Anyone who has had back pain for any length of time will agree that the question of “Why does my back hurt?” is something that for some, becomes a 1 million dollar question.
There are so many reasons, but if I had to choose the most common reasons for back pain that exists over 1 month is the posture you keep or have adjusted to and how you get into and out of painful positions.
Is there perfect posture? In short, no. One of the people that I, professionally have garnered the most amount of knowledge and understanding from in regards to managing and correction of low back pain is Stuart McGill.
The video below is long, but is is also a fantastic watch if you have back pain. Dr McGill is known for his very in-depth explanations but he is worth listening to!
To listen and to take note from Dr McGill, when I work with a patient or client with back pain, my first job is to understand their pain. Why does it happen, How does it happen, When does it happen and when and how did the pain start, Where and in what contexts does it happen and What happens when the person feels pain? If I can answer these questions to start, I know I am on the way to figuring out how to test and how to then decide on what actions I will take to reduce back pain for that person.
What I have found is that you cannot do that in 10, 20, or 30mins. It takes at least 20mins just to listen to a person’s story I find. You need to explore the nooks that exist in thoughts to paint an exact picture, so when we prescribe exercise, treatment or refer for help, we are providing clear and directive information to the person who is in pain. I generally find that it takes between 1.5-2 hours to have a distinct understanding and then provide an exercise program that addresses some or all of the testing results that we have.
So, if you are asking yourself the question of, “Why does my back hurt?” and no one is giving you the answers, I would love to help you try to solve that problem.
For McGill Consultations, I see people on Wednesday and Saturdays (fortnightly). Please let our reception team know you wish to be assessed for a lower back injury and they will organise the rest for you.
Glenn Hansen | Director of Coaching Vector Health & Performance