The Top 5 Causes of Back Pain and How to Treat Them
Back pain can impact movement, disrupt training, and interfere with daily routines. Whether it develops gradually or shows up suddenly, identifying the root cause is essential to creating a plan that actually works—one that doesn’t just mask symptoms, but corrects the issue at its source.
At a high-performance chiropractic and rehabilitation clinic, the goal isn’t just pain relief. It’s about restoring movement, optimizing function, and helping people return to the activities they care about with confidence and strength.
Here are 5 of the most common contributors to back pain—and how they’re addressed in a performance-based rehab setting.
1. Poor Hip Mobility and Core Stability
The hips and core play a major role in stabilizing the spine. Limited mobility or lack of neuromuscular control in these areas can force the back to compensate, leading to stiffness, strain, or irritation.
Treatment Approach: Mobility drills, DNS-based core training, strength training, and corrective movement to retrain how the body distributes load.
2. Prolonged Sitting and Postural Stress
Sustained postures—especially in seated or slouched positions—can create tension in the low back, hips, and shoulders. This often results in chronic discomfort or dull aches.
Treatment Approach: Postural assessments, soft tissue therapy, ergonomic advice, and functional strengthening to support spinal alignment.
3. Disc Irritation or Herniation
Disc-related pain may present as localized discomfort or radiate into the legs. It’s often triggered by repeated flexion, compression, or shear forces.
Treatment Approach: Decompression strategies, DNS protocols, McKenzie-based protocols, spinal stabilization exercises, and progressive loading to build tolerance.
4. Compensation from Past Injuries
Old injuries—even those outside the spine—can cause imbalances that lead to back pain over time. The body adapts, but not always efficiently.
Treatment Approach: Full-body movement screening, gait analysis, and individualized corrective exercises that target asymmetries and dysfunction.
5. Lack of Movement Variability
Repeating the same lifts, sports, or movement patterns without variability can overload specific areas of the spine. Variety matters—especially in training.
Treatment Approach: Introducing strategic movement variability, cross-training ideas, and load management protocols to reduce repetitive stress.
Why a High-Performance Approach Matters
Back pain shouldn’t be treated with a generic plan. At Apex Sport and Spine, treatment is based on biomechanics, movement testing, and a clear roadmap to recovery. It’s about more than just feeling better—it’s about moving better, for the long run.
Your Back Doesn’t Need a Band-Aid. It Needs a Strategy.
For those looking to get to the root cause of their back pain and build strength where it matters most, a performance-based chiropractic approach offers clarity, structure, and lasting results.
Book your movement evaluation today to learn how we can help restore control, reduce pain, and get you back to what you do best.
