21/12/2025
At least four out of every five adults are believed to have experienced back pain at some point during their lifetime. Mechanical back pain often occurs when a structure in the back, like an inter vertebral disc, joint or a bone, is stressed or deformed in a way to cause pain. When a load is applied to a structure past a certain threshold, the tissue becomes irritated and increases pain. The pain will decrease once the load is removed.
Mechanical back pain can be localized to a small area on the spine or it can spread more to either one or both sides of the back. If a nerve root is also affected, the pain may radiate away from the back and down the leg, and even sometimes to the foot, along the path of the affected nerve.
Mechanical back pain can occur from a trauma to the tissue, such as a fall or a car accident, or it can come on slowly over time with no obvious cause. Repetitive spinal movements, exercising incorrectly, and poor sitting habits are some examples that can lead to the development of mechanical back pain over time.
Physiotherapy can help to determine the root cause of the pain, and create a treatment plan to offload the injured tissue of the spine allowing for healing to occur. The treatment plan may include manual (hands-on) therapy, exercise therapy, and education about how to protect your back. Massage therapy can decrease pain stemming from tight muscles, improve blood flow, and can have a positive effect on the nervous system. Dry needling is also a standard procedure in treating musculoskeletal disorders. It penetrates the skin, subcutaneous tissues, and muscles using a thin needle. This puncture technique causes local muscle tremors, which relaxes the treated area. Hence, the Dry needling treatment can reduce local tension and pain.
