Health Blog
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?
How Common Is Back Pain Among Adolescents?
Using data from the Global Burden of Disease
study, researchers estimate that 38 million teenagers—about 1 in 33 teens worldwide—experience a new case of low
back pain each year and at any given point in the year, 19 million have the condition.
Journal of Pain Research, June 2025
Hip Problems May Play a Role in Disabling Low Back Pain
In a study of 79 patients receiving
treatment for severe hip disorders, researchers found that many who also had disabling low back pain experienced
significant improvements in back pain and function after treatment. The findings highlight how dysfunction in one
part of the body can contribute to musculoskeletal problems in neighboring regions. Hip International, June 2025
Monthly Pain Update – November 2025
While there are many potential causes of low back pain in older adults, one of the most common—especially among women—is vertebral compression fracture (VCF). By age 80, up to 30% of women and 20% of men will have sustained at least one VCF. Interestingly, only about one-third of cases produce acute, noticeable pain. The remainder are either asymptomatic or go undiagnosed due to lack of imaging or because other pain-generating conditions such as osteoarthritis or spinal stenosis may mask the fracture. The type of treatment to address the injury depends largely on whether the fracture is stable or unstable.
Headaches Are a Common Reason Patients Seek Chiropractic Care
An analysis of 20 days of visit data from 695 Danish chiropractors found that 12% of all new patient consultations involved headaches, with half of those cases presenting headache as the primary reason for seeking care. Previous studies suggest that chiropractic treatment can reduce the intensity, frequency, and duration of several headache types, including cervicogenic, tension-type, and migraine headaches. Cephalalgia, August 2025
Upper Cervical Spine Dysfunction Can Affect Neck and Shoulder Movement
New research suggests that mobility restrictions in the joint connecting the base of the skull to the first cervical vertebra (the atlas) may cause persistent motor control deficits affecting both the neck and upper limbs. Restoring normal motion at this atlanto-occipital joint—through interventions such as chiropractic care—could help improve neck and shoulder mobility. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, July 2025
Neck-Focused Treatment Eases TMD Pain
A meta-analysis of fourteen randomized
controlled trials found that combining manipulative therapies with therapeutic exercises—an approach
commonly used by chiropractors—to address cervical dysfunction in patients with temporomandibular
disorders (TMD) can significantly reduce jaw pain and improve maximum mouth opening.
Journal of Stomatology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, August 2025
Why Some Older Adults Respond More Slowly to Chiropractic Care
While chiropractic care can effectively manage many musculoskeletal disorders—including low back pain—some older patients recover more slowly than others. A recent study found that age itself is not a determining factor; rather, older adults are more likely to present with characteristics linked to delayed recovery, such as higher baseline disability, musculoskeletal comorbidities, poorer self-rated health, and depression.
Monthly Pain Update – October 2025
Low back pain can arise from a variety of structures in the lower back. When symptoms include pain, tingling, numbness, and/or burning that radiates into the buttock, thigh, calf, or foot, a potential cause may be injury to one or more intervertebral disks. These disks function to stabilize the lumbar spine, absorb forces, and facilitate its range of motion.
Managing Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder Pain
For patients with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain, a recent systematic review concluded that a multi-modal approach that includes manual therapies and shoulder-specific exercises is the most effective non-invasive treatment approach for improving pain and function. Journal of Clinical Medicine, July 2025