Back pain – fact and fiction.

There are more myths than facts on the internet about back pain, so in our last newsletter our Sports Rehabilitator, David wrote about some of them.

Whether you are working at the office or working from home. When you are working for extended periods at your kitchen counter, sitting at your dining table or have a fantastic home office there are beliefs about back pain that can be unhelpful.

Back pain is actually a common occurrence.

Getting older is not a course of back pain.

There is a widespread belief that we get stiffer and weaker as we get older. While we must recognise that there is an ageing process, most issues are related to doing less.

Persistent back pain is rarely associated with serious tissue damage. 

Backs are strong and if you have an injury, tissue healing occurs within three months and so if pain persists past this time, it usually means there are other contributing factors.

Pain with exercise and movement does not mean you are doing harm.

When pain persists, it is common that the spine and surrounding muscles become really sensitive to touch and movement. The pain you feel during activity and movement reflects how sensitive your structures are, not how damaged you are.

Back pain is not caused by poor posture.

How we sit, stand and bend does not cause back pain, even though these activities may be painful. A variety of postures are healthy for the back.

Backs do not wear out with everyday loading and bending.

In the same way lifting weights will make muscles stronger, moving and loading will make the back stronger, healthier and provide protection. Lifting and bending are important and safe as long as you start gradually and practice regularly.

There is an interesting YouTube video about facts relating to back pain.

How can NK Active help you?

Fear of making things worse, or doing the wrong thing, are often reported as reasons for doing less to ‘protect’ your back.

We can check that it is safe for you to move and work with you to build your confidence and physical ability so that you are able to move towards doing the things that are important to you.