Top Myths About Back Pain

Nearly everyone will experience back pain at some time in their life. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that around 619 million people are living with back pain globally in 2020, and it's the leading cause of disability worldwide.

Back pain is frequently treated by painkillers, spinal injections, surgery and soft tissue therapy. Despite advances in medical technology, most people still suffer repeat bouts of pain.

In order to find a lasting solution and prevent future flare ups, it's essential to understand why back pain starts and what makes it become chronic.

Let's look at some of the most common myths and explore them from a different perspective so you can reduce and prevent future flare ups of pain....

Myth #1: Back Pain Is An Inevitable Part of Getting Older

Back pain can strike at any age, from adolescence to adulthood. 

Rather than ageing causing chronic pain, it's an accumulation of life experiences that your body is exposed to. Your nervous and musculoskeletal systems respond to these stressors by increasing muscle tension.

Frequent or high stress leads to habitual tension. Sensory Motor Amnesia (SMA) means that you no longer notice this elevated tension in your muscles. Your posture becomes distorted and you move differently without realising. 

The good news is SMA is a change in function and can be reversed.

Myth #2:  Back Pain Is Caused By Weak Core and Back Muscles

This one is particularly pervasive, and probably one of the least helpful myths.

Simply strengthening the abdominals or bracing your core all the time won't cure back pain, and could make it worse.

Doing traditional abdominal exercises, like crunches or sit ups, increases tension in these muscles. Your back muscles will tighten to counter-balance tense abdominals.

Likewise, if your back muscles are tight, trying to make them stronger will only increase their tension and your discomfort.

Bracing your core habitually only serves to increase tension and stiffness, so moving feels harder and more painful. 

Myth #3: An MRI Scan Will Tell You Why Your Back Is Hurting

MRI scans are extremely sensitive at imaging physical structures, but they also have limits.

There's plenty of research studies which show MRI scans are not an accurate indicator or how much pain a patient feels or how disabled they are.  Someone can be diagnosed with severe changes on MRI, but not feel pain or have changes in how they function.

It's also impossible to accurately date the changes seen on an image, only that they exist. 

Just because you see it does NOT mean that it's responsible for the pain you're feeling.

Myth #4: Improving Posture Will Fix Back Pain

There's very little conclusive evidence that back pain is directly caused by posture. How can you even define bad posture?

If you try to pull yourself into a new "ideal" posture, SMA - a state of chronically contracted muscles - will pull you back into your familiar old habits.

In addition, if you try to "stand up straight" or "not slouch", you'll probably end up forcibly pulling your shoulders back, lifting your chin, and arching your spine, which makes your back muscles even more tense.#

Bringing awareness to your patterns of SMA will help you find your body's neutral position, where your front and back muscles are balanced and your body feels light.

Myth #5: Rest Is Best

Many people will stop exercising when their back starts hurting because they're afraid they'll make the pain worse.

Acute injuries benefit from rest, but physical activity is essential to maintain muscle strength, joint mobility and overall health. Becoming sedentary leads to the body becoming deconditioned and less functional.

A more effective approach is taking regular "movement snacks" (such as walking) throughout the day to maintain circulation and mobility, whilst addressing your SMA patterns. This helps teach you brain how to recognise and release elevated levels of muscle tension, restoring natural movement patterns and promoting long-term relief from back pain.

Takeaways

• Keep a journal for 2 weeks to self assess the triggers of your back pain - work, lifestyle, relationships, emotional state, sleep etc.
• Create a somatic movement practice to address your SMA patterns, release chronic muscle tension and learn different patterns to override old habits.
• Recognise that chronic pain is often functional in nature and can be reversed. The human brain is capable of learning new skills at any age (neuroplasticity). 

WAYS TO GET SUPPORT WITH CHRONIC PAIN

If you're ready to get help with finding long-term relief from chronic pain and stiffness, a good place to start is my Unlock Your Body breakthrough session

This is a one-off powerful 1:1 session where I'll help you understand the root triggers behind your persistent pain, and how to begin reversing them. This breakthrough session is ideal if you have a specific pain or injury that you're struggling to resolve, even if you've already tried other treatments with limited success.

We'll work together to find new ways of moving without pain. You'll leave with a deeper knowledge of what's triggering pain in your body, and a clear action plan to gain lasting relief. 

For some of my clients, a single session is enough to reset their body out of pain. For others, this is their first step to learning how to move their body without pain after months or years of struggling.

Apply HERE  and I'll be in touch to arrange an initial complementary consultation to discuss whether an Unlock Your Body breakthrough session will be a good fit for you. 

I also have other options for 1:1 coaching if you wish to dive deeper into moving without pain (your muscle tension probably didn't happen overnight, and it won't magically disappear on it's own!).

Other ways you can find help with managing pain or an injury are:

• Book into a Stretch or Pilates class with me - these are a good introduction to some movement explorations from The Befriend Your Body (BYB) Method for pain relief and relaxation. This is my signature framework that I use to help my clients get out of pain and back to the activities they love.
• Come to my new class "Restorative Movement" at Field Place, Durrington, which will introduce to somatic movement. This starts on Thursday 2nd January from 7.15pm to 8pm.  
• Subscribe HERE to receive "The Movement Chronicle", a free weekly e-newsletter delivering movement and pain relief truth bombs directly into your inbox every Monday morning,

You can connect with me through any of these channels:

• Email at norma@unicornhealthandfitness.com
• Follow me on Facebook and DM me on Messenger https://www.facebook.com/norma.pearsonfitness
• WhatsApp message to 07801 867361.