Football Season Starting Soon? How to Manage Lower Back Pain

Low back pain is one of the most common injuries in Australian Rules Football (in both men and women) and can impact performance as well as your ability to see out a game or training (Mendis et al. 2019). 

A recent study looking at AFL players with lower back pain found that the presence of LBP is likely due to decreased trunk control and found a relationship between this and an increased rate of lower limb injuries. 

So the question is - what can you do to minimise the likelihood of experiencing lower back pain and maximise playing time? 

It all starts in pre-season. 

Make sure in the off season you are putting in the work to build muscle and trunk control. Exercises like a Paloff Press are easy enough to add into a program and works to improve stabilisation and balance – both are important when kicking, catching, and in your ability to take a tackle.  

Another favourite of ours at The Athlete Lab is the single leg sit to stand. This is a fantastic exercise for improving stability. Use a mirror to make sure you are staying tall and controlled the whole way through the exercise.  

When is it time to see a physio about your back? 

We understand back pain can be scary – but it doesn’t have to be. It’s always a great idea to touch base with your physio about the cause of your low back pain, and what you can do. The team at The Athlete Lab is well placed to work with you to develop a program and course of treatment to keep you playing all season long.