Why Your Low Back Pain Keeps Returning | Causes, Injuries, and Fixes in Westminster, CO

If low back pain hits you out of nowhere, like when you bend to pick something up or after a workout, and it keeps coming back, it can be really frustrating. It makes simple things like getting out of bed or sitting at your desk hard. I've been treating this at Westy Sports Chiro in Westminster, CO, for over 10 years. As a sports chiropractor and former strength coach, I've worked with active adults from runners and lifters to rec league players and busy parents. Low back issues are one of the most common things I see, and they can throw off your whole routine.

You've likely tried pain pills, rest, or stretches, but if the pain returns, often with stiffness or leg referral, it's usually because the underlying causes aren't fixed. In my office, I focus on finding those roots, from gradual build-up to sudden tweaks. The positive side is recurring low back pain can be resolved for the long term so you can stay active without worry. In this post, I'll break down the types of low back pain I see, explain key injuries that might be at play (based on patterns from my exams), and share how I evaluate and treat it. For more on conditions we handle, check our Conditions page.

Common Types of Low Back Pain I See in My Office

Low back pain varies based on your daily life, activities, and how long it's been going on. In my practice, it tends to fall into these categories:

• Chronic Ache from Overuse or Posture: This develops slowly, often from desk work, lifting, or repetitive tasks. It feels like a constant dull throb or tightness, worsening with prolonged positions or at the end of the day. I see this a lot in office workers or folks with poor habits like slouching.
• Acute Sharp Pain from Injury or Strain: This strikes suddenly, like during a lift, bend, or twist. It might be a stabbing sensation with movement, sometimes radiating to the leg or limiting your ability to stand straight. Common in athletes, weightlifters, or anyone who's had a bad move like shoveling snow.
• Referred Pain Mimicking Back Issues: Sometimes it's not starting in the back. Pain can shoot from the hips, SI joint, or even kidneys, feeling like numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs. This tricks people into thinking it's just a back problem when other areas are involved.

Regardless of type, if it's recurring, there's typically an injury or imbalance driving it. Let's dive into the pathoanatomical side, the actual tissues affected. I'll cover what these are, how they cause pain, and why they occur, from what I commonly diagnose.

Pathoanatomical Injuries Behind Recurring Low Back Pain

The low back, or lumbar spine, has five vertebrae, discs, joints, and muscles for support, but it's vulnerable to stress. In my assessments, I use orthopedic tests, motion checks, and sometimes imaging to identify issues. Here's what I often uncover:

1. Lumbar Disc Bulge or Herniation: This is when a disc's inner material pushes out, irritating nerves. It causes sharp pain, stiffness, or leg referral like sciatica. How it happens: From sudden loads like lifting or bending, or gradual wear from poor mechanics. In lifters, it's common with deadlifts if form slips. Untreated, it leads to cycles of flares; I see this in many acute cases, and early intervention often avoids surgery.
2. Degenerative Disc Disease: Discs lose height and hydration over time, reducing cushion between vertebrae. Pain is a deep ache or stiffness, worsening with activity or mornings, sometimes with grinding. Causes: Aging plus repetitive stress or bad posture. Shows up in folks with desk jobs or high-volume training, but lifestyle changes can manage it.
3. Facet Joint Issues: These small joints between vertebrae can inflame or lock from overload or degeneration. Symptoms include localized pain, stiffness, or catching with twists/bends. It arises from trauma, poor alignment, or arthritis. Common in runners or parents lifting kids, mimicking other back problems.
4. Spondylolisthesis: A vertebra slips forward over another, often from stress fractures or degeneration. Pain feels like instability or ache, with possible leg weakness. How it develops: From high-impact sports or genetics, worsened by extension moves like arching. I diagnose it with specific tests in active patients.
5. Sciatica or Spinal Referral: Nerve compression from discs, stenosis, or piriformis (brief as I have a separate post) causes shooting leg pain, numbness, or weakness. Often mistaken for hip issues. From spinal misalignments or inflammation, common in sitters or lifters.

These injuries often link to biomechanical alterations that overload the back, like compensations turning small problems into ongoing ones.

The Biomechanical "Why" Behind the Recurrence

Once we've spotted the injured tissues, I look at the bigger picture: why this keeps happening. From my strength coaching experience, low back pain ties to the whole kinetic chain, core, hips, even feet. Skipping that keeps the pain coming back. Here are the main culprits I evaluate and address:

1. Core Instability: The Weak Center Your core should stabilize the spine. If it's weak from sitting or uneven training, the back overworks, aggravating discs or facets. Common in desk workers or runners. I test with planks; if shaky, we retrain with DNS breathing and exercises.
2. Fascial Adhesions: Tight Layers Overuse creates stuck connective tissue around muscles, limiting motion and sustaining inflammation in joints or nerves. Hits lifters hard. I use myofascial release like IASTM or dry needling for quick improvements.
3. Hip Imbalances: Uneven Support Tight flexors or weak glutes shift load to the back, leading to referral or degeneration. From prolonged sitting. Rehab builds balance with stretches and strength work.
4. Lumbar Stiffness: Mobility Loss Locked spinal segments force compensation, stressing discs or facets. Common in squat-heavy lifters. Adjustments and drills restore range.
5. Gait or Posture Faults: Daily Build-Up Poor walking patterns or slouching overload the back over time. I assess movement, then correct with DNS for better habits.

Busting Common Myths About Low Back Pain Treatment

I hear these a lot; here's the truth from my experience.

Myth: Surgery's Needed for Disc Problems.
Truth: Most respond to conservative care like McKenzie, avoiding operations.

Myth: Total Rest Fixes It.
Truth: Eases flares, but weakens; active rehab strengthens.

Myth: It's Just Getting Older.
Truth: Mechanics play a bigger role; I've fixed it across ages.

Myth: Pain Means Sciatica Every Time.
Truth: Could be facets, referral, or more; proper eval needed.

Myth: Pills Are the Solution.
Truth: They dull it, but don't address causes; movement does.

How I Approach Fixing Low Back Pain at Westy Sports Chiro

We keep it simple and focused on results, no insurance games.

• First Visit: Talk about your history, then full exam: motion tests, strength checks, specifics for injuries like discs or facets.
• Tailored Treatment: Based on findings, use McKenzie for discs, dry needling for tension, DNS for stability, adjustments for alignment. For lifters, add form tips.
• Follow-Ups: 1-2 weekly to start, combining hands-on with home exercises. Track for relief in weeks.
• Maintenance: Monthly once better, to prevent during activities.

FAQs on Recurring Low Back Pain

Why after lifting?
-Often mechanics or unhealed discs; needs check.

Can chiro help herniations?
-Yes, with McKenzie and rehab to decompress.

How soon for relief?
-Typically 2-4 weeks.

Safe for athletes?
-Yes, designed for it.

DDD vs. Herniation?
-DDD is wear; herniation is bulge—treat after eval.

Poor posture cause damage?
-Not if fixed early.