Trying to Fix Low Back Pain – 3 BIG Mistakes

By Dr. Rhett Polka | One80 Physical Therapy – Loveland, CO

Low back pain is one of the most common reasons people come to see us. Maybe it hurts when you get out of bed. Maybe it shows up after standing too long, sitting too much, or lifting something heavy.

Most people try to fix it on their own. When that doesn’t work, they seek help from chiropractors, massage therapists, physicians and even conventional physical therapists. Unfortunately, that leads to chasing symptoms, getting short term relief, symptoms returning and repeating the cycle of pain and frustration.

Let’s talk about the 3 biggest mistakes we see people make when they’re dealing with low back pain—and what you should do instead.

1. Thinking “Rest” Will Solve It

When your back hurts, it’s easy to think, “If I just rest, it will heal by itself.”

But here’s the truth: Rest doesn’t fix what’s not working. It just hides the problem for a while.

Back pain often comes from muscles not doing their job. If you don’t fix the way your body moves, the pain will come back as soon as you get active again.

2. Blaming a Bulging Disc or Getting X-rays or an MRI

We’ve had patients come in and say, “My MRI showed a bulging disc.”

Did you know that 60% of asymptomatic people have “bad discs?” Imaging won’t tell you what the root cause of your problem, won’t tell you how to fix it and usually just scares people into believing false narratives.

Low back pain is rarely from a disc issue, but it always involves dysfunctional muscles.

Pain is just a signal that there is something off somewhere. At One80 we are experts at finding that “somewhere” and re-establishing normal muscle function with our patented techniques. This is what eliminates the compensation that causes back pain.

3. Trying to Stretch, Roll and Rub Pain Away

Most people think they just need to loosen up tight muscle or get rid of “knots.”

But pain and tightness are just a symptom of bigger issues. When certain muscles feel “too tight,” its most likely because other muscles are not firing.

If you don’t fix that, the pain stays, or comes back again and again. This is why, at One80, we teach you how to strengthen muscle not force muscle to relax.

Stop Chasing Pain. Fix the Problem at One80 Physical Therapy.

At One80 Physical Therapy, we use our patented One80 System to target the root cause of your pain.

No cookie-cutter programs or guesswork. No scheduling 2-3 visits a week for 6-8 weeks. No hooking you up to machines and walking away. We test your specific needs, restore your function during the first visit and give you our full 1:1 attention until you are back to your full activities symptom free.

✅ You’ll get better fast
✅ You’ll need fewer visits
✅ And you’ll learn how to keep the pain from coming back

Call us at (970) 593-9300 or visit one80pt.com to schedule a FREE consultation today.