No matter which way you look at it back pain is a pain! It has the capacity to impact on every facet of your life. Given half the chance everyone from your grandmother to the supermarket checkout lady will give you their opinion on your back pain and what you should be doing to make it better.
Here are a few are a few of the common myths that surround back pain and what we think of them as physiotherapists at In Stride Health Clinic:
1. Movement is dangerous and will make my back worse?
• The earlier you can get yourself walking, moving and working the better your recovery and prevention is likely to be
• Some movements such as twisting and bending should be avoided in the early days following back injury but with a tailored physiotherapy rehabilitation program you should be back doing the things you love in a matter of weeks
2. All exercise should be avoided especially going to the gym?
• It is accepted that exercise is the best treatment for acute and chronic lower back pain
• There is no one exercise that is better than another
• Do what you enjoy and what you feel works - so if lifting those weights is what you love best then visit your physiotherapist to help guide you back to where you want to be
3. Scans, scans, scans have all the answers?
• Scans do not always equal your presenting symptoms
• Most people will have some sort of change on a scan but will not have symptoms
• A scan alone will not give you all the answers and should be used in conjunction with a thorough assessment
• Your physiotherapist is an expert all things muscle, bone and joint so is in an excellent position to help you workout what is happening with your back
4. Any pain is bad pain and will cause damage?
• Pain is very complex and everyones experience of pain is different
• Pain does not always indicate injury and is more a reflection of how threatened you feel by the injury or situation
• Many things influence your experience of pain including your past experience, sleep, general health, beliefs and exercise
So, if your back pain doesn’t settle quickly (within a week or two with the tricks you’d normally use) it's time to get it looked at. Make an appointment to see one of our physiotherapists Aemilia, Joel, Brooke or Lewis at In Stride Health Clinic to get your back back on track.
Acknowledgements:
• The Charted Society Of Physiotherapy