Remaining active with back pain is widely undertaken

The benefits of exercise for back pain have previously been discussed, but perhaps at a more basic level, remaining active with LBP is commonly advised by health practitioners and there are high profile examples frequently observed.

In the sporting world we see participants continuing to compete despite challenging back conditions. Aussie golfer, Jason Day has continued to participate in PGA events despite battling lumbar disc annular tears over recent months. Day describes playing despite a bit of “sharp pain in my back” and appears to display acceptance with comments such as “it is what it is”.

And many sports fans will remember Michael Clarke playing pull shots in the later stages of his cricketing career despite a documented degenerative lumbar condition. Even though Clarke has to continue to manage his condition following retirement, he suggests these conditions can be managed with a maintenance of activity.

These examples indicate that high level activity can still be performed despite pain due to back conditions. It is acknowledged that health professionals are closely involved with high level sports people, and in many cases consultation with a health professional such as a physiotherapist makes sense to discuss strategies for pain management and activity routine.

Matthew has been working with Advance Healthcare for 10 years and is now the Team Leader of our Pain Management program at Bundoora. He is currently close to completing his PhD on treatment for back pain patients with complex psychosocial and neurophysiological barriers to recovery.