LOWER BACK & GLUTES

Lower back arthritis, also known as lumbar osteoarthritis or spondylosis, is a degenerative condition affecting the joints and discs of the lumbar spine. It commonly leads to stiffness, pain, and reduced mobility in the lower back, often worsening with age or repetitive strain.

Symptoms can include chronic aching, stiffness after periods of inactivity, and difficulty bending or twisting. Treatment focuses on managing pain, improving spinal and hip flexibility, and strengthening supporting muscles through physiotherapy and chiropractic care. Our personalised programs aim to enhance your comfort, maintain function, and help you stay active in your daily life.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis primarily affecting the spine and sacroiliac joints, leading to pain, stiffness, and progressive fusion of the vertebrae in severe cases. It typically begins in early adulthood and is more common in men.

Symptoms include persistent lower back pain and stiffness that improve with activity but worsen with rest, reduced spinal mobility, and fatigue. Early diagnosis and ongoing management are crucial to maintaining function and quality of life. Our clinic offers specialised physiotherapy and chiropractic care focusing on pain relief, maintaining spinal flexibility, improving posture, and strengthening supportive muscles. We work closely with your healthcare team to support long-term management of AS.

Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) injuries involve dysfunction or inflammation of the joint connecting the sacrum to the pelvis. These injuries can result from trauma, pregnancy, repetitive strain, leg length differences, or poor movement patterns. The SIJ plays a crucial role in transferring load between the upper body and legs, and when irritated, can cause sharp or aching pain in the lower back, buttocks, or even down the leg.

Symptoms often worsen with prolonged standing, walking, or transitioning from sitting to standing. Our team provides thorough assessment to identify the root cause and delivers tailored treatment plans, including joint mobilisation, soft tissue therapy, core and pelvic stability exercises, and movement retraining to reduce pain and restore optimal function.

A pars defect, or spondylolysis, is a stress fracture in a small segment of bone called the pars interarticularis, found in the vertebrae of the lower spine. It commonly affects young athletes involved in sports that require repetitive spinal extension and rotation, such as gymnastics, cricket, and football.

Symptoms typically include lower back pain that worsens with activity, particularly arching or twisting movements, and may ease with rest. Early diagnosis and management are key to preventing progression to spondylolisthesis (vertebral slippage). Our team provides evidence-based care, including pain relief strategies, core and spinal stabilisation exercises, postural correction, and gradual return-to-sport programs to promote full recovery and long-term spine health.

A lumbar stress fracture, often affecting the pars interarticularis, is a small crack in the vertebra caused by repetitive strain and overuse—commonly seen in young athletes involved in sports requiring frequent hyperextension and rotation of the spine, such as gymnastics, cricket, tennis, and football.

Symptoms typically include dull or aching lower back pain that worsens with activity and improves with rest. Early diagnosis is crucial to prevent worsening of the injury or progression to conditions like spondylolisthesis. Treatment focuses on offloading the spine, reducing pain and inflammation, and restoring stability through guided rehabilitation. Our clinic provides individualised management including manual therapy, core strengthening, postural retraining, and a gradual return-to-sport plan to promote full recovery and prevent recurrence.

Spinal canal stenosis is a condition where the space within the spinal canal narrows, putting pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It most commonly affects the lumbar (lower back) or cervical (neck) regions and is often caused by age-related degeneration, arthritis, disc bulges, or thickened ligaments.

Symptoms may include back or neck pain, numbness, tingling, weakness in the limbs, and in more severe cases, difficulty walking or maintaining balance. Discomfort often worsens with standing or walking and improves with sitting or leaning forward. Our physiotherapy and chiropractic team focuses on relieving nerve pressure, improving spinal mobility, and enhancing core and postural strength through tailored treatment plans. We aim to reduce symptoms, improve function, and help you maintain an active, independent lifestyle.

Facet joint syndrome is a condition involving inflammation or degeneration of the small joints located at the back of the spine, known as facet joints. These joints help guide and limit spinal motion, and when irritated—due to injury, arthritis, or poor biomechanics—they can cause localised pain and stiffness in the neck or lower back.

Symptoms may include aching or sharp pain, especially with twisting or arching movements, muscle tightness, and referred pain into the buttocks or thighs (in lumbar cases). Our physiotherapy and chiropractic team provides targeted treatment to relieve joint pressure, reduce inflammation, and restore mobility through biomechanical assessment. With a combination of manual therapies, postural correction, strengthening exercises, and movement retraining, we aim to manage symptoms effectively and support long-term spinal health.

A spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when there is damage to the spinal cord resulting in partial or complete loss of motor function, sensation, or autonomic control below the level of the injury. It can result from trauma, such as a fall or motor vehicle accident, or from non-traumatic causes like infection, inflammation, or spinal degeneration.

The severity and symptoms vary widely depending on the location and extent of the injury. They may include muscle weakness or paralysis, altered sensation, impaired bladder and bowel function, and reduced mobility. Rehabilitation plays a crucial role in maximising function and independence. Our team of accredited exercise physiologists deliver compassionate, individualised care focusing on mobility restoration, strengthening, functional retraining, and spasticity management. We aim to optimise quality of life and promote long-term recovery and self-management.