Episode # 136
Wow, I had an MRI done on my back and I talk about my surprising results in this episode. I’ve had some previous back issues- a snowboarding injury and a mid back problem with my rib that developed during pregnancy. A couple times in the last few years that my back “went out” for a few days (last time was over a year ago.) I do not have chronic back pain, and I do not have to restrict my activity. But if I had pain and numbness and these same MRIs results, I could qualify for disability. MRI and X Ray results actually do not accurately predict the amount of pain someone is in. Structural changes in the body are actually normal with age. And addressing normal degenerative changes with surgery is really nothing more than a placebo. We now know it’s common for pain free people to have bulging discs, torn rotator cuffs, torn meniscus of the knee, hip labral tears. We just haven’t been doing MRI’s on pain free people to see that. Below are some of the research articles I mentioned: -Takatalo- 50% of healthy 21 year old Finns had at least one degenerative disc and 25% had a bulging disc. -Boos- 73% of adults without back pain had bulging discs. -Briggs- hip labral tears in 89% of pain free young athletes 16 years of age or older, & 56% of pain free athletes 16 years or younger. -S Rajasekaran- Delivery of MRI results affects pain and healing. -Karayannis Fear of movement is associated with trunk stiffness. If you are a woman experiencing chronic neck or back pain, I am forming a group especially for you! Details to come soon.