A true story, shared anonymously, about a back pain that waited more than a year to be looked at.
Author:- Dr Shikha Chadha (PT)
Riya (not her real name) was 35 when she booked a physiotherapy session with me. There was no accident and no sudden injury. She came because her back pain had been with her for more than a year, and she had run out of ways to work around it.
"I thought it would settle on its own," she told me. Her schedule was packed, and her back was always the thing that could wait. A little stretch here, a promise to herself that she would deal with it next month. Next month turned into more than a year.
I hear this story often. Many people search for physiotherapy for back pain only when the pain starts to affect their sleep, their work or their mood.
What Can Cause Back Pain?
Back pain can come from many places. A muscle strain from lifting something awkwardly, long hours of sitting, or the way a person bends, stands and carries their bag can all play a part. Sometimes the way the spine is held contributes too.
Hearing the words "back pain" told me none of that. Nobody can know what is behind a person's pain from a list of causes, which is why I started where I always start: by listening.
What Happens During a Physiotherapy Assessment?
I asked Riya:
• when the pain began
• what made it worse
• what eased it
• what her days looked like
• whether she had any old injuries
Then I watched her move. I looked at how she stood, bent, twisted and walked, and I checked her back, shoulders and hips for stiffness, tightness or imbalance.
Before planning anything, I asked what she wanted from treatment: only less pain, or also getting back to things she had stopped doing. That conversation matters, because goals shape the plan. A good physiotherapy assessment ends with a clear explanation and a plan made for you, not a standard sheet of exercises.
For Riya, the assessment showed postural scoliosis, a sideways curve of the spine that is linked to posture and muscle habits. The word frightened her at first, so I explained what it meant and what it did not. She had carried this for over a year without knowing it, and now she finally had an explanation for her pain.
How Physiotherapy for Back Pain Helps
Her sessions were built mainly around manual therapy, hands-on work to ease tight, restricted areas of her back. Alongside it, I guided her on how to sit, stand and move through her day with less strain.
This is how physiotherapy helps in general:
• assessment first
• then treatment and movement guidance
• mobility work to keep stiff areas moving
• and, when the time is right, strengthening for the muscles that support the spine
The mix is different for every person, and it is built around their body and their life.
Safe Steps You Can Take at Home
Like most patients, Riya asked what she could do at home between sessions. My answer is the same for everyone. Keep moving gently, because short walks and regular changes of position usually help more than long rest. Also:
• Break up long periods of sitting.
• Keep your screen at eye level.
• Support your lower back in your chair.
• Lift with the load close to your body.
• Do not push through sharp pain.
These are general habits, not a prescription. You will find plenty of back pain exercises at home online, and they can be a fair starting point for gentle movement, but an exercise that helps one person can aggravate another. The right physiotherapy exercises are the ones chosen after someone has looked at your back. Once that plan exists, much of the work can continue with physiotherapy at home, through a guided home programme between visits.
When to See a Doctor
I also told Riya what I tell everyone, because not every back pain belongs in a physiotherapy clinic first. Please see a doctor promptly if:
• your pain is severe or keeps getting worse
• it started after a major injury such as a fall or an accident
• it comes with fever, unexplained weight loss or new weakness in a leg
SEEK URGENT HELP If you ever notice new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or numbness around the groin or saddle area, go to an emergency department immediately. Those signs need urgent care, not an appointment next week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When should I see a physiotherapist for back pain?
If your back pain has been lingering, keeps returning, or you do not know what is causing it, a physiotherapy assessment is a sensible next step. The earlier you take it, the more options you usually have. If your pain is severe, started after a major injury, or comes with fever, unexplained weight loss or new weakness in a leg, see a doctor promptly.
Q: Can I do back pain exercises at home?
Gentle movement usually helps: short walks and regular changes of position usually help more than long rest. But an exercise that helps one person can aggravate another, so the right exercises are the ones chosen after someone has looked at your back. Do not push through sharp pain.
Q: What happens during a physiotherapy assessment?
The physiotherapist asks when the pain began, what makes it worse or better, what your days look like and whether you have any old injuries. They then watch how you stand, bend, twist and walk, and check your back, shoulders and hips. You should leave with a clear explanation and a plan made for you.
Q: Can physiotherapy for back pain be done at home?
Yes. Once an assessment has been done and a plan exists, much of the work can continue with physiotherapy at home, through a guided home programme between visits.
Conclusion
Riya's story is the reason I wrote this. Her pain was not a sign of weakness or a lack of care for herself. It was a sign that her body needed attention, and it had been asking for more than a year.
If your back pain has been lingering, keeps returning, or you simply do not know what is causing it, do not wait for a better month. A physiotherapy assessment is a sensible next step, and the earlier you take it, the more options you usually have.
If you would like help, book an assessment, and we will build a plan that fits you and your routine. HealDoor offers physiotherapy at home and at its Rohini West clinic.
