A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that the best treatment for low back pain was exercise. It would be great if the answer was that simple, just to exercise and everything will be better. However we all know life is not that easy, if it was no one would be going to the doctor and no one would have ongoing problems with pain.

Anyone who has had low back pain that did not go away quickly has struggled with finding the answer of what is wrong and what should be done about it. Every patient that comes and sees a specialist for back pain is asking the same questions. Most have tried to exercise, but for many it just doesn’t work. The main reason is because pain extremely complex, and when it does not go away easily, there are usually complex interactions occurring between multiple structures perpetuating pain signals. Studies that show simple solutions to back pain often concern only a small segment of those people who have problems. These are people with muscle strains and no other structural, psychological or nervous system changes affecting the lumbar region.

Best Bet For Back Pain

Simple problems like muscle strains, no matter where they are in the body, tend to heal. The best solution is often exercise to promote structural repair and to strengthen the muscle so that it is not re-injured. Sometimes one can do this on their own and at other times working with a trainer or other healthcare professional is necessary. The key here is that the damage is not permanent and can be reversed with the proper care.

Those who have complex pain often need a more comprehensive treatment plan. The first step is finding a good expert who can determine what is causing problems and devise an overall management strategy. Complex problems often have components that are not reversible, such as general age-related joint or disc degeneration. The goal then becomes how does one manage the symptoms and keep them from interfering with other functions. It often takes multiple different things from drugs, injections, exercise and possibly surgery to control the problem. Essential to treatment in most cases is of some type of exercise. Movement keeps the body healthy and often improves healing of most structures in the body including the back. Exercise is definitely one of the most important elements toward healing a sore back, but doing the right type and intensity along with other interventions from medical providers is often necessary. If a sore back does not get better with simple exercise, seek out expert medical advice.