Article by the Drummond Team

It’s no secret that back pain can be debilitating! You may be reading this thinking “but I’ve  tried every remedy out there and nothing works for me – and who are YOU to say this?”

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’ who use the power of physiotherapy to ‘transform lives, maximise independence and empower populations.’ Their approach demonstrates how to tackle the myths about back pain: 

Read below to pledge your bets on the winner….

Round 1

Myth #1  – ‘Moving will make my back pain worse’ Vs ‘Motion is lotion’

Although it is true that some movements can be uncomfortable when you have back pain, it is well established that returning to movement and work as soon as you are able, is better for recovery and preventing recurrence than bed rest. If you hear our clinicians say ‘MotionisLotion’ this is what they are referring to. 

Result: #Motionislotion is the clear Winner 🙂

Round 2

Myth #2 – I should avoid exercise, especially weight training Vs Stronger for longer

Exercise is generally accepted amongst all respected authorities to be the best modality for treating low back pain in both the acute and chronic phases. Studies have shown great benefits and long-term safety of various types of exercises including high load resistance training. Interestingly, no one type of exercise proves to be better or worse, this is where understanding you and your goals is fundamental as clinicians can guide you through this process and facilitate your self management strategies. #StrongerForLonger

Result: #Strongerforlonger is the clear winner 🙂

 

 

Round 3

Myth #3 – A scan will tell me exactly what’s wrong 

There is a large and growing body of research that shows that not only do results of scans correlate poorly with symptoms in people with Low Back Pain, but also that most people without Low Back Pain have changes on scans and x-rays that do not cause any symptoms at all. For these reasons and more, imaging alone isn’t capable of telling us exactly why someone is experiencing pain. Of course this does not mean that all MRI scans are irrelevant in all cases, but it does mean that they are not always necessary or helpful. 

Result: #ThePlanNotTheScan is the clear winner 🙂

Round 4

Myth #4 – Pain equals damage vs Sore but safe

 

The level of pain experienced is very rarely proportional to the amount of injury sustained to the back. Pain is far more complex than this, as pain levels are a reflection of how threatened each human perceives itself to be. For example, past experiences, general health factors, beliefs, sleep and exercise levels as well as psychological wellbeing, all play important parts in how much pain each individual might experiences. 

 

Result: #SoreButSafe is the clear winner 🙂

The Gloves are Off!!

Source: The CSP