Spinal problems are the second leading cause of disease burden in Australia. Spinal problems may involve the muscles, joints, nerves or connective tissue in the neck (cervical spine), upper back (thoracic spine) or lower back (lumbar spine).
Spinal pain can have a variety of causes, including:
- Poor posture
- Muscle dysfunction
- Herniated or bulging disc
- Osteoarthritis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Compression fracture
- Fibromyalgia
- Osteoporosis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Sciatica
How can physiotherapy help?
Physiotherapy involves performing a comprehensive assessment and consideration of factors that may be contributing to your experience.
There is good evidence that physiotherapy can be effective for people with spinal pain and dysfunction. Physiotherapy treatment may include:
- Pain relieving strategies such as manual therapy and taping
- Muscle retraining
- Exercise programs
- Activity modifications
- Education and advice