Should You Use Your Back When It Hurts? Chronic Back Pain Explained

Chronic back pain is rarely solved by resting, avoiding movement, or “protecting” the spine, and this episode explains why continued use of the back, when done correctly, is often essential for long-term recovery rather than harmful.

Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, addresses one of the most common and misunderstood questions in chronic pain recovery: whether you should continue using your back when it hurts. Dr. Ryan explains why chronic pain differs fundamentally from acute injury, and why immobilization and avoidance often worsen pain over time. He breaks down how fear-based movement patterns, muscle imbalance, and loss of confidence reinforce instability and prolonged pain, and why maintaining gentle, confident movement is critical for keeping spinal support muscles active.

This episode covers:

Why chronic back pain should be treated differently than acute injury

How avoiding movement can weaken spinal support muscles

Why confidence changes neuromuscular firing patterns

The role of muscle imbalance in chronic back pain

Why bed rest is counterproductive for long-term recovery

How gentle, consistent movement supports spinal stability

Why core balance instead of isolation or bracing is the long-term solution

Watch the free Core Balance Masterclass and start your 7-day free trial to experience the Back Anchor lesson firsthand and begin retraining your movement patterns from the inside out: https://www.corebalancetraining.com/masterclass

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