Causes of Back Pain
Back pain has many causes, but often is contributed to by weak back and stomach muscles, poor posture, poor flexibility and obesity.

This man is performing a sit-up incorrectly - ask our practitioners why!

Chronic Back Pain - What Helps?
A review study in the respected orthopaedic journal "Spine" has shown that: pain killing and muscle relaxant medications have limited or no effect on chronic back pain. On the other hand, controlled studies show that exercise therapy, massage therapy, mobilisation, and manipulation have evidence to support their effectiveness. In our experience a combined approach gives best relief.

By exercising you can play an active part in the care of your own body and spine. Physical exercise is an important way to increase your general well-being. Exercise aids circulation, maintains (and restores) joint mobility, maintains (and increases) muscle power and can help improve your posture and the condition of your back.

Stretching is important to improving muscle length, improve flexibility and maintain joint mobility.

Strengthening exercises take the form of abdominal and back muscle stabilisation/strengthening and leg muscle strengthening.

Flexibility, strength, endurance, co-ordination and balance exercises are often combined with aerobic type exercise, such as walking, swimming or pool work for best results.

Muscles need to be Trained after Back Strain - study finds
Your back pain has passed and you don't feel any symptoms, however is everything normal? Definitely not according to a study at the University of Queensland. Utilising ultrasound scans researchers showed that the deep muscles in the back that stabilise the spine often become smaller and weaker after injury leaving these people predisposed to further injury.

Muscle recovery did occur in those patients who exercised their deep trunk/spine stabilising muscles. Exercise programs should be prescribed individually taking into consideration each person's needs and should not be undertaken without professional prescription or supervision.

Discuss with our clinic practitioners what type of exercise program is best for your situation.

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