Back pain ‘shock’ stretches the truth

WHILE perusing social media recently, I came across an article titled “Chiropractors shocked, this simple stretch can end decades of back pain!”

It’s an eye-catching headline, isn’t it? It’s a shame, though, that not everything you read on the internet is accurate. In this case, the accurate part is the fact that stretches are great at relieving back pain. The inaccurate part is the statement that chiropractors are shocked.

Back pain is a major health problem that has hit the headlines again recently thanks to a series of articles in The

Lancet medical journal. The series discusses the fact that medical research is struggling to figure out why back pain is increasing in prevalence, unable to provide prevention strategies, and alarmed by its rising burden on society.

On top of this, the researchers conclude that we are spending too much money on expensive tests and failing to find an effective drug treatment. The articles from

The Lancet do have some recommendations on how to treat back pain, however, such as exercise, physical therapy (chiropractic, massage, physiotherapy etc.), and – you guessed it – stretching.

Stretches can be very effective at relieving back pain associated with muscle tension. One tip is to avoid any stretch (or movement for that matter) that creates a sharp pain.

If you find that stretching isn’t helping, consult a health professional such as your local chiropractor for further assessment, treatment and advice on how to improve your situation. Shockingly, you may even be prescribed some different stretches to try.