Strength training for persistent low back pain, after a GP or physio assessment
Back pain strength
For people whose low back pain has been assessed by a GP or physio and who have been told to keep active and get stronger: a gradual strength programme with lifting, carrying and the movements you avoid, done slowly, and a plan for flare-ups.
For most persistent low back pain, the advice from physios and GPs is the same: stay active and build strength gradually. Knowing that and doing it are different things, especially when bending forward has hurt for a year. We make it manageable, one small step at a time.
We start by asking what a GP or physio has said and checking for anything that needs them rather than us; if you have not been assessed, we ask you to be first. Then we find a starting point that does not flare it: often hinging to a box, carries, step-ups and supported rows. Over weeks the loads go up and the movements get closer to what you do in life: lifting the shopping, the grandchildren, the bags of compost, a full shift.
You get a flare-up plan on paper: what to do, what to ease off, and when to ring your GP. Some discomfort during the work is common and is not a sign of damage; sharp, spreading or rising pain means we change the session there and then. Numbness, weakness, or any change in bladder or bowel control is never for us: that is an emergency, and you go to A&E.
What it includes
- Assessment by a GP or physio checked first
- A starting point that does not flare it
- Gradual lifting, carrying and hinging
- A written flare-up plan
- Sessions built round your life and work
- Plain advice on when to see a doctor
What it costs
£55 first session, then £45, or eight for £320. A GP or physio assessment first; we ask about it at the start. The stage checker gives a rough idea where you would start; the first session confirms it.
Questions about back pain
Should I avoid bending?
Most people with persistent back pain benefit from relearning to bend and lift gradually, but follow what your GP or physio has said for your back. We will start where it is comfortable.
What if it flares up?
Use the flare-up plan, ease off, and tell us. If anything on the warning list happens, see a doctor straight away.
After the physio, the long middle. We do that bit.
Book a first session: an hour, £55, with your physio's or GP's notes, simple tests, your stage and a written plan. If nobody has assessed the injury yet, we will tell you who can, and the referrals page lists practices we work with.