Pain messages are created through the interaction between the soft tissue structures of the body and the brain and nervous system. Wherever there is injury or dysfunction in the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments etc), the nervous system becomes more active in those areas in an attempt to protect the body from further injury or damage.

When the stress response is increased for any reason eg mental, emotional or even physical trauma, then the nervous system increases tension throughout the body which also increases the protective reflex spasm in the areas of injury or dysfunction. This has the effect of increasing pain in those already activated tissues. This can become established and lead to the vicious cycle of “pain-spasm-pain” that is recognised by scientists and the medical profession.

In simpler terms, when stress increases, pain also tends to increase, especially in areas where there are ongoing problems. Stress can also be a triggering factor for acute episodes of pain.

The best treatment for back pain is to correct the underlying cause for its development. In many cases the pain is the body’s way of telling you that there is a mechanical dysfunction and unless this is properly diagnosed and corrected, no amount of medications or surgery will provide a lasting cure. See the page 3D-Biomechanics for a better understanding of one of the most common causes of back pain and dysfunction.

Back pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong with the mechanics of your body or the “biomechanics” as we specialists call it. Most pain comes from muscles and nerves and is a result of misalignment, instability and muscle imbalance.

If your back hurts when you exercise it suggests that you need to improve muscle balance and stability. You should correct this type of situation with specifically recommended exercises from your specialist before continuing with general exercise.