Which type of pain do I have?
Pick the pattern that sounds most like yours. Each section tells you what it usually is, what is safe to try at home this week, and when it is time to book an assessment.
First: the emergencies that skip this page
- Back pain with new loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin — go to an emergency department now.
- Progressive weakness in a leg or arm, a foot that has started slapping or dragging.
- Pain after a serious fall or accident, or pain with fever and night sweats.
- Chest pain, or left-arm/jaw pain with breathlessness — that is not a physiotherapy problem; call emergency services.
Lower back pain
It sounds like this
- A dull ache or stiffness across the lower back, worse after sitting long or lifting something.
- Better on some days, worse on others; you can still walk and move, just uncomfortably.
Safe to try this week
- Keep moving gently — bed rest beyond a day typically slows recovery.
- Short walks every hour, a warm compress, and the knee-to-chest stretch within comfort.
When to book an assessment
Pain that has lasted more than two weeks, keeps returning, or limits work and sleep deserves an assessment — recurring back pain almost always has a findable driver.
Pain shooting down the leg
It sounds like this
- Pain that starts in the back or buttock and travels down one leg, sometimes past the knee.
- Tingling, pins-and-needles or numbness along the same line; coughing or sneezing can spark it.
Safe to try this week
- Avoid long sitting and deep forward bends for now; walk in short, frequent doses.
- Note which movements make the leg pain travel further down (worse) or retreat toward the back (better) — that map guides treatment.
When to book an assessment
Leg pain below the knee, or any numbness or weakness, is worth assessing early — sciatica responds much faster in the first weeks.
Neck pain and headaches
It sounds like this
- Stiffness turning the head, an ache at the base of the skull, sometimes a headache creeping forward by evening.
- Worse after long phone or laptop hours; shoulders feel loaded.
Safe to try this week
- Raise your screen, drop your shoulders, and do slow chin tucks — five holds of five seconds, a few times a day.
- A warm shower on the neck before bed often improves the next morning.
When to book an assessment
Headaches that start from the neck, pain spreading into the arm, or stiffness that keeps returning warrant assessment.
Shoulder pain
It sounds like this
- Pain reaching overhead, behind the back, or lying on that side at night.
- Either a painful arc when lifting the arm, or a shoulder that is progressively refusing to move at all.
Safe to try this week
- Keep the shoulder moving within comfort — total rest stiffens it further.
- Pendulum swings: lean forward, let the arm hang, small gentle circles for a minute, several times daily.
When to book an assessment
A shoulder that has been painful for more than a few weeks, or is visibly losing range, needs assessment — frozen shoulder caught early is a far shorter illness.
Knee pain
It sounds like this
- Pain on stairs, squatting, or after sitting cross-legged; sometimes swelling after activity.
- A knee that feels weak or untrustworthy rather than sharply painful.
Safe to try this week
- Strengthen rather than rest: straight-leg raises and supported sit-to-stands, 10 repetitions, twice daily.
- Avoid deep squats and floor sitting during a flare; use a chair for now.
When to book an assessment
Swelling, locking, giving way, or pain that persists beyond two to three weeks deserves assessment before it reshapes how you walk.
Heel or foot pain
It sounds like this
- Stabbing heel pain with the first steps out of bed that eases as you move, then returns after sitting.
- Worse after long standing or a sudden increase in walking.
Safe to try this week
- Before standing, stretch the sole: pull the toes toward the shin, 30 seconds, three times.
- Roll the sole over a frozen water bottle in the evening; review your footwear’s cushioning.
When to book an assessment
Morning heel pain that has settled in for more than a few weeks is classic plantar fasciitis — very treatable, and faster the earlier it is addressed.