Archive for December 2025
Conservative Care for Temporomandibular Disorders
For patients with temporomandibular
disorders, a meta-analysis of data from ten clinical trials found that adding manual therapies—such as those provided by chiropractors—to a conservative, multimodal treatment plan is associated with improvements in jaw pain and maximal mouth opening. Cureus, September 2025
Lifestyle Habits Linked to Low Back Pain
While we normally think of poor posture or improper lifting technique as risk factors for low back pain, lifestyle choices can also set the stage for the condition. In a recent study, researchers found that smoking, alcohol consumption, high body mass index, and dyslipidemia are significantly associated with low back pain, while smoking and physical inactivity are linked to more severe pain and a greater likelihood of progressing to chronic low back pain. PLoS One, July 2025
Read MoreTight Hamstrings Can Contribute to Lower Limb Radicular Pain
Examinations of 30 young
adults, half with lumbar radiculopathy, revealed an association between lower limb radicular pain and hamstring
tightness—even on the asymptomatic side. The findings suggest that healthcare providers should assess hamstring function in patients presenting with radiculopathy, as interventions to address hamstring tightness may be necessary to achieve a satisfactory outcome. Journal of Human Kinetics, May 2025
Incorrect Beliefs About Low Back Pain Can Impede Recovery
Central sensitization is a state
where the nervous system becomes overly reactive, causing the body to amplify pain signals and feel pain more
easily than it should, which can hinder recovery from low back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders. In a sample
of 119 chronic low back pain patients, questionnaires revealed that beliefs inconsistent with current evidence—such
as believing back pain means permanent damage, will inevitably worsen, makes movement unsafe, requires rest, or
leaves little chance of recovery—were associated with higher central sensitization scores, underscoring the
importance of patient education as part of a multimodal treatment approach. Physiotherapy, May 2025
Low Back Pain Reduces Productivity
Among 411 academic and administrative employees at a
university, researchers found that although only 2.3% missed work because of low back pain, nearly 1 in 5 continued
working while in pain, which can hinder productivity. The authors suggest that workplace wellness initiatives could
help reduce the burden of low back pain among staff and, in turn, decrease presenteeism. Work, August 2025
Monthly Pain Update – December 2025
It’s estimated that as many as 50–70% of new mothers experience low back pain and related disability, which can hinder their ability to carry out daily activities such as household chores, self-care, and meeting the physical demands of infant care—including feeding, lifting, and carrying. When severe enough, these physical limitations can contribute to stress, anxiety, and postpartum depression, further interfering with the mother’s ability to bond with her newborn and diminishing her overall quality of life. What are the underlying causes of postpartum low back pain?
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