What is low back pain?
Low back pain is a very common condition—most people experience it at some point in their lives. It can range from a dull ache to a sharp or shooting pain and may affect your ability to move or carry out daily activities.
In most cases, low back pain is not caused by a serious condition and improves within a few days or weeks.
Common causes
- Muscle or ligament strain
- Prolonged postures
- Stress or tension
- Lack of physical activity
Diagnosis
Your clinician may diagnose lower back pain based on:
- Your symptoms and medical history & physical examination
- X-rays or other imaging to assess the spine are not commonly used, as there is a poor link between what is seen on the images and the pain you experience
Symptoms
- Pain in the lower back, sometimes spreading to the hips or thighs
- Stiffness or reduced movement
- Muscle tightness or spasms
- Pain that worsens with certain movements or prolonged positions
Self-care and management
Most cases of low back pain can be managed at home:
1. Stay active
- Avoid bed rest—gentle movement helps recovery.
- Continue with your daily activities as much as possible.
- Walking, swimming, or any low impact exercise that you enjoy can be helpful.
2. Pain relief
- Over-the-counter painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen may help.
- Apply a cold pack (wrapped in a towel) for 15 minutes every few hours during the first 48 hours.
- After 48 hours, try heat packs to relax muscles.
When to seek medical advice
- You experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in your legs – consider attending your local emergency department?
- You have new difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels – consider attending your local emergency department?
- Pain is severe or getting worse consider contacting your GP, or self-referring to the MSK service
- Pain lasts more than 6 weeks. Consider contacting your GP, or self-referring to the MSK service
Prevention tips
- Avoid prolonged posture – your best posture is your next posture
- Modify your activities to manage symptoms, but remain as active as possible
- Stay active and exercise regularly
- Manage stress
- Maintain a healthy weight
Further support
- MSK rehabilitation: Tailored exercise programs to improve your joint strength, flexibility and overall MSK health can be developed with you with the aim of improving your day-to-day function.
- Referral to a specialist: This is rarely required for lower back pain. Operations tend not to improve symptoms for pain located in the lower back (without sciatica)