“it’s almost always safe to move with low back pain. Motion is lotion”
“Ninety per cent of low back pain is not linked to one specific structural cause (eg a joint, muscle, ligament or disc) and instead is the result of a number of physical and psychosocial factors, according to Prof O’Sullivan.”
“Scans rarely show the cause of low back pain and so-called ‘abnormal findings’ on scans like disc bulges, disc degeneration and arthritis are common and normal for most people without pain, especially as they get older.”
“90 per cent of low back pain is caused by a combination of physical and non-physical factors including poor sleep, relationship or family stress, job dissatisfaction or financial pressures.”
“the dirty dozen of myths about low back pain. These include “my back hurts a lot so I must have damaged it”, to which Prof O’Sullivan said: “There is lots of pain without injury and low back pain has much more in common with headaches, which we don’t usually associate with injury.”
He also suggested that rather than resting or avoiding carrying or lifting heavy objects to prevent back strain, the best approach is to strengthen the back by finding an exercise that you enjoy and that you will keep doing. “It’s hard to exercise without any pain, but it’s almost always safe to move with low back pain. Motion is lotion and it’s about spending time doing the activity – swimming, pilates, walking, yoga, aqua-aerobics – that you are most comfortable doing and that you will continue to do for a long time.”
https://www.irishtimes.com/health/your-wellness/2024/09/12/low-back-pain-treatment-scans-rarely-show-the-cause-expert-says/
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Lower back pain expert: ‘Scans rarely show the cause’
Posted to FB on 2024-09-12 15:00:45