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Le Yantra, Spine & Sports Injury Clinic

Back & Spine

Lower Back Pain

pain in the lower back

The commonest thing we see, and one of the most treatable.

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No referral needed · One-to-one throughout · Treated at both clinics

A person in a white T-shirt, seen from behind, pressing both hands to the lower back, the area highlighted in red.

Draft, awaiting clinical review

The copy on this page is written and is waiting on clinical sign-off. It carries noindex and stays out of the sitemap until a clinician reviews it and a review date is recorded, which is what makes the medical statements on it attributable.

Lower back pain is pain in the region between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your legs. It is extremely common, most people experience it at some point, and in the large majority of cases it is not caused by anything dangerous.

Most lower back pain is what clinicians call non-specific, meaning no single structure can be confidently identified as the source. That sounds unsatisfying, but it is actually reassuring: it means nothing serious has been found, and non-specific back pain generally responds well to movement, treatment and graded strengthening.

What it feels like

It varies. Some people have a dull constant ache, others a sharp catch on particular movements. It may be worse in the morning, worse after sitting, worse at the end of a long day, or worse after lifting.

Pain that travels down the leg, particularly below the knee, suggests nerve involvement, see Sciatica.

Why it happens

Usually a combination rather than a single cause: how much load your back is under, how much capacity it has to tolerate that load, and how long the two have been mismatched. Long periods sitting, a sudden increase in physical demand, a lifting incident, or a period of inactivity all commonly feature.

Age-related changes on scans (disc degeneration, mild bulges) are extremely common in people with no pain at all. A scan finding does not automatically explain your symptoms.

When to seek medical care

Most back pain does not need urgent attention. Some symptoms do. Seek medical care immediately, rather than booking physiotherapy, if you have:

  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Numbness around the groin, buttocks or inner thighs
  • Significant or worsening weakness in a leg
  • Back pain with fever, or unexplained weight loss
  • Back pain following a significant fall or accident

These are uncommon, but they need assessing quickly.

How we treat it

Assessment first: establishing what is driving your pain and whether anything needs referring on. Treatment usually combines hands-on work to settle symptoms with graded movement and strengthening, because capacity is what changes the recurrence pattern.

What to expect

Your first appointment is examination and explanation rather than treatment alone. You will be told what we think is going on in plain language, and given a small number of things to do between visits.

Rest is rarely the answer. Staying as active as your pain allows is one of the better-supported things you can do for back pain.

How long it takes

Most episodes settle over weeks rather than months. How long yours has already been present is the single biggest factor. You will get an estimate after your assessment rather than a promise before it.

Treatments we commonly use

Which of these applies to you is decided at your assessment, not before it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a scan?

Usually not. Most back pain does not require imaging, and scan findings often do not match symptoms. If your assessment suggests imaging is warranted, we will say so.

Should I rest?

Generally no. Prolonged rest tends to prolong back pain. Modified activity is better than either full rest or pushing through.

Will it come back?

Back pain does recur for many people. Building strength and capacity is what most reduces the chance.

Is my posture the problem?

Less than is usually claimed. Sustained loading and insufficient tolerance for it explain more than any particular posture. See our Posture Correction & Ergonomics page.

Related conditions

  • Sciatica

    Pain along the sciatic nerve, through the buttock and down the leg. A symptom with a cause, usually in the lower back.

  • Slipped Disc

    The everyday name for a disc bulge or herniation. Discs do not slip, and a bulge on a scan is not automatically the cause of your pain.

  • Spondylosis

    Age-related change in the spine, very common on scans of people with no symptoms at all. The structure does not reverse; the symptoms often improve.

Find us

Treated at both clinics

Every service runs at both our clinics, Malleshwaram and MEI Layout, monday – saturday 9 am – 9 pm · sunday & public holidays 10 am – 5 pm.

Your wellness starts here

Book an assessment at either clinic

Every treatment plan at Le Yantra starts with a full assessment, not a standard protocol.

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Monday – Saturday 9 AM – 9 PM · Sunday & public holidays 10 AM – 5 PM

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