Exercise Physiology
for Back Pain
Chronic back pain is not a reason to stop moving. In almost every case, it is a reason to move more, but differently, progressively and with clinical guidance. We combine functional restoration, targeted strength training and pain science education to help you build a back that is resilient rather than fragile.
Takes 60 seconds · No referral needed to start · Medicare rebates available
What Most People Get Wrong About Back Pain
Your back is not fragile. It is built to be loaded.
The dominant narrative around back pain, rest it, protect it, avoid anything that might aggravate it, is largely responsible for why so many people with back pain end up worse, not better. Avoidance leads to deconditioning, which leads to greater sensitivity and greater disability. It is a well-documented downward spiral.
The spine is a robust structure designed to transmit load. The muscles, ligaments and joints surrounding it are designed for movement. When we progressively and intelligently load these structures, they adapt, become stronger and more resilient, and the sensitised nervous system gradually recalibrates. This is the mechanism behind recovery from chronic back pain, and it is what we facilitate.
What We Do
Functional restoration, progressive strength and pain science working together
Whole-system assessmentWe assess everything about and below the joint. Hip strength, ankle mobility, movement patterns, loading habits and training history all contribute to back pain. We identify the underlying factors that contributed to your pain, not just treat the site of it.
Progressive spinal loadingSystematic, progressive loading of the spine and its supporting structures. The evidence for heavy resistance training in chronic low back pain is strong. We prescribe this carefully and progressively within your current tolerance.
Hip, glute and core strengtheningWeakness in the hip extensors, abductors and spinal stabilisers is a primary contributor to low back pain and recurrence. We address these specifically throughout your program.
Movement pattern retrainingPoor movement patterns during lifting, bending and everyday activities contribute to back pain episodes. We retrain these patterns as part of functional restoration so your back is protected not just during sessions but in daily life.
Pain science educationUnderstanding the neuroscience of back pain, why it is not proportional to tissue damage, why avoidance makes it worse, and how progressive loading retrains the nervous system, changes your relationship with your pain and improves outcomes.
Graded functional restorationSystematic return to the specific activities and movements that back pain has prevented. Carrying, lifting, bending, sport, work tasks. We build a progressive pathway back to the function you have lost.
WorkCover and TAC programsWe provide structured back pain rehabilitation programs for WorkCover and TAC clients, working with case managers and treating teams to support return to work and function.
Reports to your GP and treating teamWritten reports after every review keep your GP and any other treating clinicians informed of your progress.
Who We See
All forms of back pain and spinal conditions
Where we fit with your physio
If you have had or are having physiotherapy for your back, we work alongside it, not in competition with it. Physiotherapy addresses the acute drivers of your pain and restores basic function. We build on that foundation with the progressive strength and functional restoration that reduces recurrence and builds long-term resilience. Many of our back pain patients come to us having completed physiotherapy and wanting to continue making progress.
Your Program
What to expect from your first appointment
Comprehensive assessment
We review your back pain history, previous treatments, imaging results, functional limitations and what you want to be able to do. We assess your movement, strength, hip function, ankle mobility and loading patterns, because back pain is almost never just a back problem. We identify the contributing factors beyond the pain site.
Pain science education
Before we prescribe exercise, we spend time on education. Understanding why your back pain behaves the way it does, and how progressive loading helps rather than hurts, is a therapeutic intervention in itself. This changes how you relate to your pain and to movement.
Progressive exercise program
We design a program starting within your current tolerance and progressing systematically. We target the specific deficits identified in your assessment including hip strength, spinal loading capacity and movement patterns, and build function using your goals as the primary driver. Your program is delivered via our exercise app.
Regular reviews and reports to your GP
We review your program at regular intervals using functional measures. Written reports go to your GP and any other treating clinicians after every review.
Funding and Rebates
Multiple ways to fund your back pain program
Medicare CDM Plan
Chronic back pain lasting 6 or more months qualifies under the CDM pathway. Up to 5 subsidised sessions per year.
WorkCover and TAC
We provide structured back pain programs for WorkCover and TAC clients with case manager referral.
DVA Gold and White Card
DVA Gold Card holders have all clinically necessary back pain sessions covered with no gap fee.
NDIS
Back pain Exercise Physiology may be funded under Improved Health and Wellbeing for eligible participants.
Private Health Insurance
Most extras policies cover Exercise Physiology. Check your policy for your annual limit and rebate amount.
Private
No referral needed. Book directly and pay privately. No GP visit required to get started.
Common Questions
Back pain FAQs
My doctor told me to rest and avoid exercise. Why are you recommending the opposite?
Clinical guidelines for chronic low back pain have shifted significantly in the past decade. Rest is no longer recommended as a treatment for chronic back pain in any major clinical guideline. Progressive exercise is consistently the first-line recommendation. If your doctor is recommending rest for acute back pain, that is different. Short-term rest can be appropriate in the first few days following an acute episode. For persistent or chronic pain, exercise is the evidence-based treatment.
I have been told my disc is bulging and I need surgery. Should I wait until after surgery to start?
For most presentations of disc herniation, surgery is not the first-line treatment and many people who are told they need surgery improve significantly with conservative management including exercise. We are not in a position to advise you on surgical decisions, but we can start your exercise program now and provide your GP with progress data that is relevant to that decision. Many of our patients have made significant functional progress through structured exercise rehabilitation without proceeding to surgery.
Every time I try to exercise my back gets worse. How is this different?
This usually reflects either the wrong type of exercise, progressed too quickly, or the absence of pain science understanding that leads to catastrophising normal discomfort. We start conservatively, progress carefully, and teach you the difference between discomfort that is part of the adaptation process and pain that signals you need to modify. Our programs are individually designed around your current tolerance, not generic back pain protocols.
Do I need a referral to start?
No. You can book directly and be seen privately. If you have a Medicare CDM plan from your GP, bring it to your first appointment and we will process your $61.80 rebate on the spot.
Ready to build a back that is resilient, not fragile?
Book your first appointment or call us. No referral needed. Your back is built to be loaded and we will help you do it safely.
Start Your Plan (Book Your First Appointment)Takes 60 seconds · No referral needed · Medicare rebates available