Your spine is strong!

It is designed to move in every direction, bend, twist, and carry heavy things.

One of the most common lower back injuries I see in clinic tends to come from too much flexion (forward movement). Think about it: if you sleep in the foetal position, then sit for breakfast, then drive to work, and then sit all day in a chair, you’re not giving your spine the opportunity to move in other directions.

Over time, the muscles involved in flexion, such as the iliopsoas and quadriceps, can become dominant and constantly “switched on.” This can prevent other key muscles, like your gluteals and deep abdominal muscles, from doing their job properly.

That’s why at Clifton Pure Physio, Physiotherapist Síofra not only helps resolve back pain but also provides guidance and exercises to address postural imbalances, with the aim of reducing recurrence.

If you want to get really nerdy about it…

In 2015, a literature review published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology by Brinjikji et al., titled: “A Systematic Literature Review of Imaging Features of Spinal Degeneration in Asymptomatic Populations” which looked at 33 studies involving over 3,000 people who had an MRI of their lumbar spine and had NO back pain.

The results showed that degenerative findings were extremely common, even in pain-free individuals:

At age 30:

• 52% had disc degeneration

• 40% had disc bulges

At age 40:

• 68% had disc degeneration

• 50% had disc bulges

At age 50:

• 80% had disc degeneration

• 60% had disc bulges

At age 60:

• 88% had disc degeneration

• 69% had disc bulges

  
  

So approximately 70% of people with no back pain had something “abnormal” on MRI.

MRI is absolutely helpful in certain situations. Especially if there are neurological symptoms (pins and needles, numbness, shooting pain), trauma, night pain, worsening symptoms, or other red flags.

But it is not the be-all and end-all.

It’s important to treat the person, not just the scan, and to help build strength, resilience, and capacity to improve function.

So next time you have lower back pain and think you might need an MRI, consider seeing your physio first.

Most of the time, your spine is not “damaged”. It’s normal age-related change, just like a wrinkle on the inside.

And remember:

Even gentle movement is usually better than complete rest for lower back pain.