People seem to blame their “weak core” or a tight/weak group of muscles in the lumbar area (like “QL” Quadratus Lumborum) for their lower back pain. Do you think Tiger Woods or LeBron James have a weak core? Pro Athletes get back pain at the same rate as the general population. This is where the “weak core” ideology falls short and just does not stand up to scrutiny. Sadly this way of thinking has been perpetuated by therapists, doctors, and trainers for YEARS! The old way of thinking was that if the core was weak the spine wasn’t stable. Some trainers and therapists even think that the muscles need to fire in a certain order or else you’re doomed to have back pain. That’s just plain ridiculous and there is NO EVIDENCE to support this notion. Don’t get me wrong – stronger is always better but it definitely is not a cure for back pain. What does work then? You might be able to avoid or reduce the likelihood of back pain if you optimize: Movement, Flexibility, Lifestyle, Body Mass Index, Emotional Health, Stress Levels, and Sleep. Being human predisposes people to back pain. It is pretty normal to have bouts of it from time to time. But if it ever becomes debilitating or lasts for more than a few days, you should get it checked out by someone who can assess all contributing factors and uses current evidence to support treatment. At Bonavista Physio, we use a SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN assessment method called MDT (Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy). MDT is a comprehensive, evidence-based system of assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention strategies aimed at patient education and independence. MDT is a classification system that seeks to differentiate between mechanical and non-mechanical sources of pain and functional limitation. Once it has been determined that there is a mechanical component to your back pain, MDT is known to show results in as little as two to three visits. 82% of back pain is rapidly reversible using this method. Therefore, MDT approach is cost-efficient, minimizes the need for expensive tests or procedures and there are no needles, no injections, no surgery. Through this process of assessment and treatment you will learn what works for you and how to prevent and treat your own back pain. No matter what treatment you have tried or are currently using if there is only temporary relief and you need to keep going back week after week – try something different. If the treatment works, you should need it less and less. You should get better and stay better.
