Back Pain Doesn’t Mean You’re Broken (Part 1): Why Everything You’ve Been Told About Back Pain Is Wrong
- Made 2 Move Team
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
About the Author: Hannah Breal, PT, DPT is the co-owner of Made 2 Move Physical Therapy in Charleston and Charlotte. She helps athletes and active adults rebuild strength, mobility, and confidence so they can move pain-free for life.
READ: “I Can’t Deadlift… I Herniated a Disc” – What I Wish Everyone in Charleston Knew About Back Pain
Back pain is everywhere.
In my five years as a physical therapist at Made 2 Move, I’ve seen countless people with back pain. It’s the #1 reason people come to see us — and it’s not just us.
Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting more than 600 million people. In the U.S., we spend roughly $50 billion every year on back-pain treatments, imaging, and missed work.
So if we’re spending that much, why are people still in pain?
The myths keeping you stuck
If one more post claims the secret to solving back pain is:
“Perfect posture”
“Never rounding your spine”
“My magical hands will fix your alignment”
“Just stretch your psoas”
“This one exercise will heal everything”
…I might actually crash out.
Because if those things worked, we wouldn’t be dropping $50 billion a year on back pain.
We’ve been taught to fear our backs — to keep them flat, still, and “protected.”To panic when we feel them working.
And that fear has consequences: we’ve become weaker, less capable, and more fragile than ever.
The vicious cycle
You tweak your back lifting something light.
You rest, stretch, or get adjusted — it feels better… for now.
You promise to “be careful” next time.
You avoid movements that scare you.
Your back gets weaker → more sensitive → more painful.
Sound familiar?
The truth: your back is built to move
Your back has layers of muscles made for bending, rotating, and extending. They’re designed to handle load — but only if you train them.
Avoiding movement doesn’t protect you. It makes you less prepared for life.
If you want to pick up the dog food, lift weights, or golf without fear,you have to train your back to handle stress — not avoid it.
Next up: how to actually protect your back
In Part 2, we’ll dive into the movements, habits, and mindset shiftsthat actually build a stronger, more confident back.
Ready to Move Without Pain?
At Made 2 Move Physical Therapy, we help active adults, CrossFitters, and runners across Daniel Island, Downtown Charleston, and Charlotte move pain-free and perform their best.
we help active adults, athletes, and weekend warriors build strength, confidence, and freedom through movement — not rest.
We have three convenient locations:
Whether you’re dealing with back pain, recovering from an ACL injury, or just want to train smarter —our team of DPTs can help you move, lift, and live without limitations.
Want to learn how to move better, stay pain-free, and actually understand your body?
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Written by Hannah Breal, PT, DPT, Co-Owner of Made 2 Move Physical Therapy, helping Charleston and Charlotte move pain-free for life.