Low back pain can be caused by injury or irritation to the pain sensing structures of the back including the bones, joints, connective tissue, discs, spinal nerves, and muscles. Nonspecific mechanical low back pain is by far the most common cause, but you should be evaluated to rule out fracture, neurologic involvement, or other systemic causes.
Pain coming from the joints, connective tissues, and muscles can be caused from an old injury, poor posture, arthritis, or other mechanical strains on the body. Low back pain can be referred from the hips, sacroiliac, or from visceral organs so a full evaluation is important to gain an appropriate understanding of all the factors that may be contributing.
Osteopathic Manipulation can be used to remove mechanical restrictions around the muscles, membranes, and bones of your low back, hips, and sacrum to restore motion and decrease pain. OMM also looks at other areas of the body that have mechanical or neurological influence on the back as a source of the pain. Decreasing mechanical tensions throughout the body and normalizing posture can help take tension off of the lower. Additionally the legs and feet can transmit mechanical problems to the lower back if the mechanics are not functioning properly. Osteopathic manipulation takes a global look at the components of your body and can help to remove restrictions to optimize function and decrease pain.
After you have been properly evaluated and are undergoing treatment, stretching and strengthening exercises can be a valuable addition to your overall management.
