Move Differently. Hurt Less. Here's the Science. Brain and Spine.

Back pain has a way of showing up unasked-for and overstaying its welcome — but if you're keen to do something about it, the science is getting excitingly specific about what works, and your nervous system is a bigger part of that story than most people realize.

YOUR BRAIN IS PART OF THE PAIN PROBLEM (AND THE SOLUTION)

The science has a truly interesting answer: back pain isn't always solely a structural issue. A lot of what you feel is formed by how your nervous system handles pain signals — and that handling can be trained as the 2026 pilot study published in Pain Management by Billens and colleagues points out. They put sedentary adults through one of two programs: a moderate-intensity running program or a high-intensity strength program for 10 weeks. Then researchers gauged how participants' nervous systems were handling pain. The outcomes? Individual responses suggested decreased pain inhibition following moderate-intensity training and enhanced pain inhibition after high-intensity training — meaning the higher-intensity group showed signs that their nervous systems got better at dampening pain signals. Small study, yes, but a compelling early signal that how hard you exercise may impact how loudly your body transmits pain. (1) We want to you to know that this is new info, and that we encourage movement. Period. Walking is great! Maybe making more intense exercise would be a goal for you…or not! Moriarty Chiropractic is here to share interesting new info!

NOW, ABOUT YOUR SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (YES, THIS GETS INTERESTING!)

Okay, bear with us here — because this part is actually kind of wild. Your sympathetic nervous system is the part of your biology that kept your ancestors alive — always ready, always on alert. Useful when a bear is chasing you. Less useful when it's chronically triggered by stress, poor sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle. Turns out, animal studies suggest that elevated sympathetic nervous system activity can accelerate bone loss — and the human story is probably not that different. (2) That's the basis behind CHILL BONES — yes, that's the real name of a real clinical trial — described in BMJ Open in 2025 by Collier, Beck, Sabapathy, and Weeks. The trial mixes high-intensity resistance and impact training with mind-body exercise (think: tai chi), examining whether calming the nervous system while loading the skeleton generates better bone and spinal outcomes than either approach on its own. Among the outcomes being tracked: lumbar spine bone mineral density. Mind-body exercise may be utilized to modulate sympathetic activity, which could have an additive benefit for skeletal adaptation when used alongside high-intensity resistance and impact training. The full results aren't in yet, but the thinking behind it is truly exciting. (2)

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR BACK?

Both studies are pointing at the same overall idea: your spine, your nervous system, and your exercise habits are deeply connected. Pain isn't just mechanical. Bone health isn't just about calcium. And "just rest it" is seldom the answer. Chiropractic care works with that whole system — refining spinal alignment, decreasing nervous system irritation, and getting you moving in ways that are actually therapeutic rather than just exhausting.

CONTACT Moriarty Chiropractic

If your back has been speaking to you lately, maybe it's time to listen – to it and to this podcast with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the benefit of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management as it affects the nervous system.

And then schedule your chiropractic appointment with Moriarty Chiropractic. We'd love to help you build a spine that's strong, resilient, and a lot quieter.