September 2026 Healthy News from Hollstrom & Associates Inc: How to Keep Low Back Pain From Becoming a Long-Term Problem

STOPPING LOW BACK PAIN BEFORE IT BECOMES CHRONIC

For most people, a low back pain flare-up settles down within a few weeks, but for nearly 1 in 5 people, that pain sticks aroundand starts interfering with daily life. A major, federally fundedclinical trial called PACBACK, just publishedin JAMA Internal Medicine, closely examined how to stopthat shift from short-term pain to a persistent, life-limitingcondition. (1) Researchers studied1,000 adultswith acute or subacute low back pain who were at increased risk of developing chronic symptoms, comparing usual medical careagainst spinal manipulation, a structured self-management program, and a combination of the two. The self-management program — centered on education, guided exercise, and staying active despite discomfort — proved to be the most effective piece for keeping pain from taking over patients' daily lives over the full year. An accompanying editorial noted that findings like these point toward a larger opportunity: preventing chronic low back pain may depend less on any single treatment and more on making sure patients receiveguideline-recommended care as soon as symptoms begin, before pain has a chance to become entrenched. Why does this matter to your care? Because catching risk factors early allows our clinicians to adjust your plan proactively. (2) At Hollstrom & Associates Inc in Largo, this research reinforceswhat our team already emphasizes — that manual care works best when it's combined withthe right self-care habits. It also explains our approach at Hollstrom & Associates Inc: rather than a standard protocol, we build each treatment plan around your specific pain history, risk factors, and goals, because that kind of individualized care is what leads to outcomes that hold up over time.

CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: LET MOVEMENT BE PART OF YOUR RECOVERY

One well-documented approach for low back pain, Cox® flexion-distraction, uses a gentle, non-thrust motion designed to relieve pressure on the spine while keeping patients moving. A well-known case series of 1,000 patients treated with this method reported encouraging outcomes across a broad range of low back conditions, underscoring the value of an approach that moves with the body's movement rather than against it.    This is consistent with what decades of clinical experience with flexion-distraction has suggested — that non-thrust spinal motion can support recovery without overloading the spine. That approach carries over directly into self-management at home. A recent review of older adults' firsthand experiences with chronic low back pain found that avoiding movement out of fear tends to backfire, making pain and disability worse over time. Here's this month's challenge: pick a single activity you've been avoiding because of your back — a short walk, some light gardening, or simply standing more often during the day — and bring it back into your routine step by step. (4) Add it to the home exercises your chiropractor recommended, and report back at your next visit so your plan can be adjusted if needed. Staying appropriately active, alongside your in-office care, is one of the most valuable things you can do to keep a short-term flare-up from becoming a lasting problem.

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Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nike Taylor on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson  as she shares the frustration of chronic low back pain and the relieving treatment for a patient with chronic low back pain using The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.