Because of social media, there’s a multitude of information circulating out there about back pain.

However, a lot of this information isn’t supported by strong research.

Here are 10 facts every person should know about back pain:
1️⃣ Persistent back pain can be scary, but it’s rarely dangerous
2️⃣ Getting older is not a cause of back pain
3️⃣ Persistent back pain is rarely associated with serious tissue damage
4️⃣ Scans rarely show the cause of back pain
5️⃣ Pain with exercise and movement doesn’t mean you are doing harm
6️⃣ Back pain is not caused by poor posture
7️⃣ Back pain is not caused by a ‘weak core’
8️⃣ Backs do not wear out with everyday loading and bending
9️⃣ Pain flare-ups don’t mean you are damaging yourself
🔟 Injections, surgery and strong drugs usually aren’t a cure.

Some health practitioners—perhaps unknowingly—contribute to the spread of misinformation.

So, make sure to have a healthy level of scepticism.

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References:
1. O’Sullivan et al. (2020) (PMID: 31892534)