Have you ever worried or been told that your posture is “bad” or that a curved or slouched back means something is wrong? The good news is that there is no perfect or normal posture. Everyone’s bodies naturally vary and the spine is designed to move and adapt to different positions throughout the day.

The presentation of back pain can be worrying, frustrating and exhausting. It can arrive suddenly or build gradually over time. It can understandably lead to questions of “what have I damaged?” and “If I move will I make it worse?”

Pain is real but is not a reliable indicator to measure tissue damage. Pain is an interpretation of an electrical signal produced by the nervous system in response to changes in mechanical, thermal and chemical inputs. Your brain and spinal cord can turn up or down the sensitivity to these inputs. Stress, poor sleep, fear, worrying beliefs and focusing closely on pain can increase sensitivity. To start turning the volume down it is important to understand your pain, impro

The back is much stronger and more resilient than we give it credit for. The spine is not a fragile structure that needs to be protected from movement or load. In fact, it is designed to move and tolerate substantial forces throughout the day.

Your spine does best when you keep it moving. For most longstanding back pain, extended rest actually delays recovery whereas staying active promotes recovery.