Some estimates suggest that more than 90 percent of people will deal with back pain at some point in their life, so it’s really no surprise that most people are willing to offer up their two cents when it comes to dealing with and treating back pain. The problem, though, is that not all of those words of advice are backed by sound science or even logical reason. Today, we debunk three of the most common myths about back pain. Here’s a look at three common myths about back pain, and why they’re inaccurate.

Rest is the Best Medicine

Sure, if you have back pain, you might have to take a break from some of the more physical activities for a little bit, but you shouldn’t sit in bed for days on end if you’re dealing with back pain. Rest is generally good for the first 24-48 hours, but after that, you are only deconditioning the muscles in your back. They need to move and strengthen themselves through exercise and activity. This isn’t to say you should go play tackle football a few days after your injury, but work in some tolerable exercise, like walking, light stretching or swimming. For a quicker recovery time, combine rest with exercise.

You Can’t Cure Back Pain, You Can Only Manage It

Some people believe that disc problems and nerve injuries are permanent injuries. We all experience disc degeneration as we age, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fully healed. Rest and anti-inflammatory medications are good non-invasive ways to help manage symptoms of back pain, but they don’t actively treat the underlying cause. Exercise, physical therapy and surgery can all treat the root cause, and they can help reduce back pain. The prospect of surgery can be scary, but when you learn more about the minimally invasive options, you may be surprised to uncover that these procedures can often be performed on an outpatient basis, and they are very low risk for most patients.

Back Pain Runs in the Family

For the vast majority of back ailments, there is no genetic predisposition to back pain. This means you didn’t get your bad back from your mother and father. That said, some habits you pick up from your parents might increase your risk for developing back pain. Some habits that increase your risk of developing back pain include:

• Smoking or use tobacco products
• Eating a poor diet
• Living a sedentary life

So while you can’t choose your genes, you can choose your daily habits, and you should strive for healthy options.

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