Many of us at some point experience back pain. This can range from being a niggle to immobilising, depending on its origin. The reasons for neck, upper or lower back pain can vary. Sometimes, we can wake from a deep night’s sleep, with an uncomfortable ‘crook’ in our neck. Other times our back and hips just ache after manual activity, such as chopping wood or gardening. Many of us spend our days in sustained posture, and this, in conjunction with poor postural habits, challenges our body.
Motor vehicle accidents, such as being rear ended, are a leading cause of whiplash. Falling on slippery surfaces, landing heavily or heavy mis-footing will often result in sacro-iliac joint pain.
There are symptoms that can alert you to needing treatment, rather than waiting until you have pain. Pins and needles or numbness in your fingers indicates possible neck dysfunction. If you have a sense of limping, this indicates a pelvic imbalance.
Osteopathy can alleviate sprains and strains in the back by rebalancing the pelvis and the spine. The goal of treatment is to improve mobility and fluid dynamics, relieve nerve irritation, decrease inflammation and reduce muscular tension.