05/18/2026
A recent study summarized the most common myths about back pain in older adults, which in my opinion mostly can be generalized to all adults, and are important to understanding your pain and what is causing it.
Here’s the brief summary below👇
1️⃣ MYTH: Back pain is inevitable with aging
TRUTH: Common but not inevitable; Prevalence levels off after age 60
2️⃣ MYTH: Back pain usually indicates serious disease in older adults
TRUTH: Serious conditions 50 with LBP
TRUTH: Imaging without red flags can cause more harm than good
4️⃣ MYTH: Let the pain guide you. Avoid lifting, twisting and bending with LBP TRUTH: Activity promotes recovery; inactivity worsens outcomes. Pain with activity does not usually cause harm.
5️⃣ MYTH: Bed rest is recommended for back pain
TRUTH: Bed rest can cause more harm than good for back pain
6️⃣ MYTH: Medication should be first-line treatment
TRUTH: Non-pharmacological treatments are recommended as first line treatment
7️⃣ MYTH: Surgery is effective for back dominant primary back pain
TRUTH: Surgery not recommended for primary back-dominant pain and can cause more harm than good
8️⃣ MYTH: Chronic LBP in older adults is always due to structural damage
TRUTH: Structural changes poorly correlates with presence of back pain. Psychosocial factors play major role
9️⃣ MYTH: Injections, ablation and nerve blocks are highly effective
TRUTH: The benefits are no better than sham treatment with increased adverse events in older adults
1️⃣0️⃣ MYTH: Disc herniations commonly cause leg pain in older adults
TRUTH: Less common as we age; clinical signs more reliable than imaging
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