THE RED DOOR CLINIC · MELLIEĦA
Lower back pain
The most common complaint we see. Assessment that finds the cause, and a plan that keeps you moving.
Lower back pain is the most common complaint at the clinic. It is usually a load problem, the lower back taking work that the hips, the glutes or a better chair should be sharing. At The Red Door Clinic in Mellieħa, an assessment with our lead physiotherapist finds the cause and builds a plan around it. This page covers the common patterns, what an assessment involves, and the warning signs that need urgent medical care.
Reviewed by Andrew George, Lead Physiotherapist · 5 October 2026
Common causes of lower back pain
Long hours sitting is the modern classic: the lower back holds a flexed position for hours, the hips switch off, and the small muscles of the back do work they were never meant to do alone. Lifting, one bad lift or a hundred almost-fine ones, is the other classic.
We also see lower back pain that travels with weak or sleepy glutes, pain after a change in training load, pain that follows long drives, and pain that flares with stress and poor sleep. The pattern matters because the plan differs: a desk problem is not fixed with the same programme as a deadlift problem.
What an assessment involves
We take the story first: when it started, what you were doing, what makes it better and worse, and whether anything travels down a leg. Then we look at how you move, bending, hip hinge, single-leg stance, to see what the lower back is compensating for.
You leave with a working explanation and a plan: hands-on treatment where it helps, a written exercise programme, and advice on the desk, the lift or the mattress that is feeding the problem.
Can massage help lower back pain?
Massage can ease the muscle guarding that travels with lower back pain, and a back massage or deep tissue session often leaves people moving more comfortably. It does not fix the cause on its own, the hips, the desk or the lift that produced it still need addressing.
If your lower back pain is new, spreading, or accompanied by numbness, tingling or weakness in a leg, book a physiotherapy assessment rather than a massage. Those features change what is appropriate.
When to seek urgent care instead
Go to accident and emergency, or call emergency services, if you have a suspected broken bone, a joint that looks deformed, pain after a significant fall, chest pain, trouble breathing, a head injury with confusion or vomiting, numbness in the saddle area, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Sudden severe pain with swelling, or a limb that is cold, pale or blue, also needs urgent medical care rather than a clinic appointment.
If you are unsure, do not wait on a message to decide an emergency. Use emergency services first. For everything else, contact the clinic, say what happened, and we will tell you whether we can see you and what to do until then. We do not diagnose by WhatsApp.
How the clinic can help
A consultation and assessment with Andrew George, our lead physiotherapist, is €55, and follow-up physiotherapy is €45. The assessment looks at the movement that hurts and the cause behind it, and you leave with a working explanation in plain language and a plan that fits the week you actually have.
Where massage helps alongside physiotherapy, for tension, recovery and the guarded muscles around a sore area, the clinic houses qualified massage therapists in the same building. Massage and physiotherapy are not interchangeable: if pain, injury or a change in movement is the concern, start with the assessment.
Book through the contact form, by phone on 2152 4199, or by WhatsApp on 7924 1880. There is no online booking calendar; describe your symptoms and the team will help you choose the right first appointment.
LET’S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP
Not sure where to start? Start with us.
Tell us what hurts, what has changed, or what you want to get back to.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Related conditions and next steps
A LITTLE CLARITY
Frequently asked questions
Is my lower back pain a disc problem?
It can be, but most lower back pain is not. An assessment looks at your story and your movement before guessing at structures. If your story suggests something that needs imaging or a doctor, we will say so directly.
What exercises help lower back pain?
The honest answer is that it depends on the cause, which is why we do not hand out a generic sheet. A written, progressive programme built from your assessment is what actually helps. See our exercise programmes page for how those are built.
LET’S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP
Your next chapter starts with a conversation.
Tell us what hurts, what has changed, or what you want to get back to.