Although being physically active decreases the risk of lower back pain, there are no guarantees.  Unfortunately, nobody can fend off the possibility of accidents.  There are also certain sports such as cycling, tennis, and golfing that are prone to lower back pain.  Building a strong, stable foundation will allow you to increase your body’s capacity to endure the physical stress of these sports.

Lower back pain is common and also very complex.  There are numerous types of protocols for each variation.  Research has shown for straightforward lower back pain with no radiculopathy, bed rest can actually hurt your outcome.  After your doctor’s evaluation, he/she may recommend you try to move within your constraints.

Stretching and risk of injury are mutually exclusive.  There is even research that static stretching decreases performance when it comes to strength workouts.  If stretching is an important component in your life, before working out do some dynamic stretching.  This will help warm up your muscles and prepare for the activity ahead.  But as far as flexibility and prevention of injury, unfortunately, these two do are not interconnected.

Don’t give up hope.  Maintaining hope is a key component of motivation.  Of course some conditions are tougher than others and therefore may take longer.  No matter the condition, every case either gets better or worse (there is no “staying the same” due to the inescapable process of aging).  When it comes to our body, medical history, age, and daily habits are all contributing  factors to our health.  Therefore, the starting line is different for every patient.  We all may have an ideal as to what health looks like, and for some this can be an overwhelming process. We strongly suggest to patients to focus on continuously improve YOUR current state.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” – Lao Tzu (Chinese Philosopher)

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