Lower Back & Pelvic Pain
Relief from lower back and pelvic pain in Papworth Everard, Cambridgeshire:
Lower back and pelvic pain are common conditions that affects millions of people worldwide. Symptoms can range from a mild, persistent ache to severe, debilitating pain, often limiting movement and interfering with daily activities and overall quality of life.
Understanding the cause of your symptoms is key to effective treatment. With the right approach, lower back and pelvic pain can be managed successfully, helping you reduce discomfort, restore movement, and return to a more active, comfortable lifestyle.
Below are just some of the lower back and pelvic conditions our expert team treats. Our dedicated team is committed to helping you move confidently from pain to peak performance.
Lower Back Facet Joint Pain
Facet joint pain in the lower back occurs when the small joints connecting the vertebrae of your lower back become irritated, inflamed, or affected by degeneration. This can lead to localised pain, stiffness, muscle spasms, and reduced back mobility. Symptoms may include sharp or aching pain that can radiate into your buttocks, hips or upper thighs, often worsening with leaning backwards, twisting or standing for long periods. Bending forwards often improves symptoms by relieving pressure. Physiotherapy plays a key role in managing facet joint pain, helping to reduce discomfort, restore movement, and improve function through targeted treatment and practical lifestyle advice.
Prolapsed Disc / Sciatica
A prolapsed or bulging disc in the lower back back (lumbar spine) occurs when the soft inner material of a spinal disc pushes against or through its outer layer, sometimes placing pressure on nearby nerves. This can cause pain, stiffness, and discomfort in the lower back, which may radiate into the buttocks or down the legs. Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed, most commonly by a prolapsed or bulging disc. This can cause sharp, shooting, or burning pain that travels from the lower back into the buttock and down the back of the leg, sometimes reaching the foot. You may also experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg. Symptoms often worsen with activities such as coughing, sneezing, bending forward, or prolonged sitting. While often linked to age-related changes, factors such as poor posture, improper lifting techniques, being overweight, repetitive strain, or injury can also contribute. Physiotherapy plays a vital role in recovery, helping to relieve nerve irritation, reduce pain, and restore movement so you can return to normal activities comfortably and confidently.
Lower Back Degenerative Disc Disease
Lower back degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a condition involving the gradual wear and tear of the discs that cushion the vertebrae in your lower spine. As these discs lose hydration and flexibility over time, they become less effective at absorbing shock, leading to lower back pain that may sometimes radiate into the buttocks or thighs, along with reduced mobility. Although this is often a natural part of ageing, it can be accelerated by factors such as injury or repetitive strain. Symptoms commonly worsen with prolonged sitting, bending, twisting, or heavy lifting, and tend to ease with movement or lying down. Physiotherapy plays a vital role in managing lower back DDD, helping to reduce pain, improve mobility, build strength, and support long-term function so you can stay active and move with confidence.
Lower Back Osteoarthritis
Lower back osteoarthritis is a condition that involves the inflammation and degeneration of the joints in the lower back. It can lead to pain in your lower back that can sometimes spread into your buttocks or thighs, stiffness after periods of inactivity, and reduced range of motion. Symptoms may worsen over time or following injury, and can significantly impact your ability to carry out everyday activities. Early assessment and the right treatment approach can help manage symptoms effectively, maintain joint function, and support a more active, comfortable lifestyle.
Spinal Stenosis
Lower back spinal stenosis is a condition where the spaces within the spine narrow, placing pressure on the spinal cord and surrounding nerves. It is most commonly caused by age-related changes, arthritis, or the development of bone spurs. Symptoms often worsen when standing or walking and improve with sitting or leaning forward. They may include pain, cramping, numbness, or weakness in the lower back, buttocks, legs, or calves, and can make walking longer distances difficult. Physiotherapy plays a key role in managing spinal stenosis, helping to relieve symptoms, improve mobility, strengthen the core and supporting muscles, and promote better posture so you can move more comfortably and stay active.
Lower Back Muscular Strain
Lower back muscle strain occurs when the muscles in the lower back are overstretched, overloaded, or injured, often as a result of poor posture, overuse, lifting heavy objects, or sudden movements. This can lead to pain, stiffness, muscle spasms, and reduced range of motion. Pain can spread into your buttocks, but it rarely travels down your legs. Physiotherapy plays a vital role in recovery, helping to restore mobility, build strength, and safely guide you back to full, pain-free function.
Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain arises from the joint that connects your lower spine (sacrum) to your pelvis, causing discomfort that can range from a dull ache to sharp, stabbing pain. It is often felt in the lower back and buttocks, and may radiate into the hips or thighs, typically affecting one side, though both sides can be involved. Common triggers include weight-bearing on one leg, standing up from sitting, climbing stairs, walking or running, as well as prolonged sitting, standing, or lying on the affected side. You may also notice stiffness, a burning sensation in the pelvis, or a feeling that the leg may “give way.” In some cases, symptoms can mimic sciatica, including tingling or numbness. Physiotherapy is key to effective recovery, helping to identify the underlying cause, reduce pain, restore mobility, and improve strength and stability so you can return to normal movement with confidence.
Pelvic Girdle Pain
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is a condition that causes discomfort around the joints and ligaments of the pelvis, often due to stiffness or uneven movement. While it is commonly associated with pregnancy, linked to hormonal changes and increased physical demands, it can also affect non-pregnant individuals. Symptoms may include sharp or aching pain over the pubic bone and/or the lower back, sometimes radiating into the thighs or pelvic area. This can make everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, standing on one leg, or turning in bed difficult. Physiotherapy plays a vital role in managing PGP, helping to reduce pain, restore movement, improve strength and stability, and provide practical advice so you can return to normal activities with greater comfort and confidence.
Piriformis Syndrome
Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle, a small, deep muscle in the buttock, becomes tight or goes into spasm, compressing the nearby sciatic nerve. This can cause pain, tingling, or numbness in the buttock and down the leg, often mimicking sciatica. Symptoms are commonly aggravated by prolonged sitting, activities such as walking, running or climbing stairs, and positions like sitting with legs crossed. Contributing factors may include injury, overuse, muscle imbalance, or individual anatomical differences. Physiotherapy is essential for identifying the root cause, relieving nerve irritation, and restoring movement. Through targeted treatment and exercise, we help you reduce pain, improve strength and flexibility, and return to normal activities with confidence.
How Can Physiotherapy Help?
Physiotherapy for lower back and pelvic conditions focuses on relieving pain and restoring function through a combination of hands-on treatment and targeted rehabilitation. This may include joint mobilisation, soft tissue massage, taping, acupuncture, and tailored exercise programmes or Clinical Pilates.
Our physiotherapists will also empower you with practical strategies to support your recovery, such as specific stretches and strengthening exercises to prevent recurrence. We provide expert guidance on managing workload, incorporating effective breaks, and reducing strain during daily activities. Where appropriate, we can also advise on posture correction and recommend ergonomic solutions to support long-term lower back and pelvic health.