What Does Work for Low Back Pain? The Missing Link the New York Times Didn’t Mention
Recently, the New York Times published an article titled, "What Works for Low Back Pain? Not Much, a New Study Says," painting a bleak picture for the millions suffering from back pain—one of the most common and debilitating conditions worldwide.
Here’s the hopeful truth the article didn’t tell you:
There is something that works—and it's backed by both science and real-world results.
As a physical therapist with over 29 years of experience helping people reclaim their bodies and their lives, I can tell you definitively:
Low back pain can be prevented, managed, and even reversed—when you understand the root cause and how to correct it.
The Real Problem: A Hidden Delay in the Body’s Stabilization System- Two Deep Core Muscles
What most people—and sadly, many in the medical field—don’t realize is that after just one episode of low back pain, the timing of two critical deep core muscles becomes delayed:
*The transversus abdominis (your deep corset muscle)
*The multifidus (the deepest stabilizer in your lower back)
Once these muscles become inhibited, they do not automatically return to proper function—even after the pain subsides, unless you retrain them!
Here's a fun fact: these muscles are supposed to activate before every movement—to stabilize and protect the spine. Without them firing properly, you're left vulnerable to chronic pain, instability, and future injury.
This Is the Missing Link—And It’s Exactly What I Teach in Suck It In
In my new book, Suck It In: The ProvenSolutiontoEliminateLowBackPainForever, I teach readers how to retrain these deep core muscles, step-by-step, in simple language all can follow.
The secret?
You must learn how to engage the transversus abdominis correctly—
Not by "bracing" or bearing down, but by gently drawing it in, like zipping up tight jeans.
This subtle movement triggers the multifidus to activate, restoring the core's ability to support the spine and eliminate pain at its root.
This method is:
Evidence-based
Easy to follow
Life-changing
Thousands of my patients have used this technique to end their chronic pain—many after years of failed treatments.
So, while The New York Times may say not much works for low back pain, I respectfully disagree.
What works is understanding the body, retraining it from the inside out, and restoring the function of the deep core—the right way.
If you or someone you care about is struggling with low back pain, I invite you to explore this simple but powerful solution. Your spine will thank you.
