What To Do If Your Back Goes Out
By Dean Moyer
Author of Rebuild Your Back
The first thing you should do if your back goes out is call Ripley's Believe it or Not because you'll be the first person in history to ever have this actually occur.
But seriously, the first thing to do when the pain is killing you is to realize that your back didn't go anywhere at all. It didn't slip, it isn't dislocated and it certainly didn't "go out" as the expression seems to imply.
What happens in most back injuries is nothing more than a strained or sprained ligament. The amount of pain you feel is directly proportional to the extent to which you've strained or torn this poor ligament and the situation is no more serious than a sprained ankle.
In fact, it can usually be treated in exactly the same manner.
So Why Do You Have a Bad Back?
The reason many people develop what we affectionately call a bad back is because when that torn ligament heals it leaves a scar. And that scar is not going to be as elastic as a fresh young uninjured ligament. It won't be able to stretch as far as before and, therefore, you lose some range of motion.
The next time you exceed this scarred ligament's range of motion you will inevitably tear the ligament again usually in a different place. When this new injury heals, it too will leave a scar.
Repeat this often enough and before long you will wind up with a very stiff, badly scarred ligament that you injure every time you bend the wrong way or try to lift something heavy.
In laymen's terms, you have built yourself a bad back.
The Good News
The good news is that this type of back problem is very easy to correct.
Oh sure, there is more that can go wrong with your back than just torn ligaments, but the point I want to make is that rebuilding your back will be a simple matter once you get a handle on what is really happening.
Once you learn the truth about what's wrong with your back you can then -- and only then -- take the appropriate steps to correct the situation. Only when you have an accurate picture, can you ever hope to make accurate choices.
Rebuilding your back is very simple and it's very easy to understand. You can learn everything you need to know about your back in a very short time. And, once you learn what is really wrong with your back, you can then begin to rebuild it.
Clearing Out The Cobwebs
The main thing I want you to come away with is this; if you're going to rebuild your back, it's important that you rid your mind of false concepts and old wives tales. You won't get very far thinking that your back went out when, in fact, that is a total impossibility.
You need accurate information and a clear plan if you're ever going to succeed.
I don't know where the expression "my back went out" came from but it was probably the same place as the equally false notion of the slipped disk. Both of these fictitious conditions are not based on medically sound concepts and should be discarded from your vocabulary. (Not to mention your thought process and your treatment strategy.)
Armed with knowledge, you can begin to make clear choices and wise decisions.
Take care,
Dean
About the Author
Dean Moyer is the author of the books, Rebuild Your Back, Rebuild Your Neck and The Pain Relief Manual. Copies of his books are available exclusively through this website. Read more...
 Rebuild Your Back Second Edition |
 Rebuild Your Neck |
 The Pain Relief Manual |
Last updated: Feb 14, 2009