127 - Low Back Pain Update (with Whitney Lowe & Til Luchau)

In this episode, Til and Whitney dive into strategies for addressing low back pain (LBP) with hands-on work, exploring LBP's prevalence, causes, and treatments. Sharing the insights they've gained from experts such as Nikolai Bogduk, Stewart McGill, Paul Hodges, Lorimer Moseley, Helene Langevin and Antonio Stecco, they lay out the diverse views on both the structural and non-mechanical origins of LBP.
Key Topics:
1. Prevalence of low back pain
Over 60-70% of people have episodes of low back pain at some point [01:51]
Leading cause of disability worldwide
Huge economic impact
2. Potential evolutionary factors contributing to low back pain
Transition to bipedalism and upright posture
Differences in spinal curvature and hip mobility between cultures [05:45]
3. Causes and contributors to low back pain - [07:39]
Overemphasis on disc and structural issues in the past
Importance of comprehensive evaluation beyond just structural issues
Role of soft tissue, muscular, and neural factor
4. Influence of practitioner perspective and confidence on outcomes [30:20]
Importance of the therapeutic relationship and rapport
Unexpected interventions can sometimes be effective [35:53]
5. Personal experiences with low back pain
Overuse vs. underuse/immobility as contributors
Debates about the significance of posture, load, and context [41:31]
Limits of expertise vs. scope of practice for massage therapists
Get the show notes and full transcript at a-t.tv/the-thi...
Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences. With Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau.
(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)