Low back pain

Low back pain is one of the most common complaints in my osteopathy practice. Figures show that no less than 60% to 90% of the population will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives and that 5% of the population actually suffers from pain in the lower back every year.
The pain is often localised in the lower back muscles or around the vertebrae, but lower back complaints can also occur in combination with, for example, radiating pain to the leg and/or pain in the gluteal muscle. If lower back pain is caused by loss of movement in the body, it can be effectively treated with osteopathy. We see this every day in our practice, but it has also been confirmed by a number of international studies conducted in recent years.

Causes of lower back pain

The pain is often localised in the lower back muscles or around the vertebrae, but lower back pain can also occur in combination with, for example, pain radiating to the leg and/or pain in the gluteal muscle. Pain in the lower back can have various causes. The cause of the back pain does not necessarily lie in the lower back itself, but can also be caused by, for example:

• Instability of the pelvis
• Tension in certain organs, such as the uterus, intestines, kidneys and prostate
• Blockages in the spine
• Limited functioning of the hip
• Poor posture and movement

These are just a few examples of causes of lower back pain. An examination by an osteopath is therefore not only carried out locally at the site of the pain, but will cover the entire body. After this thorough examination, the osteopath can decide whether osteopathic treatment is possible (only if the complaints are related to the mobility of the body).

Studies show: osteopathy effective for lower back pain

Because osteopaths focus specifically on finding the cause of lower back pain, treatment is effective in many cases. In recent years, several studies have been conducted into the effectiveness of osteopathy for acute and chronic lower back pain. The results of these studies speak for themselves: osteopathy reduces pain and improves patients’ functioning.
All studies, including the conclusions, can be found on the website osteopathie.nl.