Lower Back Pain Treatment Crystal Palace
Whether your back pain comes from lifting weights, long hours at a desk, or the demands of new parenthood – understanding why your pain persists is the first step to moving without pain.
Not sure if this approach is right for you? Book a free 15-minute call to discuss.
What's Really Causing Your Lower Back Pain?
Lower back pain rarely comes from overuse or repetitive movements. More often, it's the opposite — we underuse our bodies.
Most of us spend hours at a desk, hunched over laptops, often stressed. Over time, our ability to move well declines, and our bodies feel stiffer, less supple.
Then on the weekend, we need to get something from the loft or play that weekly football match — and the pain reminds us things aren't working as they should.
Your lower back might be working too hard because other areas aren't doing their job properly.
Perhaps your hips don't move through their full range, so your lower back compensates. Or your trunk stability isn't where it needs to be, placing extra demand on your lower back muscles.
Sometimes it's tension through the back of your legs and hips that prevents you from bending properly.
Chronic pain and fear of movement
If you've had lower back pain for months or years, there's often a fear component. Your body has learned to associate movement with pain, and unconsciously you start moving differently to protect yourself or avoid certain movements altogether. But avoiding movement isn't the answer.
We need to address this together. Movement might not always be pain-free initially, but that doesn't mean you're causing damage. Rebuilding confidence in your body is part of the process.
How I Assess and Treat Lower Back Pain
I assess movement quality around your lumbar spine, pelvis, and hips — and how your whole body works together when you move.
How I assess your movement
In your initial 60-minute assessment, I'll ask about your pain and your daily activities. But I'm also watching how you move.
Can you hinge at your hips properly when you bend forward? Or does your lower back round to compensate? How stable is your trunk when you move? What happens to your pelvis when you lift your leg?
I'm looking at how well your lower back and pelvis work together when you move.
What you might need
The approach depends entirely on your starting point and movement experience.
If you're already active (lifting weights, running, regular exercise), you might only need advice and minor adjustments to your existing activities. Perhaps some feedback on movement patterns and guidance on areas you've been neglecting strength-wise. This might be 2-3 sessions.
If you're newer to structured movement, or have not been active for a while, we might start with basic breathing patterns and core stability work before progressing to more integrated movements. Expect 4-8 sessions.
If you have chronic lower back pain, we often start by discussing your concerns around movement before even starting any exercises. After we've explored what might be causing your pain, we take a slow, gentle approach to rebuilding confidence in your body through low-impact movement.
Session numbers vary — some people work intensively for 4-8 sessions and then prefer to manage independently, while others prefer ongoing support every few weeks to maintain progress and problem-solve as needed.
The treatment
Hands-on work addresses tension and helps your body move better. But lasting change comes from movement re-education — teaching your body better control around your pelvis and lower back.
We work through movements together in the session. You experience what better control feels like, and we identify what you need to continue between sessions.
Who I Work With
Active people experiencing back pain
You lift weights, run, or exercise regularly. Your back pain might come on during training, or show up the day after. You're frustrated because you want to stay active but your back keeps limiting you.
Often this is about load management and movement quality under load. We assess how you move during the activities that cause pain, identify where control breaks down, and build the capacity you need.
Typically 1-3 sessions for assessment and guidance, sometimes more if we're rebuilding strength in specific areas.
Desk workers with lower back pain
This often relates to core and trunk stability issues, combined with hip restrictions from prolonged sitting. We work on building the stability your trunk needs, improving hip mobility, and identifying movement opportunities throughout your day to reduce stiffness.
Typically 4-8 sessions. Pelvic floor work sometimes takes longer as these changes need time to integrate into your daily movements.
New moms with lower back pain
Your back hurts when lifting your baby, bending over the cot, or carrying car seats. You might have had back pain during pregnancy that hasn't fully resolved.
This commonly involves pelvic floor issues combined with reduced core stability. The constant demands of lifting, carrying, and caring for a baby place significant load on your back when these systems aren't functioning optimally.
We address breathing patterns, pelvic floor function, and core stability, then progress to lifting and carrying strategies that work for your daily life.
Typically 4-8 sessions. Pelvic floor work sometimes takes longer as these changes need time to integrate into your daily movements.
Chronic lower back pain
You've had back pain for months or years. You've tried multiple treatment, some help temporarily, but the pain always returns. You might be worried about causing more damage.
Chronic pain is often accompanied by fear or movement avoidance. Your nervous system is on high alert, and your body has learned protective patterns that actually limit your function and may even cause other issues down the line — for example, your knee starting to hurt.
We start by discussing what might be causing your pain, then take a gentle approach to rebuilding movement confidence.This isn't about pushing through pain — it's about gradually expanding what your body can do comfortably. Some discomfort might occur, but that doesn't mean you're causing damage.
Timeline varies significantly. Some people work intensively for 4-8 sessions. Others prefer regular check-ins every few weeks to maintain progress, stay accountable, and adjust their approach as needed.
What Happens in Your Initial Assessment
Your first appointment lasts 60 minutes.
I'll assess how you move, particularly how your lumbar spine, pelvis, and hips work together. Can you hinge at your hips? How stable is your trunk? Where does your movement control break down?
The session includes hands-on treatment to address areas with restricted movement, which may or may not be where you feel pain. Then we'll work through movements together so you experience what better control feels like.
Between sessions, you'll continue specific exercises tailored to what we found in your assessment.These are based on your individual movement assessment.
How many sessions?
It depends on your starting point:
Already active with good movement experience: 1-3 sessions
Building foundational strength and control: 4-8 sessions
Chronic pain requiring confidence building: 4-8 sessions, with option for ongoing support
Want more detail? Read the complete guide to your first appointment.
“I used to get back pain every one or two months for many, many years. Ever since I started seeing Auste I haven’t experienced the same pain at all for almost a year.”
— Diego, Crystal Palace
Frequently Asked Questions
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It depends on your situation and goals. Pain is complex and doesn't always directly relate to injury. How long you've had pain matters too.
During your first session, we'll discuss this in depth and explore whether lifestyle factors are contributing to your pain experience.
Rather than focusing solely on pain levels, we'll explore your goals, what do you want to be able to do? This is more measurable and, when achieved, far more empowering and motivating.
I'll give you a realistic expectation after your first assessment.
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Yes. Chronic lower back pain often creates fear of movement — your body has learned to protect itself, even when movement isn't actually dangerous.
We address this directly by discussing what's happening in your body, then gradually building movement confidence through gentle, controlled exercises. The goal is expanding what you can do comfortably, not pushing through pain.
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It depends on your pain pattern and what's causing it. Sometimes a brief modification period helps things settle, but if lifting is what you love, we'll find a way to get you back to it safely.
I'm not a strength and conditioning coach, but I can work alongside one if you have a coach.
We assess your movement quality during the activities that cause pain, identify where control breaks down, and work on the specific areas you need to strengthen. Many active clients just need minor adjustments and targeted strengthening work.
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Chronic back pain often needs a different approach than recent pain. We might need to address fear of movement, rebuild basic stability, or work through longstanding compensation patterns.
If you're currently not very active, we'll work together to find ways to get you moving more. This can start simple, even a 15-minute daily walk. The key is consistency and your willingness to make small changes.
Some people work intensively for 4-8 sessions. Others prefer ongoing support, checking in every few weeks to review progress, adjust exercises, and maintain function.
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Good musculoskeletal practitioners, whether osteopaths, physiotherapists, or others, often work similarly. Physiotherapists are well known for exercise prescription and rehabilitation, which is excellent.
What I offer is a combination of hands-on treatment and movement-based rehabilitation. This integrated approach isn't always equally available in time-constrained clinics, where you might get one or the other, but not both in the same session.
More importantly than the profession is finding a practitioner you align with. Look for someone who helps you achieve your goals by empowering you (not "fixing" you), and who is honest and humble when things don't resolve as planned.
If my approach sounds right for you, book an initial assessment and we'll see if we're a good fit.
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I don't bill insurance directly, but I provide detailed receipts you can submit for reimbursement if your policy covers osteopathy. Most private health insurance includes osteopathy coverage.
Book Your Initial Assessment
Whether you're dealing with recent back pain that's limiting your activities, or chronic pain you've been managing for years, book an initial assessment and let's figure out what your body needs.
Questions? Book a free 15-minute call.