Back Bay Health

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There Are No Special Exercises For Back Pain

The bad news - there are no special exercises for back pain.
The good news - there are no special exercises for back pain.

If we had a dollar for every time we heard about THE plank, crunch, back extension, mobility drill or breathing exercise that everyone MUST do for their back pain…(🙄)...we might have our student loans paid off. 

Incorporating movement/exercise to manage low back pain and restore function is generally a really F’ing good idea… but that specific approach looks different for everyone. If we took 20 patients who were coming to see us for low back pain, each of their programs would look different because these programs would be based on their individual story, background, physical activity levels, goals and interests. 

Someone may respond really well to squats, someone else might respond well to walking , or side planks, or resting, or stretching or __________. News flash - people are different, and their rehab should look different too. 

No single movement is magical and nothing works for everyone...and that’s ok, it’s actually a good thing. It means we have options for managing pain. 

Many people experiencing low back pain can explore different positions, movements, exercises on their own but others may need guidance from a rehab/movement professional. Either way, don’t let anyone tell you that there’s only one way to do it...