The 3 Biggest Back Pain “Myths”: and 3 Things to Do Instead to Be More Active and Live a Better Quality of Life!

back pain myths

Low back pain is one of the MOST common ailments in today’s society.  8 OUT OF 10 of ALL Americans will suffer from back pain in their life.  But that’s not even the alarming part…

Of the hundreds of millions of people who are suffering from back pain everyday, over 70%  will use some sort of pain medicine to deal with it…

This has caused low back pain to be the number one cause of the painkiller and “opioid crisis” in today’s society.  It is because doctors STILL prescribe “meds” and “rest” for back pain, instead of doing a proper evaluation to find out the actual root cause of the pain!

At Balance and Body Restoration, our goal is to provide you with the BEST information possible to help you make the right decisions to heal your body correctly.  (without having to rely on pills or risk dangerous surgery.)

We’ve helped thousands of people recover naturally from some of the most devastating back injuries and surgeries. In all our experience,  there is ONE SIMPLE REASON why so many people suffer from back pain…

There is a lack of common knowledge and “good advice” on how to “correctly” heal a back injury!

We will start off by dispelling some “myths” and “misconceptions” about low back pain, and provide you with the proper knowledge on how to not just get rid of your back pain, but to fix it for GOOD. (without pills, or without surgery)

 

Back Pain Myth #1: Use a Back Brace, or Back Support

Have you seen those late night infomercials advertising latest and greatest “back brace”?

Or maybe you’ve been told that the answer to ALL of your back problems is a “lumbar support” for your chair.

The problem with “braces” or “supports” is that is can actually cause your back to get stiff, and you may start to “over-rely” on them. Instead, your body should be relying own its own muscles and awareness!

While a back brace, or a Support may be able to temporarily alleviate symptoms, they should NOT be considered a long term fix.

People with healthy backs are able to adapt to stress.  This comes with great flexibility, mobility, and true “body awareness.”

Backs that are stiff and immobile, are not only more difficult to move, but they are NOT able to adapt to stress.  This makes them MORE likely to become injured and suffer from chronic pain.

What should you do instead?

Exercise and treatment that focuses on restoring your mobility, and core strength are the most effective solutions.

Try light exercise such as yoga, or even pilates to start with, but start slowly!  Don’t try to go all out, and just look for small, incremental gains each week.

With increased mobility comes increased body awareness, and an ability to easily re-develop strength in your body.

So, instead of relying on a “quick fix” back brace or an expensive “lumbar support”, take the approach of taking the right steps to slowly and safely restore your motion and body awareness.

Back Pain Misconception number 2: “Do some exercise”

Okay…I just said exercise can be the best solution for back pain…

However…

In today’s “sedentary” society, exercise is actually a RISK FACTOR for injury!

Meaning it can actually be dangerous to exercise, if you don’t do it properly.

Most people I see are in their 40’s-50’s struggle trying to get back in shape due to pain, or are fearful of exercise because they don’t want to make their pain worse.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking all exercise is created equal!  Some people may try “boot camp” or “crossfit” style of exercises which are GREAT for camaraderie and having fun while getting back in shape…

The truth is, we see a LOT injuries that occur from high intense interval exercise are because of:

  • Lack of mobility in your body to perform the exercise with "good form"
  • Lack of body awareness and knowledge of what the "right exercises" for back pain are
  • Inability to tell the difference between "good soreness" and pain due to "inflammation"

Please understand that whenever you suffer from back pain, your body behaves differently.  It is also VERY LIKELY that you have some sort of stiffness or weakness in other parts of your body, which has made your back susceptible to injury.

So what should you do if you want to exercise, but are a bit nervous of making your pain worse?

Focus instead on exercises which are low impact, and emphasize mobility, balance and body awareness.  Find exercises that feel RIGHT for your body, and don’t put you through pain.

Or, even better…

Consult with a Physical Therapist!

Physical Therapists are expertly trained at diagnosing and identifying the causes of pain in your body.  With this knowledge, we can design the SAFEST and most effective exercise program for your body so you can heal correctly.

We can help you:

  • Properly restore your mobility with the right hands-on treatment and stretching
  • Develop strength in the "right areas" to take pressure "off of your back"
  • Teach you perfect form with exercise, so you'll never have to "modify" an exercise because of pain ever again.

No two bodies are different, and two different people suffering from the same injury will actually need different approaches!

Don’t risk creating your own exercise plan…

See a specialist!

If you would like to consult with a back pain specialist at Balance and Body Restoration here in Dublin, we are offering you a FREE 30 minute “Discovery Visit”.

We offer you a “Discovery Visit” as a chance for you to meet us in person, we will listen to your problems and help give you the best advice and direction to help you make the right decisions to heal our back in the safest, most natural ways possible.

CLICK THIS LINK TO FIND HOW TO CLAIM YOUR FREE 30 MINUTE DISCOVERY VISIT

Back Pain Myth #3: “Just rest” or “take some pills”… It will get better on its own over time…

Probably the absolute worst thing you can do when you hurt your back is to just “wait it out”

I’ve heard of so many people who are told by doctors who give dangerous advice such as “rest” or “take pills”.

With each day, your back muscles weaken, joints become stiffer, and the back starts to lose it’s mobility and strength.  Even though your back may feel good some days, unless you are getting the proper movement and exercise, your back will still be “vulnerable” to injury.

EVEN IF your pain is less, it does NOT mean you are healed.  It is likely because your body is simply getting used to the pain, and is learning how to “compensate” by putting stress on other body parts. This is what can lead to even worse injuries down the line.

What should you do instead?

See a BACK PAIN specialist that will properly assess your movement!  Most of the time, the root cause of your problem comes from a lack of flexibility, strength, or body awareness with movement.

Work in direct collaboration with your specialist to come up with a personal plan to help you restore mobility, strength and awareness.

Make sure your specialist looks at YOU, and does NOT only see you as another “back injury”.  A plan that fits you, your body, and your lifestyle is the BEST way to properly heal your back.

If you want to consult with a back pain specialist here at Balance and Body Restoration, click this link to “How we help you” page to our website to learn about our step-by step process in how we are able to help YOU get out of pain and get back to the activities you love. 

If you would like more information about how to end back pain naturally, without relying on painkillers or risking surgery, download our free back pain report here!

Click this link and click on the Orange Button to claim your FREE BACK PAIN REPORT here!

To better health and quality of life!

Kevin Mao DPT

Kevin Mao, PT, DPT
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