength

• Guide you through core control, hip mechanics, and posture loading

• Track nerve function and refer for imaging if needed

• Create a progressive plan to get you back to sport, gym, or work

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. What does a disc bulge feel like?

• Deep, sharp, or aching pain in the low back, glute, or leg

• Pain that shoots or radiates down the leg (sciatica)

• Worse with bending, sitting, coughing, or lifting

• May be accompanied by numbness, tingling, or leg weakness

2. Is a disc bulge the same as a slipped disc?
Yes — “slipped disc” is an outdated term. Discs don’t actually slip — they bulge or herniate. It sounds scary, but it’s a common injury that usually heals with the right rehab.

3. Do I need surgery for a disc bulge?
Very rarely. Only a small percentage of cases with severe nerve compression or loss of control (e.g. bladder/bowel) need surgery. Most people improve significantly with conservative treatment.

4. Will a scan help?
Scans can help if symptoms are severe or not improving, but most disc issues can be accurately diagnosed by a physiotherapist. Some disc bulges even show up on scans in pain-free people — so we treat function, not just the image.

5. How long will it take to get better?
Many people feel relief within 2–4 weeks, with full recovery in 8–12 weeks depending on severity. Ongoing strength and mobility work help prevent flare-ups.

6. Can I still train or exercise?
Yes — with the right guidance. Physio-led rehab focuses on pain-free movement, core control, and load progression. In fact, the right exercise speeds up healing.

7. What exercises help with a disc bulge?

• Gentle back extensions (McKenzie press-ups)

• Walking and unloaded movement

• Core bracing and spinal control drills

• Hip mobility and glute activation

• Progressed to resistance training and return to lifting or sport

🤔 What Is It?

Facet joints are the small joints at the back of each vertebra in your spine. They guide and control movement — especially extension (arching), rotation, and side-bending. When irritated, they can cause sharp, localised lower back pain, especially when:

• Standing up from sitting

• Leaning backwards or twisting

• Walking downhill or during prolonged standing

Facet joint irritation is usually mechanical, not structural, and responds extremely well to manual therapy and movement correction.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Prolonged sitting or poor spinal positioning

• Repetitive extension or twisting movements (e.g. overhead lifting, yoga backbends)

• Weakness or poor control in deep spinal stabilisers and glutes

• Increased compression from disc dehydration or age-related change

• Overcompensation due to hip stiffness or core weakness

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Avoid prolonged arching, twisting, or lying flat on the stomach during flare-ups

• ✅ Use gentle flexion-based movements or walking to unload the joints

• ✅ Apply heat to relieve muscular spasm

• ✅ Improve your posture and movement control through guided rehab

• ✅ Book physio early — facet joint pain responds best to early treatment

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Confirm that pain is facet joint-related and not disc or SIJ

• Apply joint mobilisation, dry needling, or soft tissue work

• Restore lumbar control and build strength in your glutes and core

• Teach you how to move without overloading the joints

• Guide return to training, lifting, or work with better spinal mechanics

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. What does facet joint pain feel like?

• Localised sharp, pinching, or stiff pain in the lower back

• Worse with arching, twisting, standing up, or extending the spine

• May feel better when leaning forward or sitting briefly

• Usually not associated with leg symptoms or nerve pain

2. Is this the same as arthritis in the spine?
Not exactly. Facet joint irritation can be short-term and reversible, while arthritis implies longer-term joint wear. However, even arthritic joints can improve significantly with physio.

3. Do I need a scan?
Usually not. Clinical testing by a physio can accurately identify facet involvement. Scans may be used in more complex or persistent cases, but are rarely the first step.

4. How long does it take to improve?
Most clients improve within 2–4 weeks, especially with manual therapy and exercise. Full recovery depends on underlying factors like strength, mobility, and posture.

5. Can physio stop it from coming back?
Yes — by correcting biomechanics, movement control, and strength imbalances, we reduce irritation and prevent chronic overload.

6. What exercises help facet joint irritation?

• Child’s pose or supported flexion drills

• Pelvic tilts and spinal segmentation

• Hip mobility and thoracic movement drills

• Core and glute strengthening
  These are progressed gradually to restore full function and loading capacity.

7. Can I still lift at the gym?
Yes — but the key is form and control. We'll coach you to lift with spinal awareness, proper bracing, and joint-friendly loading.

🤔 What Is It?

Your core is more than just abs — it's a system of deep stabilising muscles (including the transverse abdominis, multifidus, diaphragm, and pelvic floor) that support your spine during all movements.

When this system is weak, delayed, or poorly coordinated, it can lead to:

• Ongoing or recurrent lower back pain

• Pain with prolonged standing, walking, or lifting

• A feeling of the back being “fragile” or easily aggravated

• Flare-ups after minor movements or poor sleep/posture

This is called spinal instability — not because the spine is physically wobbly, but because the muscles aren’t doing their job properly.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Sedentary lifestyle or prolonged sitting

• Post-injury deconditioning (e.g. post-disc, post-spasm)

• Poor deep core engagement or overuse of superficial muscles

• Muscle timing issues during movement or exercise

• Unbalanced gym training (e.g. heavy lifts without spinal control)

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Learn to activate your deep core and glutes properly

• ✅ Avoid prolonged sitting or bending without support early in rehab

• ✅ Focus on quality movement over quantity at the gym

• ✅ Use breathing drills to improve pressure and stability

• ✅ Commit to a guided progressive strengthening program

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Assess your core recruitment, spinal control, and movement mechanics

• Teach you how to engage your deep stabilisers effectively

• Build a stage-based plan to return to lifting, sport, or high-load activity

• Integrate breathing, bracing, and load management techniques

• Fix compensations (e.g. overusing the back or hip flexors) that keep pain coming back

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. What does spinal instability feel like?

• Dull, achy, or sharp pain in the lower back that comes and goes

• Pain after simple movements like bending, twisting, or lifting

• Trouble maintaining good posture or back endurance

• A sense of “fragility” or being one wrong move away from a flare-up

2. How is this different from disc or joint issues?
Other conditions may trigger back pain initially — but if the core doesn’t rebuild, the area stays vulnerable. Many persistent or recurrent issues are actually driven by core dysfunction.

3. How do I know if my core is weak?
We test this clinically — often people can’t engage their deep stabilisers correctly, or fatigue quickly under low load. If you feel your back “takes over” during core work, it's a sign of imbalance.

4. How long does it take to improve?
You may feel more control within 1–2 weeks, but lasting results take 4–12+ weeks of consistent strengthening and movement retraining.

5. Do I need to avoid lifting or training?
No — in fact, smart strength training is part of the solution. We’ll guide you to lift safely and rebuild your spine’s capacity over time.

6. What exercises help core instability?

• Dead bug variations and bird-dogs

• Pallof presses and anti-rotation drills

• Glute bridges and unilateral control drills

• Bracing while lifting, walking, or during daily movement
  Everything is progressed from low load to dynamic, high-performance strength.

7. Can I fix this for good?
Yes — with the right rehab, you’ll build a resilient and confident spine. Core work isn’t a quick fix — but it’s the most important long-term strategy to avoid repeat flare-ups.

🤔 What Is It?

Sciatica refers to pain caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the buttock, down the leg, and into the foot. It’s often the result of a disc bulge, nerve root inflammation, or tight surrounding tissues (like the piriformis).

Sciatica can vary from mild to severe and often includes:

• Shooting or burning pain down the leg

• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot

• Pain that’s worse when sitting, bending, coughing, or sneezing

• Local back pain combined with nerve symptoms

Not all leg pain is true sciatica — which is why a thorough assessment is critical.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Lumbar disc bulge or herniation compressing the nerve root

• Inflammation around the nerve following posture overload or injury

• Piriformis syndrome or muscular compression of the nerve

• Poor spinal mechanics leading to repetitive nerve irritation

• Long periods of sitting, driving, or poor lifting mechanics

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Avoid long periods of sitting or deep spinal flexion

• ✅ Try short walks or standing breaks throughout the day

• ✅ Use gentle nerve mobility exercises under physio guidance

• ✅ Avoid aggressive stretching or massage over the painful area

• ✅ Book a physiotherapy assessment early — early intervention gets better results

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Accurately diagnose whether it’s true sciatica or referred pain

• Determine which nerve root or region is affected

• Relieve symptoms with manual therapy, nerve glides, and decompression strategies

• Build a structured rehab plan to restore strength, mobility, and control

• Help you return to training, lifting, or daily life safely

• Refer for imaging if symptoms are progressive or not responding

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. What does sciatica feel like?

• Sharp, burning, or electric pain running down the back or side of the leg

• May include numbness, tingling, or weakness in the foot or calf

• Often worse with sitting, driving, bending forward, or coughing

• May improve with gentle walking or movement

2. Is all leg pain sciatica?
No — many people with leg pain don’t have true nerve compression. It could be referred from a joint, muscle, or even the hip. That’s why assessment matters.

3. Is sciatica dangerous?
Not typically. It can be very painful and limiting, but most cases resolve with the right rehab. Rarely, severe nerve compression may require surgical input — we’ll monitor this closely.

4. Do I need a scan?
Only if you have severe weakness, loss of reflexes, or the symptoms are not improving after a few weeks of rehab. Most cases improve without imaging.

5. How long does sciatica take to heal?
Mild cases can improve within 2–4 weeks. More intense or longstanding symptoms may take 8–12+ weeks. The key is progressive rehab and movement — not rest.

6. Should I keep exercising?
Yes — under guidance. We’ll help you move safely while reducing nerve irritation and rebuilding control. Prolonged rest usually makes sciatica worse.

7. What exercises help sciatica?

• Nerve glides (flossing) specific to the sciatic pathway

• Walking, McKenzie extensions, and pelvic tilts

• Core bracing and hip stability drills

• Gradual return to loaded movement and lifting
  We tailor everything to your current symptoms and progress.

🤔 What Is It?

The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) connects your sacrum (base of the spine) to your pelvis (ilium). It’s a strong, stable joint that transfers load between the spine and lower limbs.

When the SIJ becomes irritated, stiff, or moves poorly, it can cause:

• Pain at the beltline, usually on one side

• Discomfort that radiates into the glute or upper hamstring

• Pain when standing from sitting, walking uphill, or during single-leg movements

• Clicking or locking sensations in the lower back/pelvis

SIJ dysfunction is mechanical, not structural — meaning it often responds very well to manual therapy and targeted rehab.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Asymmetrical loading (e.g. carrying kids, tools, uneven training)

• Pregnancy or postpartum pelvic changes

• Poor glute, core, or hip control

• Prolonged sitting or standing on one leg

• History of falls, pelvic trauma, or lumbar stiffness

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Avoid standing on one leg or leaning into one hip

• ✅ Try short walks, gentle double-leg exercises, and heat

• ✅ Avoid deep single-leg movements (e.g. lunges) during flare-ups

• ✅ Begin a guided glute, pelvic stability, and core control program

• ✅ Book a physio consult to confirm diagnosis and start treatment

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Accurately test and confirm SIJ involvement vs lumbar spine or hip

• Use manual therapy, joint mobilisation, and dry needling to relieve tension

• Rebuild strength in the glutes, core, and pelvic stabilisers

• Address contributing patterns (e.g. lumbar stiffness or hip tightness)

• Provide strategies for pregnancy/postpartum care if relevant

• Prevent recurrence with smart loading and movement retraining

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. What does SIJ pain feel like?

• Localised pain near the back of the pelvis, often one-sided

• Pain may radiate into the glute, groin, or upper hamstring

• Worse with standing up from a chair, rolling in bed, or single-leg loading

• Sometimes described as “feeling out of place” or stiff

2. How do I know it’s my SIJ and not my spine or hip?
Physios use a cluster of provocative tests and movement screens to identify SIJ involvement. Pain location and loading patterns are also key clues.

3. Do I need a scan for SIJ pain?
Not usually — SIJ dysfunction is a clinical diagnosis. Imaging is reserved for rare cases involving trauma, arthritis, or persistent symptoms.

4. Can SIJ dysfunction cause nerve pain?
Rarely — SIJ pain may refer into the leg, but it’s not true sciatica. If there’s numbness, tingling, or weakness, we’ll rule out nerve root involvement.

5. Can physio realign or reset my SIJ?
There’s no evidence that joints “go out” — but physio can restore normal movement, relieve muscle tension, and reduce irritation around the joint. Many clients feel immediate relief after hands-on work.

6. How long does it take to improve?
Mild cases can resolve in 1–3 sessions, while more persistent issues may take 4–8 weeks with progressive rehab. Postpartum care may take longer depending on pelvic changes.

7. What exercises help SIJ dysfunction?

• Glute bridges, bird-dogs, and pelvic control drills

• Double-leg loading (e.g. hip thrusts, deadlifts) before progressing to single-leg work

• Core bracing with hip and trunk movement

• Postural and gait retraining to reduce asymmetrical loading

🤔 What Is It?

Not all lower back pain originates in the spine. In many cases, tight, weak, or overloaded muscles in the gluteal or hip region can create pain that’s felt in the lower back — especially around the sacrum, pelvis, or one side of the spine.

This is known as referred pain, and it often mimics or overlaps with spinal conditions like facet joint irritation or SIJ dysfunction, making it easy to miss.

Common culprits include:

• Glute med/min overload

• Piriformis tension or dysfunction

• Hip joint stiffness or impingement

• Poor coordination between hip, pelvis, and spinal stabilisers

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Prolonged sitting or poor glute engagement

• Asymmetrical loading (e.g. favouring one leg in standing or sport)

• Weakness in deep glutes and lateral hip stabilisers

• Overreliance on low back extensors due to hip stiffness

• Imbalanced training (e.g. lots of squats, few glute-specific drills)

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Avoid prolonged sitting without breaks

• ✅ Use a massage ball or foam roller over the glutes for short-term relief

• ✅ Improve your hip mobility and glute control

• ✅ Avoid pushing through pain in movements like lunges or squats

• ✅ Get a physiotherapy assessment to identify referral vs spinal origin

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Differentiate between true spinal pain and glute/hip referral

• Release trigger points and tension in glutes, piriformis, and deep hip rotators

• Mobilise stiff hips and assess hip-lumbar control

• Prescribe gluteal strengthening and stability rehab

• Address loading patterns to reduce recurrence

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. How do I know if my glute is causing my back pain?

• Pain is often one-sided, near the beltline or outer hip

• Gets worse with sitting, walking uphill, or single-leg activities

• May feel tight, achy, or deep in the buttock, but not down the leg like sciatica

• Improves with glute release or hip mobility work

2. Can tight glutes cause lower back pain?
Yes — especially if they’re also weak or poorly coordinated. Glutes that don’t activate well can force the back to do extra work, leading to overload and irritation.

3. Is this the same as piriformis syndrome?
It can be — piriformis syndrome is a specific type of gluteal referral where the piriformis compresses the sciatic nerve. But other glutes and hip structures can also cause referred symptoms.

4. Do I need a scan?
Not usually. We can clinically identify whether pain is muscle-, joint-, or nerve-related. Scans are only used if symptoms are severe or persistent.

5. Can this cause leg symptoms too?
Sometimes — particularly in piriformis syndrome — but true nerve involvement will behave differently. We’ll test this clearly during your physio assessment.

6. What exercises help glute-related back pain?

• Glute bridges, clamshells, and single-leg hip lifts

• Hip mobility work (e.g. 90/90, pigeon stretch, active hip rotations)

• Band-resisted glute activation

• Core and pelvic stability integration with glute work

7. Can I keep training?
Yes — but we may need to adjust technique, load, or exercise selection. Once the glutes are firing properly and the hips are moving well, most people return stronger than before.

🤔 What Is It?

Postural or non-specific low back pain refers to lower back discomfort without a clear injury or structural diagnosis. It often develops gradually and is linked to poor posture, muscular fatigue, or deconditioning.

Symptoms typically include:

• Dull ache or stiffness in the lower back

• Worse after prolonged sitting, standing, or inactivity

• Improves with movement or exercise

• No specific cause or trauma — just a slow build-up of tension or overload

This condition is very common, especially in desk workers, students, tradespeople, and anyone with poor movement habits or a lack of core/postural endurance.

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Long hours of sitting with poor posture

• Weakness or poor coordination in postural muscles

• Lack of daily spinal mobility or core engagement

• Poor lifting habits or imbalanced training programs

• Stress or fatigue contributing to muscle guarding

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Take regular posture breaks every 30–45 minutes

• ✅ Add gentle movement throughout the day (walking, stretching, mobility)

• ✅ Strengthen your glutes, core, and spinal stabilisers

• ✅ Use a lumbar roll or support when sitting for long periods

• ✅ Get assessed to ensure it’s not referred from other regions (hip, SIJ)

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Identify postural habits, movement patterns, and muscle imbalances

• Use manual therapy and soft tissue work to reduce tension

• Prescribe a personalised strength and mobility plan

• Help you retrain posture without rigid or forced positions

• Improve your spinal endurance so you can work and train longer without discomfort

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. What does non-specific low back pain feel like?

• A general ache, tightness, or stiffness in the lower back

• Not sharp or nerve-related, but annoying and persistent

• Often worse with sitting, standing still, or waking up in the morning

• Improves with movement or light activity

2. Is this serious?
No — this is the most common and treatable type of back pain. It’s not caused by structural damage but by overload, fatigue, or poor control. The earlier it’s addressed, the better.

3. Why does my back hurt if nothing’s wrong with it?
Even without injury, the back can become irritated if the supporting muscles aren’t working efficiently. Just like any other part of the body, it needs strength, mobility, and rest breaks.

4. Should I try to sit or stand perfectly straight all day?
No — rigid posture often causes more tension. The best posture is your next posture. Movement and variety are more important than trying to sit upright 100% of the time.

5. How long does it take to improve?
Many people feel better within a week or two. For long-standing pain, building endurance and strength may take 4–6+ weeks, but the results are lasting.

6. What exercises help postural back pain?

• Glute bridges, bird-dogs, and dead bugs

• Wall slides and thoracic mobility drills

• Walking and micro-breaks throughout the day

• Core endurance and low-load stability work
  We’ll build a plan that fits your daily life and training goals.

7. Do I need imaging?
No — non-specific back pain is a clinical diagnosis. Scans often show changes that aren’t related to pain. We treat based on function, not fear.

🤔 What Is It?

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) refers to natural, age-related changes in your spinal discs — such as:

• Loss of disc height

• Disc dehydration

• Mild bulging or narrowing of the disc space

• Small joint or bone changes around the spine

These changes are part of normal ageing, like grey hair or skin wrinkles — and are seen in pain-free people as young as their 20s.

In some cases, DDD can be associated with:

• Localised or diffuse lower back stiffness or ache

• Pain that’s worse in the morning or after inactivity

• Discomfort after long periods of sitting or standing

• A feeling of compression or heaviness in the spine

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes (or Contributors):

• Lack of regular spinal movement and loading

• Muscle deconditioning from prolonged inactivity

• Poor posture or spinal alignment under load

• Weakness in core, glutes, and postural stabilisers

• Overuse of back muscles in the absence of support from hips or trunk

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Stay active — movement improves disc hydration and joint nutrition

• ✅ Avoid prolonged sitting or unsupported standing

• ✅ Strengthen your core, hips, and lower back muscles

• ✅ Build your spine’s capacity to tolerate load, not avoid it

• ✅ Use a progressive exercise plan to build back resilience

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Reframe the diagnosis — you’re not “broken” or “worn out”

• Treat symptoms with manual therapy, mobility, and movement retraining

• Restore spinal mobility and muscular endurance

• Build a strength-based rehab plan tailored to your capacity and goals

• Help you return to sport, lifting, or work with less fear and better form

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. What does degenerative disc disease feel like?

• Low-grade aching, tightness, or stiffness in the lower back

• Often worse in the morning or after rest, improves with movement

• Pain may flare with prolonged sitting, standing, or bending

• No sharp or nerve-like symptoms unless a nearby nerve is also irritated

2. Is this serious?
No — degenerative changes are normal with age. They don’t predict pain on their own. Many people with “disc degeneration” on scans have zero symptoms. It’s about how your spine moves and functions — not what it looks like.

3. Can I exercise with this condition?
Absolutely — exercise is the best treatment. Physio-guided strength and mobility work can reduce pain, improve function, and build confidence in your spine.

4. Will this get worse over time?
Not necessarily. With good movement, strength, and load management, your spine can become more resilient, not less. Avoiding movement out of fear usually leads to more stiffness and pain.

5. Should I avoid lifting or training?
No — lifting is safe and beneficial when done well. We’ll help you adjust technique, dosage, and loading to build your spine up, not break it down.

6. Do I need injections or surgery?
Very rarely. These are typically reserved for severe, persistent symptoms that haven’t responded to rehab. Most people see great outcomes with conservative care.

7. What exercises help with disc degeneration?

• Spinal mobility drills (cat-cow, pelvic tilts, thoracic openers)

• Core stability and glute strength work

• Resistance training to build load tolerance

• Walking, swimming, or cycling for endurance
  We’ll tailor a program to your body, goals, and current fitness level.

🤔 What Is It?

Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebra in the spine slips slightly forward over the one below it. It can happen due to:

• A stress fracture in part of the vertebra (called a pars defect)

• Age-related changes or instability in the spine

• Repetitive extension and compression (e.g. in sports or lifting)

A pars stress injury is a precursor to spondylolisthesis and is more common in young athletes, particularly those in sports like gymnastics, cricket, football, and weightlifting.

These conditions can cause:

• Pain in the lower back, often deep and central

• Worse pain with arching, jumping, or repeated hyperextension

• Stiffness or tightness after activity

• Sometimes referral into the glutes or upper hamstrings

💡 Common Physiotherapy-Related Causes:

• Repetitive spinal extension or compression under load

• Poor movement control or fatigue in the core and glutes

• Rapid growth phases (in youth) leading to reduced control

• Lifting with poor spinal mechanics or overload

🛠️ What You Can Do:

• ✅ Avoid high-load extension or jumping activities during flare-ups

• ✅ Use heat or gentle movement to reduce tension

• ✅ Begin guided rehab to improve core, glute, and trunk control

• ✅ Strengthen your spine under supervision to build confidence

• ✅ Get a diagnosis confirmed by physio (and imaging if needed)

👩‍⚕️ How Physio Can Help:

• Accurately assess whether you’re dealing with pars stress, spondylolisthesis, or another source

• Apply hands-on techniques to reduce muscle guarding and irritation

• Build a staged return-to-play or lifting rehab plan

• Strengthen your core, hips, and posterior chain

• Monitor progression and refer for imaging if indicated

🙋‍♀️ Answers to Common Questions

1. What does spondylolisthesis feel like?

• Central or slightly off-centre low back pain

• Worse with arching, jumping, sprinting, or overhead lifting

• May feel stiff, unstable, or like your back “locks up” during activity

• No sharp nerve pain unless a nearby nerve root is affected

2. What’s the difference between a pars fracture and spondylolisthesis?
A pars fracture is a small crack in part of the vertebra. If both sides are affected, the vertebra may shift forward slightly — which is called spondylolisthesis. Not all pars defects progress, and many are pain-free when managed properly.

3. Is this dangerous?
No — but it needs to be taken seriously early on. With proper management, most people recover fully and return to sport, gym, or work pain-free.

4. Do I need a scan?
If your physio suspects a pars injury or slip, imaging (usually X-ray or MRI) may be recommended — especially for adolescents or unresolving pain. But many cases can be diagnosed clinically and improved through rehab.

5. Can I keep training?
Usually yes — with modifications. We’ll avoid loaded extension and replace painful movements while building spinal control, strength, and resilience.

6. How long does it take to heal?

• Mild stress injuries: 4–8 weeks with rehab

• Confirmed spondylolisthesis: 8–12+ weeks depending on severity
  Consistency and smart progression are key.

7. What exercises help with spondylolisthesis?

• Dead bugs, bird-dogs, and glute bridges

• Anti-extension core training (Pallof press, plank progressions)

• Hip mobility and glute strengthening

• Eventually returning to squats, deadlifts, and jumping with form focus