1. Why won’t my back pain go away?

This is one of the most frustrating things I hear from patients.

They’ve rested. They’ve stretched. They’ve tried exercises online. They’ve taken medication. Maybe they’ve even had injections. And yet the pain keeps coming back.

Sometimes the problem isn’t that you haven’t done enough. It’s that nobody has figured out what is actually keeping the problem going.

That’s what I want to investigate during an evaluation—rather than simply giving you another
exercise and hoping it works.

2. Should I exercise with lower back pain?

Often, yes—but the right type and amount of exercise matters. Exercise isn’t automatically good just because it’s exercise. If a particular movement repeatedly aggravates your symptoms, we need to understand why and modify your approach.

The goal isn’t to be afraid of movement. The goal is to gradually build your body’s capacity so that everyday activities stop feeling threatening or overwhelming.

3. Why does my back keep “going out”?

Usually, your back isn’t randomly “going out.” There is often a pattern behind recurring episodes—how you’re moving, lifting, loading your body, recovering, or responding to previous injuries.

That doesn’t mean there’s one single muscle or joint that is “out of place.”

Instead of constantly treating the flare-up, I want to understand why your back keeps getting overloaded in the first place.

4. Why does my neck hurt every morning?

Morning neck pain can have several possible contributors. Your sleeping position, pillow, prolonged positioning, joint stiffness, muscle sensitivity, or how your neck is being loaded overnight can all play a role.

But if you’re waking up with significant pain every morning, I’d rather figure out what’s contributing to it than simply tell you to buy another pillow.

5. Is physical therapy better than cortisone shots for back pain?

They’re different tools for different situations. An injection may help reduce pain and inflammation in the appropriate patient, but it doesn’t necessarily address the movement, strength, or functional factors that may be contributing to recurring symptoms.

Physical therapy focuses on helping you move better, build capacity, and become more confident using your body.

Sometimes an injection and physical therapy are even used together. The goal shouldn’t be “PT versus injections.” The goal should be finding the treatment that makes the most sense for you.

6. How long does it take for physical therapy to fix back pain?

I wish there were one honest number I could give everyone—but there isn’t. Some people improve within a few visits. Others have been dealing with their problem for years and require more time. Your timeline depends on what’s actually causing your symptoms, how long you’ve had them, your physical findings, and how your body responds to treatment.

I’m much more interested in whether you’re making meaningful progress than promising you that you’ll be “fixed” in X visits.

7. Should I rest or keep moving with back pain?

In most cases, prolonged bed rest isn’t the answer. Your body generally benefits from appropriate movement—but appropriate is the important
word. You may need to temporarily modify certain activities while continuing to move in ways your body can tolerate.

The goal is to gradually get you back to the things you want to do rather than teaching you to avoid movement forever.