Reducible disc pain

The spine is made up of bony “blocks” called vertebrae with softer shock absorbing “discs” in between. To check whether the disc is the most likely source of your pain

  • Disc pain is almost always worse when sitting, and usually sitting slouched (like in a couch) is worse than sitting in a supported upright chair

  • Walking is almost always better than sitting. Sometimes after sitting there is a short period where it is painful or stiff to walk but this loosens up quickly

  • If you have had a scan that shows a “bulge” or “herniation” in the lower levels (L4/5 or L5/S1) this increases the chances of you having disc pain

If you do not feel that your low back pain fits these features click here for a rehabilitation approach that is likely to be most effective.

For detailed information on disc pain see here noting that the correct physiotherapy treatment is highly effective in almost all cases (surgery and injection treatment is rarely required). We have published a high quality clinical trial (click here) that proves the effectiveness of expert physiotherapy treatment for disc pain. If your pain is relatively low (less than 4/10 on average) and not having a major impact on your life consider the following effective physiotherapy treatments you can do on your own.

  • Keep moving in activities that don’t aggravate the symptoms. Activity for low back pain is generally helpful provided it doesn’t significantly increase your pain by more than 2/10 during the activity or results in more than 2/10 pain for more than 30 minutes after the activity. For disc pain it is important to avoid prolonged sitting, bending and lifting if it increases your pain. For more information on controlling your posture during the day see here and here for sleeping posture. Standing, walking or lying for short periods is preferable to prolonged sitting

  • Read these resources on “pacing” and “more on pacing” to ensure you have the right balance between activity and rest to optimise recovery

  • Walking is a simple but very effective treatment for disc pain. Generally walk a minimum of 2 times a day starting at an amount of time and speed that doesn’t significantly increase the symptoms as described in the above bullet point (for example walking 5 minutes twice a day). This can then be then slowly increased over a number of weeks (for example up to 30 minutes twice a day)

  • Gentle exercises that arch the back are often very helpful but generally you need an expert physiotherapist to evaluate how to do these properly

Negotiating the above exercise and rehabilitation program can be complex. Or you may not be noticing any improvement over a two week period. If this is the case why not try a free telehealth consultation with one of our expert practitioners by clicking the button below. Ongoing treatment by telehealth or face to face can also be provided if needed to guide your recovery.