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Keep calm! 90% of low back pain Isn’t dangerous. Here’s How to avoid chronic pain!
- Yannick Sarton
- Oct 30, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common health complaints worldwide. Almost everyone will experience it at least once in their lifetime. Yet despite how frequent it is, only a small proportion of people go on to develop chronic low back pain.
Understanding what low back pain really means, avoiding fear-driven reactions, and responding appropriately in the early phase can significantly reduce the risk of long-term problems. This article explains why most low back pain is not dangerous and how to prevent it from becoming chronic.
Understanding Low Back Pain
Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common health complaints worldwide. Almost everyone will experience it at least once in their lifetime. Yet despite how frequent it is, only a small proportion of people go on to develop chronic low back pain.
Understanding what low back pain really means, avoiding fear-driven reactions, and responding appropriately in the early phase can significantly reduce the risk of long-term problems. This article explains why most low back pain is not dangerous and how to prevent it from becoming chronic.
Education as a Protective Factor
Patient education is crucial in preventing the chronicity of low back pain. Understanding that LBP doesn’t always signal severe injury and that it can often improve naturally helps patients maintain a positive mindset. The knowledge that LBP can resolve on its own is empowering, enabling patients to take control over their recovery.
Low Back Pain Without Neurological Signs Is Rarely Dangerous
The vast majority of acute low back pain cases are musculoskeletal. This means the pain originates from joints, muscles, ligaments, or discs without serious involvement of the nervous system.
In the absence of red flags such as significant loss of muscle strength, progressive numbness, altered bladder or bowel control, or severe neurological deficits, low back pain is generally not dangerous. Most people do not have structural damage that requires surgery or invasive intervention.
Surgical treatment is reserved for a very small group of patients, typically those with clear nerve compression causing major functional impairment. For most individuals, conservative management and time are sufficient to allow recovery.
Understanding this reality helps patients avoid catastrophizing and unnecessary medical escalation.
Why Reassurance Matters
The vast majority of acute low back pain cases are musculoskeletal. This means the pain originates from joints, muscles, ligaments, or discs without serious involvement of the nervous system.
In the absence of red flags such as significant loss of muscle strength, progressive numbness, altered bladder or bowel control, or severe neurological deficits, low back pain is generally not dangerous. Most people do not have structural damage that requires surgery or invasive intervention.
Surgical treatment is reserved for a very small group of patients, typically those with clear nerve compression causing major functional impairment. For most individuals, conservative management and time are sufficient to allow recovery.
Understanding this reality helps patients avoid catastrophizing and unnecessary medical escalation.
Why Some Low Back Pain Becomes Chronic
Chronic low back pain is usually defined as pain lasting longer than three months. Importantly, chronicity is rarely explained by tissue damage alone.
Psychological and behavioral factors play a major role. Fear of movement, negative beliefs about pain, and misunderstanding the condition can lead to excessive rest and avoidance. When movement is avoided, tissues and the nervous system receive less stimulation, which can increase sensitivity over time.
This process often creates a vicious cycle: pain leads to fear, fear leads to inactivity, and inactivity reinforces pain perception. This is sometimes described as a “snowball effect,” where pain becomes more persistent and more intrusive despite minimal physical findings.
Movement and Confidence Are Key to Recovery
Staying active within tolerable limits is one of the most effective ways to prevent low back pain from becoming chronic. Gentle movement reassures the nervous system, maintains tissue health, and restores confidence in the body’s ability to function.
Correcting misconceptions about back pain is essential. Movement does not mean harm, and discomfort does not necessarily indicate injury. Gradual exposure to activity helps the brain reinterpret signals and reduces pain sensitivity over time.
A guided approach that combines reassurance, education, and progressive movement is often the most effective strategy for long-term recovery.
Conclusion
Calm, Knowledge, and Early Action Make the Difference
Low back pain is common, but chronic low back pain is not inevitable. In most cases, back pain is not dangerous and does not reflect serious structural damage.
Early reassurance, accurate information, and maintaining movement are key factors in preventing chronicity. Avoiding fear-based reactions and understanding how pain works allows the nervous system to settle rather than amplify symptoms.
If low back pain persists, worsens, or raises concerns, professional guidance can help clarify the situation and support recovery. But for the majority of people, staying calm, informed, and active is the most powerful treatment available.
I provide structured and evidence-based online physiotherapy for patients worldwide, offering clinical assessment, diagnosis, and personalised rehabilitation.
I also receive patients in person at my physiotherapy clinic in Phnom Penh.
You can begin your online physiotherapy session through the dedicated platform:
More information on clinical standards and supporting evidence is available here:
Yannick Sarton, MSc Physiotherapist
International Online Physiotherapy & In-Clinic Care, Phnom Penh
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