Understanding Lower Back Pain — A Complete Guide
Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit a physiotherapist in Lagos. Whether you are a professional who sits at a desk all day, a driver navigating Lagos roads for hours, or a busy parent constantly lifting children, your lower back takes enormous strain every day.
At Premcare Physiotherapy, lower back pain treatment is one of our most requested services. This guide will help you understand what is causing your pain and when to seek professional help.
Common Causes of Lower Back Pain
- Muscle Strain: The most common cause. Lifting heavy objects, sudden movements, or poor posture can strain the muscles and ligaments in your lower back.
- Herniated (Slipped) Disc: When the soft cushion between your vertebrae bulges or ruptures, it can press on nerves and cause severe pain.
- Sciatica: Pain that radiates from your lower back down through your buttock and leg, caused by compression of the sciatic nerve.
- Degenerative Disc Disease: Age-related wear and tear on spinal discs, common in adults over 40.
- Poor Posture: Sitting for long hours — at a desk, in a car, or on a generator-powered workstation — places enormous stress on your lumbar spine.
- Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.
- Osteoarthritis: Breakdown of cartilage in the joints of the spine.
When Should You See a Physiotherapist?
While mild back pain often improves with rest in a few days, you should seek professional physiotherapy if:
- Your pain lasts more than 2 weeks despite rest
- Pain radiates down your leg (possible sciatica)
- You experience numbness or tingling in your legs or feet
- Your pain keeps coming back (recurrent episodes)
- You have difficulty standing, walking, or sitting for normal periods
- Pain follows a fall, accident, or injury
- You wake up with back stiffness every morning
How Physiotherapy Treats Lower Back Pain
At Premcare, our physiotherapists use a combination of evidence-based techniques to treat your back pain at home:
- Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques including spinal mobilization, soft tissue massage, and joint manipulation to reduce pain and stiffness.
- Therapeutic Exercises: Customized exercise programs to strengthen your core muscles, improve flexibility, and support your spine.
- Posture Correction: Assessment of your sitting, standing, and sleeping posture with practical corrections.
- Ergonomic Advice: Recommendations for your workspace setup, driving position, and daily activities to prevent recurrence.
- Pain Education: Understanding your pain is a powerful tool. We help you understand what is happening and what to avoid.
4 Things You Can Do Right Now for Back Pain
- Keep moving gently — avoid prolonged bed rest, which can actually make back pain worse
- Apply ice for the first 48 hours, then switch to heat
- Watch your posture — sit with your back supported and feet flat on the floor
- Avoid heavy lifting until your pain subsides
Do not ignore persistent back pain. Early physiotherapy intervention leads to faster recovery and prevents the condition from becoming chronic.
Get expert back pain treatment at home — book via WhatsApp or call +234 802 333 1387.
