In this series of blog posts I’ve been summarising some myths and misconceptions around back pain.  We’ve seen that things commonly thought to lead to bad backs like poor posture, spinal deviations, too much sitting, lifting or twisting and carrying heavy school bags if you’re a child are not especially dangerous at all.  Further, the evidence is apparently telling us that protective behaviours people with back pain often adopt, like avoidance of exercise or particular movements, resting in bed and adopting altered postures are not helpful and may make matters worse.​

So what about when we try to do something to ease back pain, are there myths and misconceptions here too? Yes, there are. 

How many times have you heard someone with a sore back say, “Oh, my back is out again?  Clients who say this to me usually mean that some component of their back has shifted to a new and uncomfortable position.  These people believe their pain will be relieved when this component is put back where it should be.

This is wrong on both counts.