About 4 out of 5 adults will experience lower back pain at some point. It’s one of the most common reasons people see a physio. The good news is that the vast majority of back pain - even when it feels alarming - is mechanical, not sinister, and recovers well with the right treatment.

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What is sciatica?

“Sciatica” is the term used when back pain extends down the leg, usually accompanied by numbness, pins and needles, or weakness. It happens when the sciatic nerve (or one of the smaller nerves contributing to it) gets irritated - often by a disc bulge, a tight muscle, or a narrowed nerve passage. Sciatica can be intensely painful, but most cases improve significantly with conservative treatment.

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Common causes of lower back pain

• Lifting or twisting awkwardly (a “back strain”)

• Disc bulges and disc-related pain

• Stiff or irritable joints in the lumbar spine

• Sciatica and nerve-related pain

• Long hours of sitting, especially with poor support

• Pregnancy-related back pain

• Age-related changes (spondylosis, arthritis)

• Stress, poor sleep and de-conditioning

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How we treat back pain and sciatica

The first job is to work out what’s actually driving the pain - different types of back pain need different treatment. We assess the spine, the nerves, the surrounding muscles, and how you move and load your back.

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Treatment usually involves a combination of hands-on therapy to settle things down, gentle movement to keep the back from stiffening up, and a graded exercise program to rebuild strength, mobility and confidence. Most importantly, we’ll explain what’s going on in plain language - because understanding your pain is one of the most powerful tools for getting better.

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When to seek urgent care

Most back pain is safe to treat. But certain symptoms - sudden bladder or bowel changes, numbness around the groin area, severe weakness in both legs, or fevers and unexplained weight loss alongside back pain - need urgent medical review. If in doubt, see your GP or hospital.