Lower Back Pain: What Causes It, How Long It Lasts and What Actually Helps

Lower back pain. Most of us will experience it at some point.

Maybe you’ve bent down to pick something up and suddenly your back has seized. Maybe you’ve spent the weekend moving furniture and now you’re struggling to get out of bed. Or perhaps your back has been giving you grief for months.

We’ve previously written about specific lower back conditions, stretches and exercises to help with back pain.

But what about a one-stop overview?

Let’s break down the common types of lower back pain, why they happen and what you can actually do about them.

Acute Lower Back Pain

Acute lower back pain is pain that has been present for less than six weeks.

And it’s incredibly common.

Sometimes there’s an obvious trigger, like lifting something heavy, returning to exercise or spending the weekend in the garden.

Other times?

Your back just starts hurting for no apparent reason.

The good news is that most episodes of acute lower back pain improve considerably within the first few weeks.

Those first few days can be pretty uncomfortable, though.

You might struggle to bend, sit, stand or even get out of bed.

And when movement hurts, it’s natural to want to avoid it.

But here’s something important:

Pain doesn’t automatically mean you’ve damaged your back.

While temporarily modifying painful activities can help, completely avoiding movement usually isn’t the best approach.

Gentle walking, changing positions regularly and gradually returning to normal activities can all be useful starting points.

Persistent Lower Back Pain

Persistent, or chronic, lower back pain is generally defined as pain lasting longer than 12 weeks.

For some people, back pain continues well beyond the initial episode.

And that can be incredibly frustrating.

But ongoing pain doesn’t necessarily mean there’s ongoing damage or something seriously wrong with your spine.

Persistent back pain can be influenced by several factors, including physical activity, strength, sleep, stress, previous injuries and how sensitive your nervous system has become.

Your pain is real. But the explanation isn’t always as simple as one damaged structure.

That’s why a proper assessment is important, particularly when symptoms aren’t improving.

Why Does Lower Back Pain Happen?

One common reason people experience back pain is a sudden change in activity.

Your body gets used to a certain level of physical demand.

Then you do something well outside your normal routine.

For example:

Helping a mate move house and lifting furniture all day
Driving for hours on holiday before unloading heavy bags
Playing three days of golf after six months off
Returning to the gym and doing far more than you’re used to

Your back might have a few complaints about that.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve injured something.

It may simply mean you’ve asked your body to tolerate more than it’s currently prepared for.

Lower levels of physical activity and strength can also contribute for some people, although back pain isn’t always caused by weakness or poor conditioning.

The important thing is understanding your individual situation.

Assess. Don’t guess.

Why Does Pain Sometimes Travel Into Your Leg?

Not all pain felt in your leg actually starts in your leg.

Sometimes the source is your lower back.

There are two common types worth understanding.

1. Referred Leg Pain

This is when pain originating from structures in your lower back is felt somewhere else, such as your buttock or thigh.

Muscles, joints and other structures around the lower back can contribute to referred pain.

Importantly, this doesn’t necessarily mean a nerve is being compressed.

2. Nerve-Related Leg Pain (Sciatica)

This is different.

Radicular pain occurs when a spinal nerve root becomes irritated or affected.

You might experience shooting pain, burning, pins and needles or numbness travelling into your leg.

Sometimes there may also be muscle weakness.

Although people commonly call this sciatica, not all leg pain is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve.

And not every pain travelling down your leg means you’ve slipped a disc.

The symptoms and clinical assessment help us work out what’s going on.

Do You Need a Scan for Lower Back Pain?

This is one of the most common questions we get.

And the answer is:

Usually, not straight away.

Lower back pain can be incredibly uncomfortable, which understandably makes people worry that something serious is happening.

But most cases of lower back pain aren’t caused by a serious spinal condition.

Scans can also show disc bulges, degeneration and other changes in people who have absolutely no back pain.

So finding something on an MRI doesn’t automatically mean it’s causing your symptoms.

At Fighting Fit, we’ll assess your movement, symptoms and neurological function where appropriate to determine whether further investigation is needed.

If there are concerning findings, we’ll help guide you toward the appropriate medical assessment.

Important: New bladder or bowel dysfunction, numbness around the groin or rapidly worsening leg weakness require urgent medical attention. Back pain following significant trauma or accompanied by concerning symptoms such as fever also warrants prompt medical assessment.

What Treatment Options Are Available for Lower Back Pain?

The right treatment depends on your symptoms, goals and what we find during your assessment.

1. Medication

Short-term pain relief may be appropriate for some people, particularly when pain is making everyday activities difficult.

Your GP or pharmacist can advise on suitable options based on your individual health needs.

2. Physiotherapy

At Fighting Fit, physiotherapy isn’t just about getting a massage and hoping your back behaves itself.

We want to understand what’s contributing to your pain and help you get moving again.

Treatment may include hands-on therapy for short-term symptom relief, movement exercises, education and a progressive strengthening program.

Whether your goal is getting back to work, the gym, sport or simply being able to move comfortably, we’ll tailor the approach to you.

3. Exercise Physiology

This is where we can continue building your physical capacity.

And you don’t necessarily need to wait until your back is completely pain-free to start appropriate strengthening.

Progressive exercise can help improve your strength, endurance and confidence with activities such as bending, lifting and carrying.

Our Physiotherapists and Exercise Physiologists can work together to help you progress from managing symptoms to building the capacity needed for everyday life.

Because getting rid of the pain is one thing. Building confidence in your back is another.

Want Some Practical Advice You Can Start With?

We’ve also put together a FREE Back Pain Reset Guide with practical information and a first-seven-days checklist to help you better understand and manage a back pain flare-up.

If you’re not sure where to start, it’s a useful resource to have on hand.

👉 Download the FREE Fighting Fit Back Pain Reset Guide

How Do You Reduce the Chances of Back Pain Returning?

There’s no guaranteed way to prevent every episode of lower back pain.

But regular physical activity, progressive strength training and gradually building your tolerance to everyday demands can help reduce the risk of recurrence.

The goal isn’t to avoid bending, lifting or exercising because you’re worried about your back.

It’s to build the capacity to do those things confidently.

Your back is strong, adaptable and designed to move.

And that’s something we want you to remember.

Lower Back Pain Holding You Back?

Whether your back has just seized up or you’ve been dealing with recurring pain for months, you don’t have to keep guessing about what to do next.

At Fighting Fit Physiotherapy in Nerang, we’ll assess your symptoms, understand your goals and develop an individualised plan to help you get back to the things you enjoy.

As part of our current Back Pain Campaign, we’re also offering a $49 initial back pain assessment for eligible bookings.

👉 Find Out More About Our Back Pain Campaign

Let’s get your back Fighting Fit.

Kyle Wells

Kyle Wells is a Physiotherapist at Fighting Fit Physio.

He has a special interest in arthritis, neck pain and tendinopathy. Just to name a few.

Kyle loves cross fit and has an exceptional eye for technique and performing exercise correctly.

He use exercise to improve patient results and get them moving better for the long term.

Brenda Samosa

2 years ago

I had a really bad shoulder and had been seeing a different physio for 3 months (from a different place) I got told Tyson was good. After just a few sessions the movement was coming back. I’m 66 and was worried I would have to stop surfing. But with a lot of help from Tyson I’m back in the waves ( thank you so so much)

Cyana Ferguson

Steve Harris

Great team, all friendly, super helpful and first class clinical advice and a big shout out to my Physio Noah with my shoulder issue

Andrea Bell

These guys are the best in the biz 🎉

Ryan Brockett

Shout out to Max from fighting fit physio. He helped me out massively straight after shoulder surgery and back into work and sports in no time. Couldn’t recommend anyone better!

Scotty

Five star service from Max & the team! Professional & very thorough, you know that patient outcomes are of the highest priority. I highly recommend this business.

Riley Wilson

Be AWARE they’ll immediately try to commit you to multiple follow up sessions after your initial consultation. This happened to me and then I later found out that as it just so happens, they have a cancellation policy that says you have to pay 100% of the consultation fee for cancelling. They failed to tell me this when they were pushy in committing me to 6 sessions after my consult, so that was a really nice little surprise. I was already uncomfortable with how pushy they were in having me commit to so many sessions, so when I heard about the policy I just cancelled all together. So, I can’t speak further to the quality of their service throughout therapy phase. FYI this was also a few months ago now, it’s possible (though unlikely) they may have changed the policy. Just ask the question.

Megan Shelley

Fighting Fit Physiotherapy is hands down the best physio I've encountered. Having tried multiple physios for various injuries, I always find myself coming back to them. Their expertise consistently exceeds expectations, helping me get back to my sport faster than I thought possible. Their personalized approach and attention to detail make all the difference. I could not recommend a better or more exceptional physio team!

Gina Matthews

4 years ago

Can't recommend this place high enough. I was in so much pain with my knee an had been for months through advise an exercises I'm now looking forward to returning to gym an back riding my horses in endurance thank you so much

Courtney Halse

Kyle was knowledgeable, personable and professional. He saw me through my second pregnancy and continued to work with me until 6 months post partum on issues with my back. Would recommend anyone to go and see him. Also shout out to Georgia on the front desk. She makes you feel welcome and brings a sense of warmth to the place!

Alli Davenport

After hip replacement surgery in February I wanted toget back into weight training legs, I started with Mitch 18 weeks ago and after a lot of hard work and sweat I am able to safely train again, I cannot thank Mitch enough for his support,encouragement and knowledge. The staff are friendly and helpful and I always looked forward to my session's

Robert Parkinson

This is the second time I have been treated by the team at FFP. As a health professional myself I have been impressed with the level of care I have received from all members of the team. The personalised treatment and rehabilitation programs have produced excellent results and I have completed both programs pain free and feeling stronger than before my injuries. During the program there was constant communication and follow up and they were very accommodating with my work schedule. All in all it was a very holistic experience and I would highly recommend the service.

Kiri Canavan

Tyson was amazing! We came up with an 8 week plan at my first consultation with weekly check ins and updates to exercises. 8 weeks later, I am pain free and able to train harder than ever. Highly recommend and the staff are all fantastic and super accomodating!

Acute Lower Back Pain

Persistent Lower Back Pain

Why Does Lower Back Pain Happen?

Why Does Pain Sometimes Travel Into Your Leg?

1. Referred Leg Pain

2. Nerve-Related Leg Pain (Sciatica)

Do You Need a Scan for Lower Back Pain?

What Treatment Options Are Available for Lower Back Pain?

1. Medication

2. Physiotherapy

3. Exercise Physiology

Want Some Practical Advice You Can Start With?

How Do You Reduce the Chances of Back Pain Returning?

Lower Back Pain Holding You Back?

Why Motocross Riders Still Experience Shoulder Pain After Injury: The Mechanics Behind It

“You’re So Flexible!” — Why Hypermobility Is More Than Just a Party Trick

The Real Reason You’re Crashing: And It’s Got Nothing to Do With Suspension or Track Conditions

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call 0402 938 661

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