Physio’s Journey with Back Pain – Part 3

Back pain doesn’t always start with a dramatic moment—and this episode proved it. In the lead-up to Easter, I began noticing discomfort again, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly how it started. We were driving to Adelaide for a basketball tournament, and as the hours passed, my lower back became increasingly painful.

By the time we stopped overnight in Kaniva, I was visibly leaning to one side and struggling to walk upright. Interestingly, once I walked for a while, I loosened up and gradually straightened. But every time I sat down for more than five minutes, I stood up crooked again.

What Was Happening?

This was another lumbar disc bulge. Sitting places more load on the discs, and when a disc becomes irritated, your body automatically shifts away from the sensitive side. The surrounding muscles go into protective spasm, causing that classic “side-bent” posture.

Throughout the weekend, I tried to avoid sitting as much as possible—standing, walking, or lying down instead. Over the four days, things slowly improved, and the drive home was much more manageable.

What I Learned

1. Walking is one of the best ways to loosen your back.

Even though I was bent sideways, a 30-minute walk helped me stand straighter and reduced my pain significantly.

2. Avoid the positions that aggravate your symptoms.

For disc-related back pain, prolonged sitting can flare things up quickly. Reducing time in the irritating position speeds up recovery.

3. Once you’re straighter, start gentle extension exercises.

Backward bending helps counter the flexed position your spine is stuck in from sitting and can reduce disc irritation.