Low Back Pain is a common affliction that affects the majority of people at some point in their life. There are many different causes of mechanical low back pain such as poor posture, bending awkwardly or lifting incorrectly which place abnormal stresses on the structural elements of the spine leading to pain . At our City of London Spine Clinic, we have a team of Chiropractors, Physiotherapists and Sports Massage Therapists who are able to assess your low back complaint and advise you on your injury. If at any stage we feel that further investigations are warranted, we will refer you back to your GP or to one of our medical consulting team.

To learn more about specific mechanical low back conditions, please click on the links below:

Spondylolisthesis

SPONDYLOLISTHESIS The term Spondylolisthesis describes the forward (anterolisthesis) or backward (posterolisthesis) slippage of one vertebrae in relation to the vertebrae below. There are many subtypes of Spondylolisthesis, however, the most common types are isthmic and degenerative.

Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Sprain

SACROILIAC SPRAIN There are two sacroiliac (SI) joints located at the back of the pelvis. These strong, stable synovial joints are formed between the sacrum and the ilium of the pelvis. The SI joints are covered by two different kinds of cartilage: the sacral surface has thick hyaline cartilage, and the ilial surface has thinner… Read more »

Piriformis Syndrome

PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME The piriformis muscle is located in the gluteal/buttock region at the back of the pelvis. Anatomically, this muscle originates from the front of the sacrum and inserts onto the hip. Its main actions are to rotate the hip outwards (laterally) when the hip is bent to less than ninety degrees and to rotate… Read more »

Lumbar Facet Joint Sprain

LUMBAR FACET SPRAIN The lumbar spine (low back) consists of 5 separate vertebrae which are named from the top to the bottom as L1 to C5. Two facet, or zygaopophyseal, joints are located at the back of each vertebra and are the bony links between the vertebra above and below by means of a superior… Read more »

Sciatica / Trapped Nerve

SCIATICA / TRAPPED NERVES This is a term used to describe irritated or compressed nerves. This commonly occurs at the nerve root (the part of the nerve which comes out of the spine). The term trapped nerve suggests that the nerve is being physically restricted and possibly compressed. In the vast majority of cases, this… Read more »

Herniated / Prolapsed / Slipped Disc

HERNIATED DISC, PROLAPSED DISC, SLIPPED DISC Slipped disc, bulging disc, prolapsed disc… these are all common terms used to define types of injury to the discs which sit between the vertebrae bodies (bones) of the spine. Commonly described as the “cushions” or “shock absorbers” of the spine, these circular pads of cartilage are composed of tough, fibrous tissue… Read more »