“The MRI shows nothing, but my back hurts” — this sentence is very familiar. If a sharp pain shoots through your low back when getting out of a car, standing up or lifting something heavy, the cause may be functional tension. This tension does not show up on MRI or X-ray.
1Possible causes of low back pain
- Tension in the muscles and ligaments
- Imbalance in the tissues
- Posture problems
- Fascial tightness
- Blockage in the sacroiliac (SI) region
- Reflex effects of the internal organs — digestive system problems
- Stress and overload of the nervous system
- Skeletal disorders and osteoporosis
In the osteopathic approach, the body is examined as a whole and the true cause of the pain is found. Often just 1–2 sessions are enough for the tension in the low back to ease and movement to become free again.
Methods we use
Osteopathy
A hands-on treatment method that works on the musculoskeletal system, internal organs, spine, nervous system a…
Visceral osteopathy
A manual therapy method that works with the internal organs. It restores the organs’ natural mobility and impr…
Manual therapy
Restoring the body’s normal function without the use of medication or surgical methods.
Physiotherapy
No two pains are the same — so no two patients’ treatments should be the same either.
Rehabilitation
Restoring abilities — a comprehensive set of treatment methods aimed at regaining lost or limited functional c…
Recommended reading on this topic
Related conditions
Sources and further reading
- Low back pain — fact sheet — World Health Organization (WHO)
- Lower Back Pain — anatomy and types of low back pain — Spine-health
- Back pain — self-help and red flags — NHS (Böyük Britaniya)