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Low Back Pain

What is the condition?

Low back pain is a common condition that is suffered by most people at least once throughout their lives. It is not actually 1 single condition. Low back pain is just a symptom that is manifested from many conditions such as slipped disc, hyperkyphosis, pulled muscle, and many others. As such, the treatment for low back pain can differ greatly from person to person depending on what caused the back pain.

How do get it?

The most common mechanism of injury for low back pain is bending forward and lifting heavy objects. There are several ways that this can cause you to have back pain. You may have pulled your back muscles resulting in back pain. You may also have injured your disc resulting in a slipped disc and back pain. Lastly, you may also have caused the joint to be inflamed due to the excess loading. In all these cases, proper lifting techniques and good core muscle strength can help prevent low back pain.

What problems does it cause?

Low back pain can be debilitating. Again, depending on the cause, the symptoms vary from person to person. But the most common symptoms that our patients face are:

  • Pain in the back
  • Radiating pain to the leg
  • Difficulty sitting or standing
  • Numbness down the leg
  • Weakness in the leg

What is this treatment?

Physiotherapy uses several treatment techniques to treat low back pain. They are:

  • Manual therapy
  • Electro therapy
  • Radiofrequency therapy
  • Movement retraining

For low back pain linked to tight or overworked muscles, our physiotherapists may incorporate sports massage into your treatment plan alongside manual therapy and radiofrequency treatment.

How does it work?

We work by relieving your pain first and foremost. This is either done using manual therapy, electrotherapy, and/or radiofrequency therapy. Your therapist will decide what is the best treatment for you depending on what the cause of your back pain is.

How Elevate physiotherapy does this treatment

At Elevate Physiotherapy, we are committed to find the root cause of your problem and work with you in setting a treatment goal that is just for you. Whether it be to get back to competitive sport, or just to be pain free again, we will work with you to achieve it. We also use the latest modalities available in physiotherapy to ensure that you achieve the best possible outcome.

What is the process of getting this treatment like?

There is no preparation needed. All you need to do is call us up and get an appointment!The treatment will last for about 45 minutes. Depending on your condition, some discomfort may be felt during manual therapy, but overall, it should be comfortable and pain free.

Any post-procedure pain or downtime? What is the aftercare like?

You should leave the clinic feeling less pain than when you came in. Your therapist will work with you to retrain your movement and give you someexercises to keep your pain down until the next visit.

What results to expect?

Again, this depends on the actual condition. However, our past experience shows good results within 4-6 weeks.

Most patients with acute low back pain see significant improvement within 4–6 weeks of starting physiotherapy at Elevate. Chronic low back pain — defined as pain persisting beyond 3 months — may require 8–12 weeks of treatment. More complex presentations involving disc herniation or sciatica may take longer. Your physiotherapist will give you a realistic timeline at your initial assessment.

Physiotherapy can resolve the majority of low back pain presentations and, crucially, address the underlying movement and lifestyle factors that caused the problem. For most patients, this means achieving pain-free function without requiring ongoing treatment. For degenerative conditions such as lumbar spondylosis, physiotherapy cannot reverse the degeneration, but it can significantly reduce pain and improve function through strengthening and movement retraining.

Acute low back pain is defined as pain present for fewer than 6 weeks. Subacute pain is 6–12 weeks. Chronic low back pain is pain persisting beyond 12 weeks. The distinction matters because treatment approaches differ: acute pain typically responds well to manual therapy and pain management; chronic pain requires a greater focus on movement retraining, psychosocial factors and progressive functional rehabilitation.

Yes. Physiotherapy is a first-line treatment for sciatica (nerve root pain from the lumbar spine). Treatment focuses on reducing nerve irritation through neural mobilisation techniques, correcting postural and movement factors that compress the nerve, and gradually restoring full movement and strength. Most sciatica cases resolve without surgery when managed with appropriate physiotherapy.

Current evidence strongly recommends staying as active as possible with low back pain, rather than bed rest. Complete rest leads to muscle deconditioning and can actually prolong recovery. Your physiotherapist will advise on appropriate activity levels and modifications so you remain active within safe limits while your back heals.

Yes. You can book directly at Elevate Physiotherapy Singapore without a GP or specialist referral. Our physiotherapists are qualified to assess, diagnose and treat low back pain independently. If we identify a presentation that requires medical investigation (such as suspected fracture, tumour or significant neurological compromise), we will refer you to the appropriate specialist.