The world prevalence rate of back pain is 9.4%, meaning that if you are experiencing low back pain, you aren’t alone.
90% of those experiencing low back pain have non-specific low back pain, which means that there is no diagnosable underlying pathology to attempt correlation to pain. This is a good thing and highly likely no need to worry or be anxious about the situation.
The prognosis, the clinical course or outcome, is great with marked reductions in pain and disability occurring within the first 6 weeks for most patients.
This template is based around education and encouragement of the user. We want to educate folks and provide reassurance, as it is highly likely the person does NOT have a serious disease warranting further investigation (like imaging), and symptoms will improve over time.
We also want to encourage the individuals to avoid bed rest and stay active.
Expectations
The entire template should take 9-12 weeks depending on the length of PHASE 1.
This process may increase symptoms. Two Rules:
- Symptoms shouldn’t increase to the point the athlete loses function (debilitated).
- If symptoms increase, they shouldn’t last for 24 hours.
If either A and/or B occur, then it is likely the athlete is not tolerating loading of the area and modifications should be made.
NOTE: If progressive neurological symptoms occur (loss of sensation, loss of movement in extremities, loss of control over bowel or bladder movements, and/or groin numbness – please seek medical consultation immediately.
You may find participation on our Pain and Rehab forum useful for any additional questions or just sharing with others in the community.
Phases
Phase 1 (Week 1*)
Goal- Decrease pain and improve active range of motion using isometrics and isoinertial loading.
*Week 1 may be repeated for up to 2 additional weeks, e.g. Weeks 1-3 when necessary based on symptoms and improvement. Subsequently, phases 2 and 3 are labeled as if the lifter required 3 weeks in Phase 1, which may not be necessary.
Phase 2 (Weeks 2-5)
Goal- Increase loading capacity with increasing volume and lower external intensity.
Phase 3 (Weeks 5-9)
Goal- Return to normal programming by increasing intensity and movement specificity, e.g. more absolute load. This is where adding this qualitative metric can help us differentiate these situations for a more accurate view of training progress.
