Condition

Lower back pain.

Lower back pain is discomfort in the lumbar spine, usually between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the pelvis. Most episodes are mechanical — from muscle strain, disc irritation, or joint stiffness — and settle within six weeks with the right movement, load management, and rehab.

What it feels like

Signs and symptoms.

A dull ache or sharp catch in the lower back, often worse first thing in the morning or after long sitting. Some episodes refer pain into the glute or thigh. Coughing, sneezing, or bending forward may reproduce the pain.

What causes it

Usually mechanical, rarely dangerous.

The most common causes are muscle strain, ligament irritation, disc-related pain, and stiff or overloaded facet joints. Serious causes (fracture, infection, cauda equina) are rare but need urgent care — see the red flags below.

When to see a physio

Sooner than you think.

If pain is severe, hasn't improved in a week, or is limiting work or sleep, book a physio. Early loading and movement usually beat rest. Waiting weeks turns a two-visit problem into a two-month one.

Red flags

When it's not just back pain.

Book same-day medical care if you have: numbness in the saddle area, loss of bowel or bladder control, sudden leg weakness, unexplained weight loss, fever with back pain, or pain after a significant fall.

What treatment looks like

Assessment, plan, progressive load.

A first physio visit maps the pattern — which movements provoke, which relieve — and rules out red flags. Treatment blends manual therapy for symptom relief with a progressive exercise plan that rebuilds capacity in the spine and surrounding hips. Most people are meaningfully better inside four to six visits.

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