(Replace with a licensed photo before publishing.)
Chronic lower back pain — pain that persists for more than 12 weeks — affects a huge number of adults at some point in their lives. Unlike an acute strain that settles within a few days, chronic pain tends to be more complex, often involving a combination of structural, muscular, and lifestyle factors working together.
Common Structural Causes
Degenerative disc changes, facet joint arthritis, and spinal stenosis can all contribute to ongoing lower back pain, particularly as we get older. These changes don’t always show up clearly on the pain someone feels — some people with significant findings on scans have no pain at all, while others with minimal findings are in real discomfort.
Muscular and Postural Contributors
Weakness in the deep core and gluteal muscles is one of the most common — and most treatable — contributors to chronic lower back pain. When these stabilising muscles aren’t doing their job, the spine relies more heavily on passive structures like ligaments and discs, which weren’t designed for that role long-term.
Lifestyle Factors
- Prolonged sitting increases pressure on the lumbar discs.
- Sedentary lifestyles weaken the muscles that support the spine.
- Poor sleep lowers pain tolerance and slows tissue recovery.
- Stress increases muscle tension, particularly around the lower back and hips.
- Excess body weight adds mechanical load to the lumbar spine.
The Role of Movement Patterns
How you move matters as much as how much you move. Repetitive bending from the spine rather than the hips, asymmetrical loading, and poor lifting mechanics all place cumulative strain on the lower back over months and years.
Why Chronic Pain Needs a Different Approach
Because chronic lower back pain is rarely caused by one single factor, effective treatment usually needs to address several areas at once — mobility, strength, movement habits and, sometimes, stress management. This is exactly where a thorough osteopathic assessment adds value: identifying which of these factors are driving your particular pain, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all fix.
Struggling with pain that just won’t go away? You don’t have to manage it alone. Our experienced osteopaths at YMM Pain Free create a personalised treatment plan built around your body, your lifestyle and your goals — not a generic checklist.