In the final part of our series on addressing acute back pain and managing future pains, we are going to address that dreaded day when the pain returns. If you missed the first two parts, you can find part 1 here and part 2 here. Let's dive right in.

#3: Learn how to manage acute back pain if it comes back.

Many people go to chiropractors for back pain, and they can be a great source when paired with exercise & education. But spinal manipulation ("adjustment") effects often have contradictory results and create patient dependence [1]. One study compared postural positioning exercises to spinal manipulations ("adjustments") done by chiropractors. It showed a similar degree of improvement at one month out, but the exercise group needed fewer treatments and 72% were able to manage recurrence themselves [1].

What are "positioning exercises"? Well, for most back pains, it's about finding the position of your spine that most "centralizes" the pain. That is, the position that moves the pain toward the spine. How can you know? Well, as long as your pain isn't related to a recent traumatic event (car accident, fall etc), you can find your preferred direction by repeating various spinal movements. Do 10-20 repetitions in each direction and take note of how your pain reacted. The one that moves the pain toward the spine is the direction you need to move in. Avoid movements that cause more pain in the areas further away from your spine (such as the buttocks, leg or foot).