A Study of Nearly 10,000 Reports Reveals the 24-Hour Risk—and the Truth One Year Later
“When my back hurts, I should rest as much as possible.”
“If I lift something heavy, won’t my back be damaged forever?”
Many people living with low back pain share these fears. However, a large study published in December 2025 in JAMA Network Open challenges this common belief.
By following 416 patients for one year and analyzing 9,757 individual responses, researchers found a surprising result:
short-term pain and long-term disability are completely different things.
1. Why Are We So Afraid of Movement?
Humans naturally tend to believe that events happening close in time are causally related.
For example:
You lift a box → one hour later your back hurts → “Lifting is bad for my back.”
This conclusion feels logical—and the study confirms part of it.
When people increased activities such as lifting, bending, or twisting by one hour, the risk of worsening pain within the next 24 hours increased by about 5–6%.
But here is the key point.
2. Temporary Pain Does NOT Mean Lifelong Disability
The researchers did not only examine short-term pain flare-ups. They also assessed physical disability one year later.
The result was clear:
People who frequently lifted heavy objects or bent their backs were not more likely to be disabled one year later.
In other words, even if certain movements temporarily increase pain, this does not mean that your spine or nerves are being damaged.
Pain after movement is often a short-term reaction, not a sign of permanent harm.
What the Study Teaches Us: The Courage to Lift Your Grandchild
In the discussion section, the researchers give a powerful example:
“There is no need to restrict meaningful activities, such as lifting a grandchild or picking objects up from the floor. Even if pain temporarily increases, this does not worsen long-term health outcomes.”
This message directly challenges fear-based advice that many patients have heard for years.
3. Is Sitting a Savior—or a Trap?
One interesting finding was that more sitting time slightly reduced the risk of pain worsening within 24 hours (odds ratio 0.96).
Short-term benefit:
- Sitting can reduce pain flare-ups.
Long-term reality:
- Sitting does not improve low back pain outcomes after one year.
Even worse, excessive sitting increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality due to a sedentary lifestyle.
So while sitting may help during severe pain, “protecting your back by sitting all day” is not a healthy long-term strategy.
4. Three Evidence-Based Rules for Living With Low Back Pain
Based on this study, how should we live our daily lives?
① Don’t Panic About Pain Flares
If a certain movement causes mild pain, there is no need to panic.
Your back is not as fragile as you think, and temporary pain does not predict long-term damage.
② Prioritize Meaningful Activities
Holding your grandchild, gardening, or playing sports brings joy and purpose.
Avoiding these activities out of fear can significantly reduce quality of life—and this study shows such avoidance is unnecessary.
③ Use Rest Strategically—and Briefly
When pain is severe, sitting and resting is reasonable.
But rest should be temporary, only to get through the worst moment. Once pain eases, gradual movement is essential for overall health.
Conclusion: Your Back Is Tougher Than You Think
For a long time, activity was seen as something that damages the back.
This large study analyzing nearly 10,000 data points tells a different story:
Movement may cause temporary pain, but it does not steal your future mobility or independence.
It is time to move from
“I avoid what I love because of my back”
to
“I understand temporary pain and still enjoy my life.”
Modern science is gently—but firmly—encouraging you forward.
Study Information
Title: Transient and Long-Term Risks of Common Physical Activities in People With Low Back Pain
Journal: JAMA Network Open (2025)
Authors: Pradeep Suri et al.
コメント