17/10/2026
Lower back pain on one side that gets worse when you stand, walk or twist?
It may be coming from your facet joints, the small paired joints at the back of each lumbar level. When a disc wears down and loses height, load shifts onto these joints. The joint capsule becomes strained, inflamed and sensitised, and that is where the pain comes from.
Typical pattern:
โข One-sided, deep and aching or sharp
โข Worse with extension, rotation, prolonged standing or walking
โข Eased by flexion and sitting
โข Felt in the lower back, buttock and thigh, usually staying above the knee
Pain below the knee is more typical of a nerve root or sciatic problem.
Your pain is real, even when your X-ray or MRI shows only mild changes. With an accurate diagnosis and a targeted plan, it is manageable.
Book a consultation with Dr Satish Bugwandin, Orthopaedic and Interventional Pain Surgeon.
Suite 8, Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital & Heart Centre, Durban
031 581 2390/1
[email protected]
www.jointsurgery.co.za
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