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Understanding Low Back Pain

Physiotherapy

Understanding Low Back Pain

Pain Management Toolkit

Low Back Pain (LBP)

Commonly defined as pain and discomfort that is localized to the posterior region of the lower ribs and upper thighs +/- leg pain.

  • There are many classifications of LBP:
  • Mechanical (non-specific) low back pain
  • Disc-related low back pain
  • Spinal stenosis (arthritic changes)
  • Other structural & degenerative changes

Identify the movements, postures or activities that are aggravating your back pain. By recognizing the causes of irritation we can stop “picking at the scar” and allow healing to take place.

It’s never, “I have to stop”,
it’s always, “I have to modify”.

Pain Management Toolkit

  1. Understand your pain
  2. Posture & movement retraining
  3. Stay active (in your own way)
  4. Setbacks are OK
  5. Consistency and patience

Understand Your Pain

There are many factors that contribute to the experience of LBP and each component is as important as the next to address in recovery. Pain isn’t always a sign of tissue damage or injury. For instance, fears related to the injury, different life stressors or the spontaneous firing of nerves without any stimulation can result in the experience of pain. Below are various different factors that impact pain. 

Biological: pain sensitized tissues (muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints)

Emotional: frustration, fear, anxiety, stress, etc. 

Social: restriction or withdrawal from activities we enjoy, and the people associated with such.

Cognitive: thoughts and beliefs about your pain.

colorful-illustration

Posture & Movement retraining

The sensations we experience – pain, spasms, shooting, sharpness, aches – is often a result of the body not feeling safe with the movement. It’s all about teaching the body that it’s safe to move. When getting past LBP, it is important to identify movements and activities that feel good vs. those that exacerbate your pain. 

  1. Figure out which movements and postures you are sensitive to (e.g. bending, twisting, prolonged postures such as sitting, standing, crouching)
  2. Calm down the sensitivity
  3. Gradually build up resiliency, strength, confidence, and adaptability.

Stay active (in your own way)

There is no evidence available to show that one type of exercise is superior to another. In deciding on the type of exercise to be used, guidelines should, however, incorporate individual  preferences, needs, and capabilities…

– Shipton, E.A. Physical therapy approaches in the treatment of low back pain. Pain Ther. 2018, 7, 127-137.

You may have heard core and hip exercises are a great option – and they are! However, it’s important to find what works best for you and continue to modify activities to listen and respect your pain levels. Research indicates that there is no evidence to showing one exercise is better than the other, rather it suggests that a diversity of types of exercises should be used.  The best exercise is based on what your body needs and what it is able to do.

The purpose of exercises isn’t to “stabilize your spine”, improve your flexibility or to build rock-hard abs, rather it is to gradually teach the body it is safe to move – “motion is lotion”. As we begin to move more and more, this allows us to gradually build up our resiliency, strength and confidence. 

Below are some ideas for staying active: 

  • Walk
  • Yoga
  • Stretch
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Swimming
  • Tai Chi
  • Isometric Exercises
  • Core exercises
  • Group classes
  • Weight training
  • Foam rolling
  • Biking
  • Elliptical
  • X-country skiing
  • Hiking

Setbacks are ok (and very normal)

Studies indicate that, “Recurrence of low back pain is very common, with more than two-thirds (~66.6%) of individuals having a recurrence within 12 months after recovery.

T. da Silva, K. Mills, B.T. Brown, N. Pocovi, T. de Campos, C. Maher, M.K. HancockRecurrence of low back pain is common: a prospective inception cohort study J Physiother, 65 (2019), pp. 159-165

Think of recovery as an upward trend – there will be ups and downs along the journey, but overall, you’re headed in the right direction and will not fall back to the lowest point.

Up to two-thirds of individuals with low back pain will experience a re-aggravation of their back within 12 months. Therefore, a repeat episode of low back pain doesn’t mean you’ve failed rehab or that what you’re doing isn’t working. It’s just a time for you to implement different tools from your toolkit and proactively manage the pain before it increases.

The goal isn’t to eliminate or stop doing things that are important to you, but to modify along the way.

Consistency and Patience

Full recovery timelines depend on the type of injury; however, most episodes of low back pain will begin to improve within 6-8 weeks. Despite bumps along the way, if you “focus on the process and trust in the hard work” [quoting Kobe], things will improve.

How does physiotherapy help?

Physiotherapy can help you by providing guidelines on different types of exercises and activities, providing education on different topics related to low back pain (e.g. pain science, recovery timelines, latest research direction, sleep positions), using manual therapy techniques to temporary manage pain, movement examination and modifications, as well as referring to other healthcare providers as needed for other medical interventions.

Bottom line: Pain is not just about damage, meaning you have lots of options to treat your pain.
– Greg Lehman

“Prevention and treatment interventions having an exercise component are most likely to be effective”


Michaleff ZA, Kamper SJ, Maher CG, Evans R, Broderick C, Henschke N. Low back pain in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the effectiveness of conservative interventions. Eur Spine J. 2014;23:2046–2058. doi: 10.1007/s00586-014-3461-1.
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Jul 6

Open
Behind the scenes with ASM South pistol squat challenge!

And the winner is…. KOJI!

How many can you do?!
Remember to listen to your body when attempting the above.

Hey @advantagesportmedstalbert show us what you got! #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton

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Jul 4

Open
Mobility Monday!

It’s time to kick off the week and get moving. Put your hip mobility to the test with this week’s mobility challenge above.

Don’t forget to listen to your body when attempting the above. #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton

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Jul 1

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As we come to the end of Athletic Therapist Month, check out the video above to learn more about what athletic therapists do and how they can help you.

Looking to get back into sport? Call us to book in for to an athletic therapy appointment! ☎️ #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton #yegAT #yegathletictherapy #athletictherapist #hypopressives

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Jun 30

Open
‼️In case you missed it ‼️

Welcome to pelvic floor 101, our live introduction to pelvic floor physiotherapy! Kimberly went live to talk the what, who, when, and hows of pelvic floor physiotherapy. She covers common symptoms and conditions that may benefit from working with a pelvic health PT, as well as, what to expect at an assessment.. and more!

Head to the link in our bio to learn more or to book your assessment today!

#yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton
#pevichealth #pelvicfloor #pelvicfloorphysicaltherapy #pelvicfloorexercises

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Jun 28

Open
💥 Instagram Live Q&A coming soon! 💥

Join Kimberly Dice, our pelvic health physiotherapist, on our instagram live Wednesday as she introduces you to pelvic floor physiotherapy and answers any questions you may have! 

Feeling curious about pelvic health physiotherapy but having some questions? 

Join us here on Wednesday, June 29th, at 730 pm to learn and ask more!  #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton
#pevichealth #pelvicfloor #pelvicfloorphysicaltherapy #pelvicfloorexercises

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Jun 27

Open
Happy Monday!

Looking for a whole body stability and mobility challenge to get the week going?
Try our challenge above!

Objective: Try to keep you foot firmly planted on the wall throughout the entire movement! 

Remember to listen to your body when attempting the above! #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton

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Jun 23

Open
💭 Feeling curious about pelvic health physiotherapy but having some questions? 
💭 What is pelvic health? 
💭 What symptoms can it help me address? 
💭 Is pelvic floor physiotherapy right for me? 
💭 Think pelvic floor physiotherapy may help a friend or family member?

Join Kimberly Dice, our pelvic health physiotherapist, right here on our instagram live next Wednesday as she introduces you to pelvic floor physiotherapy and answers any questions you may have! 

Join us here on Wednesday, June 29th, at 730 pm to learn and ask more!  #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton
#pevichealth #pelvicfloor #pelvicfloorphysicaltherapy #pelvicfloorexercises

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Jun 22

Open
PELVIC HEALTH Q&A COMING SOON!

A lot of people suffer from pelvic health conditions and it is time to reduce the stigma. 

At Advantage Sport Medicine and Physio, we want to increase your self-esteem to be able to do social and physical activities that are meaningful to you!

Join Kimberly Dice, our pelvic health physiotherapist, right here on our instagram live next Wednesday, June 29 at 7:30pm as she introduces you to pelvic floor physiotherapy and answers any questions you may have! 

 #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton
#pevichealth #pelvicfloor #pelvicfloorphysicaltherapy #pelvicfloorexercises

advantagesportmedyeg

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Jun 20

Open
Mobility Monday! 🏋️‍♂️🏋️‍♀️

Looking for a shoulder mobility challenge? 
Try our mobility challenge of the week! #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton

Don’t forget to listen to your body when attempting the above.

advantagesportmedyeg

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Jun 17

Open
❕NOW OFFERING PELVIC FLOOR PHYSIOTHERAPY❕

Did you know that Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can help with:
▫️bladder and bowel leakage
▫️frequent restroom breaks 
▫️pain with intercourse
▫️pelvic prolapse 
▫️pre and post partum 

Call today to book your assessment!
📞 ASM South: 780-299-0174
📞 ASM North: 780-460-9977

advantagesportmedyeg

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Jun 15

Open
Our TEAM, Your ADVANTAGE

They say it takes a team to build a village; or in this case, an athlete 👟 

Our team of physiotherapists, kinesiologists, and athletic therapists are high skilled in getting athletes   back to what they love and achieve their athletic goals.

Visit our team today at Advantage Sport Medicine to get back on track with doing the things you love

advantagesportmedyeg

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Jun 13

Open
Mobility Monday has a new challenge for you!

Think you have what it takes? We challenge YOU to the mobility exercise above! 👟 

Swipe for an extra challenge and for some bloopers 🎬
❕Remember to listen to your body when attempting the above 

#yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton

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Jun 9

Open
✍️ NEW BLOG ALERT: 
How can physiotherapy help with my low back pain?

Low back pain is a common condition that affects a large portion of the population. Physiotherapy can play a large role in identifying the impairments that may be causing pain or that increase the likelihood of developing pain. 

At Advantage Sport Medicine, we can help you determine what the best course of action is for your condition!

See the LINK in our bio for the full blog post 🧑‍💻👩‍💻 #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton #student

advantagesportmedyeg

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Jun 6

Open
Mobility Monday!

Calling all Monday coffee drinkers! ☕️ 
We challenge YOU to the mobility exercise above.
Remember to listen to your body when attempting the above.
Swipe right for our bloopers and more attempts! 🎬  #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton

advantagesportmedyeg

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Jun 1

Open
‼️ Fact of the day: Not all pain is the same!

It is important to be able to differentiate between pain and post activity muscle soreness. While pain should be listened to and can help guide activity tolerance, post activity muscle soreness is an indication of muscle activation and strength building. 💪 

Being able to differentiate between pain and muscle soreness is an important part of any strength training and the rehabilitation process! #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton

advantagesportmedyeg

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May 30

Open
Mobility Monday presents:
Downwards Dog 🐶 

While commonly used as a yoga position, downwards dog is an excellent way to actively improve thoracic extension!

Not as flexible as Finnegan? Swipe to see the human version of the exercise and our  modified version against the wall! #yeg #yegphysio #yegphysicaltherapy #yeglift #yeghealthandwellness #yeghealth #yegathlete #edmontonlife #edmontonathlete #stalbert #stalbertphysio #stalbertfitness #physicaltherapy #physio #edmonton
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302, 575 100 St SW

Edmonton, T6X 0S8

Phone: (780) 229 0174

Fax: (780) 498 6024

Clinic Hours:

Mon-Thursday 7am-7pm

Friday: 7am–4pm

Saturday: 8am-3pm

Sunday: Closed

ST. ALBERT

#101, 190 Carleton Dr.

St. Albert, AB T8N 6W2

Phone: (780) 460 9977

Fax: (780) 460 9978

Clinic Hours:

Monday-Thursday: 7am-7pm

Friday: 7am-4pm

Saturday: 8am-3pm

Sunday: Closed

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