Aches & Pains
Lower Back
Muscle tears in the back
Have you:
- A sudden sharp pain in the back?
- Possibly swelling or bruising over the area of the rupture?
- Difficulty in moving - bending forwards, sideways or straightening?
Facet Joint Pain
Have you:
- Low back pain that suddenly came on?
- Muscle spasms in the back which can pull the spine out of alignment?
- Pain when perfoming the quadrant test?
Lumbago
Have you:
- Pain in the lower back which does not radiate into the legs?
- Pain that comes on after lifting heavy objects?
- Stiffness in the back, especially in the morning?
- Bad posture or a bent back (e.g. one shoulder is lower than the other when you stand normally)?
Weak Back
Have you:
- Pain, tiredness and stiffness in the lower back which gets worse during the day especially if you are standing for a long period of time?
- Pain in the lower back after lifting?
Sciatica / Slipped disc
Have you:
- Pain which radiates from the back into the buttocks and down the leg?
- Tight gluteus muscles and tight muscles in the groin usually down one side?
Coccyx pain or Coccydynia
Have you:
- Pain in the coccyx, at the very base of the spine.
- Pain during or after sitting. Pain is often aggrevated by sitting and may continue for a few days.
- Pain can be worse when sitting on a soft surface as less of the pressure is taken by the ischial tuberosities (bones you sit on in the bottom) and more pressure placed on the coccyx.
- Sharp pain whilst moving from sitting to standing.
- This vary from mi ld discomfort in some people to acute pain in others.
Scoliosis
Have you:
- An 'S' shape in the spine when viewed from behind?
- One shoulder is often lower than the other.
Sacroiliac joint pain
Have you:
- Pain and inflammation over the sacroiliac joint area.
- Stiffness and aching which may be vague, in the lower (lumbar) spine.
- A positive result for the Stork Test.
The pain may be worse in the morning or after periods of inactivity such as sitting or driving. - The pain may radiate towards the back of the thigh, hip, into the groin or not at all.
Spondylolisthesis / Spondlolysis
Have you:
- Pain in the lower back often worse after training?
- Tiredness and aching in the lower back?
- Pain radiating down one or both legs?
Are you:
- A young athlete that participates in sports that place a strain on the back?
