Chronic Back Pain Treatment in Brisbane That Fixes the Root Cause
Functional Patterns Brisbane is a back pain clinic in Brisbane specialising in gait and movement-based chronic pain treatment.
Chronic back pain is rarely just a “back problem.”
It’s a movement problem.
When the way you walk, stand, breathe, and stabilise your body becomes imbalanced over time, the spine is forced to do the work of multiple muscle systems. The result? Compression, inflammation, nerve irritation and pain that keeps returning, even after physio, stretching, massage or rest.
At Functional Patterns Brisbane, we specialise in identifying the root movement patterns behind chronic back pain using slow-motion gait and posture analysis — then retraining your body to move in a way that reduces pressure on the spine and allows pain to resolve naturally.
See What Our Clients Have To Say:
“I have been working with Max at Functional Patterns Brisbane twice a week for approx 6 month. Before Functional patterns I had back and shoulder pain and would regularly see chiropractors to help manage the pain.
In my time training with Max I haven’t been back to the Chiropractor once. Max is exceptionally patient. He is great at explaining the benefits of each movement and how with these actions are undoing years of substandard movements.”
“The team at FP Brisbane have changed my life! I had a hip injury 6 years ago which was debilitating.
After exhausting all treatment options I was told that my only choice was surgery.
Then I came across FP! Having worked with the team at FP Brisbane has changed my mind pain and mobility...without surgery!! I can walk and exercise without pain. “”
Understanding Chronic Back Pain
What is Chronic Back Pain?
Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks and does not fully resolve with rest or standard treatment. It often reflects deep-rooted muscular and structural compensations, not just irritation in one joint or muscle.
Common Causes We See
Excessive lumbar compression from poor rib-pelvis alignment
Hip instability causing the spine to over-brace
Reduced glute and deep core integration
Imbalanced gait pattern (one side doing more work than the other)
Compensations from old injuries or surgeries
Chronic pain is the output — the underlying dysfunction is the input.
Chronic Back & Hip Degeneration Case - Pain Free
Why Most Back Pain Treatments Don’t Hold
Many treatments focus on reducing the feeling of pain, rather than resolving the mechanical cause behind it.
For example:
Massage and foam rolling release tension — but tension returns when the same movement pattern keeps causing compression.
Chiropractic adjustments can temporarily reposition joints — but your body will always return to the pattern it is functionally adapted to.
Acupuncture or dry needling may reduce pain signals — but pain is just the output, not the source.
Strengthening or stretching general muscles can improve capacity — but not necessarily the coordination between muscles that supports your spine.
In other words, if the way you move continues to overload the same structures, your body will keep recreating the same pain.
Chronic back pain is almost always tied to how your ribcage, pelvis and hips interact when you walk and stand.
If these regions aren’t working together, your spine ends up acting like a shock absorber — constantly bracing, compressing, and fatiguing.
This is why pain returns even after:
weeks of exercises
seeing multiple practitioners
periods of rest
or feeling like things are finally improving
Until the movement patterns driving that compression are corrected, the pain remains.
This is where Functional Patterns is different.
We don’t just loosen what’s tight or strengthen what’s weak.
We reorganise how your body distributes force, so your spine no longer needs to compensate.
Biomechanics & Gait-Based Back Pain Treatment
Gait & Posture Assessment
We film your walking and running from 4 angles in slow-motion.
This reveals:
Asymmetries left vs right
Hip drop, pelvic tilt or rotation
Core bracing inefficiencies
Where compression is coming from
Targeted Movement Re-Education
We then retrain:
Rib-cage → pelvis stacking (intra-abdominal pressure system)
Hip stability + glute integration
How your body distributes force when walking
Breathing mechanics that influence spinal pressure
The Result
When your structure becomes more balanced, your spine is no longer overloaded.
Pain reduces naturally — without forcing stretches or high-intensity strengthening.
How Our Approach Differs From a Traditional Pain Clinic in Brisbane
Most pain clinics in Brisbane focus on managing symptoms — reducing your pain so you can continue daily life. This often involves medication, injections, manual therapy or generic strengthening exercises. While these can be helpful in the short-term, they do not usually address the mechanical reason the pain keeps returning.
At Functional Patterns Brisbane, our approach is different.
We specialise in long-term pain management in Brisbane by identifying and correcting the movement patterns that place excess load on your spine in the first place.
Instead of asking:
“How do we reduce the pain?”
We ask:
“Why is the pain happening mechanically?
And how do we change the movements that are causing it?”
This makes us an alternative to a pain specialist in Brisbane for those who:
Have tried conventional physiotherapy, chiropractic or massage and pain returns
Have chronic lower back pain that flares during walking, standing, lifting, or daily movement
Want an approach that goes beyond symptom relief and into biomechanical correction
If you're searching for a back pain clinic near me or wondering whether you need a pain management specialist, your next step may not be to treat the spine directly — but to understand how the spine is reacting to the rest of your structure.
We focus on restoring:
Ribcage + pelvic alignment
Hip stability and sling system coordination
Gait mechanics (how your body distributes force when walking)
When your movement system becomes efficient, your back no longer needs to overwork — and chronic pain naturally reduces.
Lachlan — L5/S1 + Sciatica
- Severe lower back pain, left/right asymmetry
- Sciatica post-rowing injury
- Hip hike, lumbar compression
- Result: Pain free, decompressed lumbar, improved shoulder position
Eleni — Post-Surgery Chronic Pain
- Lower back + lateral hip pain, neck issues post sling
- Global compression, poor rib–pelvis stacking
- Result: Pain free, walking with ease, daily function restored
Brendan — Nerve & Headache History
- Back/neck pain, sciatica, headaches
- Reported “nerves in knee with pain” during stance
- Result: Pain resolved, improved stacking, off medication
MS Client — Back, Neck & Hip Pain
- Chronic right-hip OA (9–10/10), neck pain, poor sleep
- Gait instability, tremor with lower-limb loading
- Result: Hip pain ↓ to 3–4/10, sleeping through, weight loss, better muscle tone
Real Back Pain Outcomes
Back Pain Treatment from a-z (what training with functional patterns Brisbane looks like)
First - you will have a discussion on the phone with one of our professionals or client advocates.
During this call you will discuss a brief history of your condition, your goals and availability. From this information, we will match you with one of our Biomechanics Specialists. You can meet the entire team here.
Every specialist in the clinic is trained in Human Biomechanics and has extensive experience working with and significantly improving chronic back and hip pain in our clients. Your first session will be 90 minutes long.
Your first session will be 90 minutes long.
Our comprehensive initial consult involves a gait and/or activity assessment. Ee analyse your gait cycle in slow motion and highlight dysfunctions present.
This is a crucial part of the appointment. It enables us to tailor a program that suits your body and not just a cookie-cutter-approach.
We will then take you through myofascial release techniques that will help you to get on top of any dysfunctions we have identified. Specific postural correctives, chambers and dynamic exercises may follow depending on how your body handles each level of exercise.
What Happens After My First Session?
So you have completed your initial assessment and session, what now? Your Biomechanics Instructor will discuss their recommendations while taking into consideration your unique situation and their assessment findings.
Estimating the duration of improvement of scoliosis can be like predicting the length of string. However, We know that the more time you are able to dedicate to doing your Functional Patterns training, the faster you will make progress. Most protocols include 1-2 60 minute sessions per week alongside homework. You can also include some group classes to practice your fundamentals.
Following your initial consult, we will continue to build on the techniques you learned through:
chambers,
correctives
and dynamic exercise.
Improvement in gait cycle is our number one metric to objectively measure your progress. We will usually take progress videos of running/sprinting/your specific activity during these following sessions.
We will work on breaking down the dysfunctions that lead to your scoliosis and pain while building new, functional patterns. This will result in a dramatic decrease in chronic pain and an improvement in posture. We can also improve your movement, agility, strength, posture, aesthetic and overall quality of life.
You do not need constant massage or stretches for upper back pain. You need to correct your movement pattens and posture.
Finally, The Result!
Our goal is to get you an incredible result at our facility. Our business is built upon noticeably correcting posture and decreasing chronic pain. We aim to achieve this the point where people cannot ignore the work we do.
If you are ready to change your posture and eliminate chronic pain, get in touch. Start your incredible journey with Functional Patterns Brisbane.
Here Are Some More Experiences From Our Dedicated Clients
Herniated Disks, Spinal Fusion & Artificial Disk Replacement Were No Match For Functional Patterns
Image from HSS.edu
“8 years ago I herniated 2 discs in my lumbar spine which resulted in a spinal fusion and artificial disc replacement at just 24 years old. I tried so many different therapies before surgery and it all did absolutely nothing, so I opted to go under the knife. If I had my time again, I would have went to Functional Patters instead as I’m convinced I could have avoided the surgery all together.
Since working with Louis and Glenda at Functional Patterns I have had a significant reduction in pain and feel healthier than ever. I still have a long way to go but I am confident that I can fix my problems and my pain now that I’m seeing competent people.
Don’t waste your money and years of your life like I did, book in for a consult and get to work.”
SIJ Pain & Lower Core Dysfunction? Functional Patterns Is The Answer
“Functional Patterns has been a game changer for me. No more SIJ pain after years of discomfort when I did anything physical. You have to commit and put the work in a follow the advice of your instructor to get the best results. For the first time since I’ve had my 2 kids I can actually feel my lower core work. It’s been numb for years. I can’t thank Lou enough.”
From Using A Walking Stick, Suffering Back Pain & Arthritis -> To Pain Free & Loving Exercise
“Functional Patterns has been a game changer for me. Prior to functional patterns I was using a walker and walking stick constantly, the negative impact of using mobility aids on my biomechanics left me with lower back pain and my arthritis was becoming worse over time. I am now pain free! I had never enjoyed gym/yoga/exercise for too long and often spent time injured because I was relatively doing movements against the optimum use of my biomechanics and that were damaging. I now love exercising every day, never have pain with movement, I stand taller, I’m more confident and even my digestion has improved! If you think you’ve tried everything for pain and haven’t tried FP yet, you need to get on it! The team is amazing, highly knowledgeable and provide clear cues and assistance .”
More Back Pain Before & After Results
FP Is For You If:
Your back pain or sciatica is causing you to miss work or even placing your job at risk.
Your back pain or sciatica has caused you to miss out on important things like family events, spending time with friends, or taking part in the sports or activities you love.
You’re worried about the symptoms you’re experiencing like numbness, muscle weakness, or more pain
You’re sick of the pain and want to get lasting relief
Conventional medicine is not working for you
Book Your Initial Biomechanics Assessment
Your first session includes:
90-minute gait & posture analysis
Explanation of imbalances driving your pain
Start of your personalised corrective movement program
Functional Patterns Brisbane is a movement-based alternative to a traditional pain clinic in Brisbane or pain management specialist near me. We offer long-term solutions instead of temporary relief.
Chronic Back Pain FAQ
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Restore gait mechanics + rib-pelvis alignment. Pain is an outcome, not the root.
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Because your gait pattern is distributing force unevenly through the spine.
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Yes — because gait shows the exact movement patterns producing spinal load.
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Most clients feel measurable changes within 5–10 sessions when consistent.
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Item descriptionIf you’ve already tried standard physiotherapy, massage or chiropractic and the pain returns, a movement-based assessment may be the next step. Instead of managing pain, we look at how your gait and posture may be causing it.
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If knee symptoms shift with walking/standing, start with a movement assessment. We identify which patterns load the knee/spine, then correct those patterns
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If you need medication/injections, see a pain specialist. If pain keeps returning after treatment, a movement-first assessment addresses the cause.