1. Muscle or Ligament Strain (Most Common)

What happens:
Overstretching or overloading the muscles supporting your spine.

Common triggers:

• Lifting with poor form
• Sudden return to exercise
• Twisting while lifting
• Sitting too long, then intense activity

Feels like:

• Dull ache
• Tightness
• Worse with movement
• Better with rest

2. Herniated or Bulging Disc

What happens:
The cushion between vertebrae pushes outward and irritates nerves.

Feels like:

• Sharp or shooting pain
• Pain down one leg (sciatica)
• Numbness or tingling
• Worse when sitting

3. Joint Problems (Facet Joint Irritation)

What happens:
Small joints in the spine become irritated or arthritic.

Feels like:

• Pain when leaning backward
• Stiffness in the morning
• Localized pain (not usually down the leg)

4. Poor Core Strength / Deconditioning

If you’ve taken time off exercise, this is very common.

When core muscles are weak:

• Lower back muscles overwork
• Posture worsens
• Small loads feel heavy

This often causes:

• Achy pain after activity
• Fatigue in lower back
• Relief when lying down

5. Less Common but Serious Causes

See a doctor urgently if you have:

• Loss of bowel/bladder control
• Severe leg weakness
• Fever with back pain
• Pain after major trauma

These could indicate nerve compression or infection.

Hi Guys and Gals,

if you find yourself in a position where you are overweight, unfit and de-motivated just have a read through below. Because it isnt as bad as you think and the benefits are so big you cant really measure them. You will feel much better, look better and your vital organs will be so much fitter.

What You’re Aiming For? Just feel better and be fitter

Frequency: 4–5 days per week

Intensity: Low → moderate (you should be able to talk in short sentences)

Time: Start at 15–20 minutes, build to 30–45 minutes

Your primary goal is to Improve stamina and heart health

Secondary bonus: Fat loss, better energy, better mood

Important to put Safety First

If you have heart issues or high blood pressure or are under investigation for any serious illness, check with a doctor first. If you have joint issues use a walking aid if needed. Be you and just take one step at a time.

Warm up & cool down every session

Mild soreness = normal

Sharp pain, dizziness, chest pain = stop

Best Cardio Choices are Low Impact

Pick 1–2 you don’t hate—this matters more than perfection.

Brisk walking (outdoors or treadmill)

Stationary bike

Elliptical

Swimming or water walking

Marching in place / low-impact cardio videos

Walking alone is fine to start then try to include a freind, the time goes much quicker.

8-Week Beginner Cardio Plan

Weeks 1–2: Just Get Moving

4 days per week

5 min easy warm-up

10–15 min steady pace (slightly out of breath, but talking possible)

5 min cool down

Total: 20–25 minutes

Optional:

On 1–2 days, break it up: 10 min morning + 10 min later

Weeks 3–4: Build the Habit

4–5 days per week

5 min warm-up

15–20 min steady cardio

5 min cool down

Total: 25–30 minutes

Add light effort changes once per session:

1 min slightly faster

2 min easy

Repeat 3–4 times

Weeks 5–6: Improve Endurance

5 days per week

5 min warm-up

20–30 min cardio

5 min cool down

Optional intervals (1–2 days/week):

1 min faster

1–2 min easy

Repeat 5–6 rounds

Weeks 7–8: Heart Health Sweet Spot

5 days per week

30–45 minutes total

Mostly steady pace

1–2 interval days only (don’t overdo it)

At this point, daily activities should start feeling easier—stairs, walking, energy levels.

Optional Add-Ons (Highly Recommended)

Not required, but very helpful:

2× Per Week – Light Strength (10–15 min)

Chair squats

Wall push-ups

Step-ups

Resistance band rows

This protects joints and boosts cardio progress.

Daily – Gentle Mobility (5 min)

Hip circles

Calf stretches

Hamstring stretches

Shoulder rolls

How Hard Should It Feel?

Use the Talk Test:

Can talk, but not sing = perfect

Gasping = too hard

Too easy = speed up slightly

The Secret to Success (Not Motivation)

Same time every day if possible

Comfortable shoes

Track progress by consistency, not weight

Missing a day doesn’t matter—quitting does

Any other advice needed, private message us! we are here to help.

Have a great day from all the Team at The Physical Therapy Clinic

So Abi, who we discussed a couple of weeks ago also came to me approximately 8 weeks back, with an ongoing pain behind her right knee when running. Abi has a good coach, Joshua Schofield, who has been working with Abi getting her up to speed to do a PB in her next marathon.

Everything was going well except this niggly pain behind Abi’s right knee which would get progressively worse the longer she ran. Joshua sent me some video’s so I could assess Abi’s running style. I have included one of the video’s with Abi’s permission, to highlight the issue I identified.

Joshua had all bases covered with Abi doing some running and a lot of strength training, so she was strong through the core and buttocks. Despite being very strong she appeared to sit back in her stance towards the end of a long run which suggested loss of pelvic control due to core exhaustion.

When I brought Abi in and assessed her however, the issue was her right hamstring insertion, not her knee and the cause of her sitting down in her stance was as the hamstring became sorer, she was unable to extend through her right knee before heel strike so to be able to get her foot to the floor she was dropping her pelvis.

We could not afford for Abi to stop her training so we treated the hamstring, inhibited the hamstring that was injured with K tape and most importantly explained to Abi in clear language what the problem was.

Subsequently Abi was able to continue training, including running, monitor her right knee extension and override her subconscious when needed to maintain correct knee extension before heel strike subsequently stopping the sitting back in her stance towards the end of a long run.

Thankfully this has enabled Abi to get back to her full schedule without losing time and remains on schedule for a PB in her next marathon.

If you are a runner, walker or a hiker and you have a niggle that effects your performance we might be able to help.

Happy New Year to you all, lets make 2026 a year to remember!!