Lower back pain and sciatica
From lifting, sitting, the garden or nothing you can point to. Most backs settle well with the right plan.
- No referral needed
- Book directly. Claim on the spot with eligible private health extras.
- Open six days
- Monday to Friday 8am–7pm, Saturday 8am–2pm.
- First visit
- Allow 45 minutes to an hour. Wear shorts and a loose top.
- Rear entrance
- 92 Parsons Street, Kensington, inside Renegade BJJ.
Most back pain is common, and most of it settles
Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons anyone sees a health practitioner. It can be sharp enough to stop you standing up straight, and that intensity is frightening. In most cases it doesn't match how serious the problem is.
The large majority of back pain comes from the joints, muscles and discs of the lower back being irritated or overloaded, not from serious damage. It usually improves over days to weeks, especially when you keep moving.
The job of an assessment is to check for the small number of cases that need a doctor, work out what's driving your pain, and find what eases it for you.
What we see most
Every back is different, but these are the common patterns.
Acute lower back pain
Sudden pain and spasm after lifting, bending or twisting, or for no clear reason. It often feels alarming and settles faster than people expect.
Sciatica and leg pain
Pain running from the buttock down the leg, sometimes with pins and needles or numbness. Usually from an irritated nerve root in the lower back. More on sciatica.
Disc-related pain
Pain that's often worse sitting, bending or coughing. Disc changes are common on scans, including in people with no pain, so a scan alone doesn't tell the whole story.
Persistent or recurring back pain
Pain that keeps coming back or has hung around for months. This usually needs a longer plan built around strength, load and confidence in movement.
Lifting and training back pain
Tweaks under the bar, on the mats or in the garden. Lower back pain after deadlifts covers the first 48 hours.
Pregnancy-related back and pelvic pain
Back and pelvic girdle pain is common in pregnancy. Treatment is adapted, and we'll check in with your GP or midwife where needed.
When to see a doctor first
Call 000 or go to an emergency department if you have:
- Numbness around the groin, buttocks or inner thighs
- New problems controlling your bladder or bowel
- Weakness in one or both legs that is getting worse
- Back pain after a significant fall or accident
See your GP first if:
- Back pain comes with fever or feeling generally unwell
- You have unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer
- Pain is worse at night and doesn't ease with rest or changing position
- You're over 50 with new back pain and no clear cause
If anything in your assessment points to a doctor, we'll tell you and explain why, rather than treat.
What an appointment involves
Talk it through
When it started, what makes it better or worse, how it affects work, training and sleep, and what you want to get back to.
Check for anything that needs a doctor
A screen for the warning signs above, plus nerve tests if there's leg pain, pins and needles or weakness.
Assess how you move
How your back, hips and legs share the load when you bend, lift, walk or sit. The sore spot is often paying for something nearby.
Treat on the day
Hands-on treatment such as soft tissue work, joint mobilisation and, where suitable, dry needling, to ease pain and help you move.
Leave with what to do this week
What's fine to keep doing, what to hold off on, and how to build back up. If exercises will help, we take you through them in the session and you film them on your phone, so you know exactly how they go at home or in the gym.
How long does it usually take?
Everyone is different. These are typical ranges, not promises.
| Situation | Early change | Typical recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Acute back pain, no leg symptoms | Within days to 2 weeks | 2–6 weeks |
| Back pain with sciatica | 2–6 weeks | 6 weeks to 3 months |
| Persistent back pain (3 months+) | 3–6 weeks | Several months, with ongoing exercise |
If you're not improving as expected, we'll talk about other options, including a GP review or imaging.
Questions people ask
Should I rest if I hurt my back?
Usually not completely. People generally recover faster staying as active as the pain allows, with short walks and regular changes of position, than with bed rest.
Do I need a scan for back pain?
Usually not straight away. Scans are useful when symptoms are severe, worsening, not improving over time, or when warning signs are present. Your GP arranges imaging where it is needed.
Can an osteopath help with sciatica?
Osteopaths assess and manage sciatica that comes from the lower back, using hands-on treatment, advice and exercise. Severe or worsening leg weakness, or groin numbness, needs a doctor straight away.
Can I keep training with back pain?
Often, in a modified way. We go through what is fine to keep doing this week and what to hold off on, then build back up as the back settles.
Back pain not settling?
Book an assessment at 92 Parsons Street, Kensington. No referral needed.