Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek treatment. While it can be frustrating and sometimes overwhelming, the good news is that there are effective ways to manage and improve your condition.
Osteopathy is an effective therapy, recommended in the NICE guidelines for low back pain. Our evidence-based approach combines hands-on treatment with practical advice to help you recover and prevent future episodes.
Understanding back pain
Most people experience back pain at some point in their lives, and each person’s experience is unique. While symptoms often improve within weeks or months, they can sometimes fluctuate over time. It’s important to understand that even when the cause can’t be identified on scans or X-rays, the discomfort and limitations you experience are very real. This is why we focus on treating you as an individual, not just your symptoms.
What helps?
Research consistently shows that three main approaches are most effective in managing musculoskeletal conditions:
- Exercise and Movement Regular physical activity is crucial for maintaining a healthy spine. We help you develop an appropriate exercise program that fits your lifestyle and capabilities. Our osteopaths can guide you through specific movements, ensuring you exercise safely and effectively. This might include:
- Guided strength training adapted to your current fitness level
- Low-impact cardiovascular activities like walking, cycling, or swimming
- Targeted exercises
- Activities you enjoy, as this increases the likelihood you’ll stick with them
- Manual therapy Our hands-on treatment approach helps restore normal function. During your sessions, we provide:
- Gentle manual techniques to improve mobility
- Soft tissue work to help reduce tension and discomfort
- Stretches and movements to improve overall flexibility
- Treatment adapted to your comfort level and response
- Education and advice Understanding your condition is key to managing it effectively. We provide:
- Clear explanations about factors that influence your symptoms
- Practical strategies for managing daily activities without aggravating your condition
- Guidance on maintaining good posture during work and daily tasks
- Personalised advice about activity pacing and pain management
- Support in developing sustainable self-management strategies
Our approach
We develop comprehensive personalised treatment plans based on:
- Your specific symptoms and their impact on your life
- Your work, lifestyle, and daily activities
- Your personal preferences and recovery goals
- Current research evidence and best practice guidelines
- Your response to treatment
Important to know
Recent research has transformed our understanding of back pain. We now know that:
- Staying active is generally better than prolonged rest
- It’s safe to move, even when experiencing discomfort
- Treatment should be tailored to your individual needs
- Early intervention often leads to better outcomes
- Most people can significantly improve with appropriate support
Dr Jerry Draper-Rodi completed his Professional Doctorate researching back pain, bringing the latest evidence to our treatment approaches.
Info on how to sit comfortably at your desk.
Blog posts about Back Pain
- Cognitive Functional TherapyCognitive Functional Therapy (CFT) is a very effective (more info on effectiveness below) form of treatment and rehabilitation that was first developed for the management of low back pain and ...Read more
- Osteopathy during pregnancy
Pregnant women sometimes experience back and hip pain. If you’d like information on the possible causes of back pain during pregnancy and how osteopathy may be able to help, you may ...Read more - Exercise Is Essential for Osteoarthritis
Patients who have osteoarthritis sometimes hear conflicting things. To exercise or not to exercise, that is the question! The evidence is very clear: exercise! We should all be moving as ...Read more - Back Pain and Children
Like adults, children can suffer from back pain as a result of their lifestyle and their activities. And like adults, there are a number of things that parents and carers ...Read more - Persistent pain
We all feel pain from time to time. When someone injures themselves, specific nerves recognise this as pain, which in turn triggers the body’s repair mechanism. As the problem resolves, ...Read more - Low back pain: what exercises can I do to help?
Patients often ask me “What can I do to avoid my back pain coming back?” An excellent question that probably sounds like easy to answer, and you would expect me ...Read more