He Could Work, He Could Sleep But He Couldn’t Walk Into Town
When he first came to see me, he was frustrated but calm. He was a 50 year old electrician, still working full time, and he had been dealing with back pain for years. It had always been there in the background, nothing too serious. But over time, year after year, it had slowly gotten worse.
What really pushed him to book in was something simple but important. Every Saturday, he and his wife would walk into town together for breakfast. But now, just 800 yards in, his back would seize up. It was a burning pain that started in his lower back, spread into his glutes, and shot down into his hamstrings. The only way he could stop it was to sit down. And as soon as he did, the pain disappeared.
That’s what made it strange. His day to day life was mostly fine. He could sleep. He could get out of bed without much stiffness. Even bending over for long periods while working didn’t seem to set things off. It was only walking or standing for too long that caused this intense pain to return. And that 800 yard walk was his breaking point.
We Tried Everything We Could. Physio Helped a Bit But Not Enough
We brought him in for a full assessment. His range of motion was actually quite good. There was some pain when he leaned back, and his hips were tight with limited rotation. But nothing that screamed out as a serious red flag. Just general tightness in his lower back and hip region.
We started a course of hands on treatment focused around loosening up his lumbar spine and hips. We saw some progress in terms of flexibility and movement. But one thing didn’t change. The moment he tried to walk that same distance, the pain came back exactly as before. Still at 800 yards. Still forcing him to stop.
After four sessions, we had a very honest conversation. We could have kept trying different techniques. But it didn’t feel right to keep charging him when nothing was changing. So I suggested he go back to his GP and ask for an MRI. Something deeper might be going on.
The Scan Explained Everything And Gave Us the Real Next Step
The MRI confirmed exactly what we suspected. He had a condition called spinal stenosis. That’s where the space around the nerves in the spine becomes narrower than it should be. It made perfect sense. When you stand upright, that space naturally gets tighter. If you already have narrowing there, standing or walking causes pressure on the nerves. That’s why sitting down gave him instant relief. It opened the space and took the pressure off.
Physio was never going to fix that.
We explained everything to his GP and recommended that he see a spinal consultant. He got in with a brilliant NHS specialist who took one look at his scan and said the same thing. This was severe stenosis, and the only real option was surgery.
Surgery Was the Turning Point Now He’s Back Walking With His Wife
He had the operation, a straightforward procedure where they shaved away some of the bone to create more space for the nerve. Thankfully, the surgery went really well. We worked with him afterward on rehab, helping him strengthen his spine and build confidence again.
Six months on, he’s back walking into town with his wife every Saturday. No sharp pain in his glutes or hamstrings. No sudden stops to rest. Just a bit of tightness here and there in his lower back, which he manages with occasional stretches and mobility work.
That awful 800 yard limit? It’s gone.
When Physio Isn’t the Answer We Help Find What Is
I wanted to share this story because it’s an important reminder. Physio doesn’t work for everyone. And sometimes, the best thing we can do is be honest about that.
We are not in the business of dragging people through treatment plans that won’t help them. What we are in the business of is getting people answers. And sometimes that means helping them access scans, specialists, or even surgery when appropriate.
In his case, we didn’t fix the problem with our hands. But we played a big part in getting him to the right place. And now he’s back doing what matters to him most.
If you’re struggling with pain that doesn’t make sense or just won’t go away, don’t wait. Let’s figure out what’s going on and work out what needs to happen next.
Joe Sharp
BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy
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