What Is Back Pain?
Back pain refers to pain, stiffness or restricted movement affecting the lumbar spine and surrounding muscles and joints.
Symptoms may remain around the lower back or extend toward the pelvis, buttock, hip or leg.
Joint restriction, muscle overload, repeated loading and movement compensation can all influence how back pain develops and persists.
Where You Feel Back Pain — and What It May Be Linked To
Central Lower Back
Pain around the centre of the lower back may involve lumbar joints, surrounding muscles or repeated loading through the lumbar spine.
One Side of the Lower Back
Pain that is stronger on one side may be influenced by differences in pelvic movement, hip mobility or repeated weight transfer.
Lower Back & Buttock
Symptoms extending into the buttock may involve the lower lumbar spine, sacroiliac region, hip or referred pain.
Lower Back & Leg
Pain travelling into the leg may involve referred pain or neural irritation, particularly when accompanied by tingling, numbness or weakness.
What Can Contribute to Back Pain?
Back pain is often influenced by a combination of joint restriction, movement limitation and repeated loading rather than one single structure.
Joint Restriction
Hip & Pelvic Movement
Repeated Loading
Movement Compensation
Restricted movement through the lumbar spine or pelvis may increase stress on surrounding joints and tissues.
Limited hip or pelvic movement can increase the amount of movement demanded from the lower back.
Prolonged sitting, repeated bending or extension and repetitive movement can increase mechanical load through the lumbar spine.
When the same compensatory strategy is repeatedly used, the lower back may continue to take more load than surrounding areas.
WHOLE-BODY MOVEMENT ASSESSMENT
Looking Beyond the Back
Back pain is not always limited to the lower back itself. We assess the painful area first, then examine the pelvis, hips and relevant whole-body movement to identify which findings may be contributing to your symptoms.
01
Lumbar Spine
Assess lower-back movement, joint restriction and movements that reproduce or modify symptoms.
02
Pelvis
Assess pelvic movement and how the pelvis moves relative to the lumbar spine.
03
Hips
Assess hip rotation, flexion and extension to identify restrictions that may increase movement demand through the lower back.
04
Weight Transfer & Whole-Body Movement
Assess how you shift weight, rotate, bend and move from side to side to identify repeated movement strategies that may increase loading through the lower back.
The aim is to understand both what is happening at the painful area and what may be repeatedly loading it.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Treatment Based on What We Find
WHEN TO GET ASSESSED
Common Back Pain Symptoms
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Lower-back stiffness
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Pain when bending forward
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Pain when standing up after sitting
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Pain with prolonged sitting
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Pain when extending or twisting
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Pain around the lower back and buttock
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Recurring episodes of back pain
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Restricted lower-back movement
Persistent, recurring or worsening symptoms should be properly assessed rather than repeatedly managed with temporary relief alone.
When to Seek Medical Attention
Seek prompt medical assessment if back pain follows significant trauma or is accompanied by new bowel or bladder changes, numbness around the groin or saddle area, progressive leg weakness, fever, unexplained weight loss or severe unrelenting pain.
FAQ
Sciatica & Leg Pain
Learn how lumbar and neural structures may contribute to symptoms travelling into the leg.
RELATED CONDITIONS
Hip & Pelvic Pain
Learn how hip, pelvic and lower-back movement can influence each other.
Joint Stiffness & Restricted Movement
Learn how hip, pelvic and lower-back movement can influence each other.