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Physiotherapy Department, Horton Hospital

Low Back Pain

Information for Patients

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Low back pain

Low back pain is very common and what you do in the early

stages is important.

The spine is one o the strongest parts o your body and itsstructure is designed or movement. It is surrounded by strong

muscles and ligaments which support and protect the spine.

Rest or more than a couple o days ater the onset o low back

pain is not advised because the spine needs movement in order

to start to get better.

Any acute pain will usually improve within a ew days or weeksso that you can return to your normal activities.

Your GP will be able to discuss your pain and may prescribe pain

relie medication in the early days to ease the discomort and

help you to start to move. Being mobile will then help your back

to get better more quickly and you will be able to reduce your

medication.

Although back pain is very distressing, in most cases it is not due

to any serious disease or damage.

Why keep active?

Movingaroundwillpreventthejointsinthespinefromgettingstiff.Stiffjointscanbecomepainful.

Itwillkeepyourmusclesstrong.

Youwillfeelmorepositive.

Itwillreducetheseverityofyourpain.

Youaremorelikelytobeabletoreturntoworkquickly.

Information for patients 2

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Information for patients 3

What sort o activity?

Research has shown that people who do regular exercise are

less likely to develop chronic back pain. The type o exercise you

should do will vary depending on what stage you are at ater

your back pain started.

There is no perect type o exercise or low back pain. It is

thereore much better that you do a type o exercise which you

enjoyandarelikelytostickto.Thiscouldinclude:

Walking

Swimming

Pilates

Yoga

Dancing

Sport

However, in the early days or weeks, simple exercises to get

you moving, which can be done on your bed, together with

continuing your usual activities at home, will be enough.

Theseexercisescouldinclude:

Knee rolling lie on your back with your knees bent.

Gently roll your knees rom side to side. Start with very small

movementsandincreaseasyourjointsloosenup.Dothisfor

- 1 minute.

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Information for patients 4

Pelvic tilting in the same position, atten the low back onto

the bed and then release slowly. Do this in a gentle rocking

motion or - 1 minute.

Knees to chest in the same position, grasp your right knee

and gently pull it towards your right shoulder. Pause or a

couple o seconds and then return to the starting position.

Repeat with the let leg. Try 5 times on each leg. As you eel

more comortable with this exercise you can try it with both

knees together.

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Information for patients 5

Back extension lying ace down on the bed with both

hands under your shoulders, straighten your elbows so that

your upper trunk lits o the bed. Keep the ront o your hips

on the bed and your pelvis and legs relaxed. You may fnd

that you can only partially straighten your arms this is fne.

Repeat up to 10 times.

It is a good sign i a position or exercise causes the pain to

reduce or move to the middle o your back. Use these positions

oten and keep going with the exercises. It is a bad sign i a

position or exercise causes pain to increase or move down into

your buttock or leg. Avoid these positions and stop doing theexercise immediately.

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Information for patients 6

Comortable positions

Lieonyourbackwithapillowortwounderyourknees.

Lieatonyourfront.Ifthisistoopainfultryagainwithone

or two pillows under your hips. As your pain eases, remove

the pillows so that you are completely at.

Lieonyoursidewithapillowbetweenyourknees.Sometimes

a rolled up towel around your waist also helps.

Sittingisoftenveryuncomfortableanditisbesttoonlysitfor

short periods o time. I you have to sit it may help to sit on an

upright chair with a small, rolled towel in the hollow o your

back.

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Information for patients 7

Signs to look out or

Consult your doctor urgently i you develop any o the ollowing

symptoms:

Lossofcontrolofyourbladderorbowel

Anynumbnessradiatingintoyourbuttockorleg

Severeworseningofthepain.

Further inormation

TheBackBook-UKEdition:Authors:KimBurtonetal.2002.Published by TSO (The Stationery Ofce)

www.nhsdirect.co.uk

www.patient.co.uk

Questions and how to contact us

Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasecontactusat:

Physiotherapy Department

Horton Hospital

Banbury

Tel:01295229431

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H.Ellis,SeniorPhysiotherapist

S. Baimbridge, Outpatient Physiotherapy Services Team Lead

The Horton Hospital

Version1,January2009

ReviewdateJanuary2012Oxord Radclie Hospitals NHS Trust

OxfordOX39DU

www.oxordradclie.nhs.uk

OMI50713

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