September 2026 Healthy News from Moriarty Chiropractic: How to Keep Low Back Pain From Becoming a Long-Term Problem

STOPPING LOW BACK PAIN BEFORE IT BECOMES CHRONIC

Most people who experience a bout of low back pain recover within a few weeks, but for roughly one in five, that pain sticks aroundand starts limiting daily life. A large, NIH-fundedclinical trial called PACBACK, recently publishedin JAMA Internal Medicine, looked closely at how to preventthat shift from short-term pain to a long-term, disablingcondition. (1) Researchers followed1,000 participantswith acute or subacute low back pain who were at elevated risk of developing chronic symptoms, comparing usual medical careagainst spinal manipulation, a guided self-management program, and a combination of the two. The self-management program — centered on education, guided exercise, and staying active despite discomfort — proved to be the most effective piece for keeping pain from taking over patients' daily lives over the full year. An linked editorial noted that results like these point toward a wider opportunity: preventing chronic low back pain may depend less on any single treatment and more on reliably deliveringguideline-recommended care as soon as symptoms begin, before pain has a chance to become entrenched. Why does this matter for you? Because catching risk factors early allows your care team to intervene before symptoms worsen. (2) At Moriarty Chiropractic in Nashua, this research reinforceswhat our doctors already emphasizes — that in-office care works best when it's combined withthe right self-care habits. It's also a reminder of why we don't take a one-size-fits-all approach: every treatment plan at Moriarty Chiropractic is built around your specific pain history, risk factors, and goals, because patients who receive care tailored to them are the ones most likely to see lasting results.

CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: LET MOVEMENT BE PART OF YOUR RECOVERY

Cox® flexion-distraction adjusting — a gentle, non-thrust technique long used for low back conditions — is designed to reduce pain while still allowing patients to stay active. A well-known case series of 1,000 patients treated with this method reported encouraging outcomes across a range of low back conditions, reinforcing the value of an approach that moves with the body's movement rather than against it.    This lines up with what decades of clinical experience with flexion-distraction has shown — that gentle, targeted motion can support recovery without overloading the spine. That principle carries over directly into self-management at home. Interviews with older adults managing chronic low back pain revealed a common pattern: pulling back from daily activity out of fear of pain, which often ends up worsening both pain and function. Here's this month's challenge: pick one activity you've been avoiding because of your back — a quick walk, light gardening, or simply standing more often during the day — and ease back into it slowly. (4) Combine it with any home exercises you've already been shown, and let your chiropractor know at your next appointment how your body responded. Keeping appropriately active, alongside your in-office care, is one of the most valuable things you can do to keep a temporary setback from becoming a chronic problem.

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Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nike Taylor on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson  as she shares the frustration of chronic low back pain and the relieving treatment for a patient with chronic low back pain using The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.