Do you have back pain? Maybe you’ve seen your GP and been diagnosed with disc degeneration, a disc bulge, or arthritis. Or perhaps you’re an employer dealing with an employee resting at home due to a back strain or disc bulge. Sound familiar?
Let’s get one thing straight: it’s time to buck up and get proactive. Research is clear—it’s time to get back on the horse, develop robust management and prevention strategies, and help your employees return to work.
The Paradigm Shift in Physiotherapy
There’s a revolution happening in the world of physiotherapy, and it’s all about movement, education, and reducing the fear of pain. Early intervention models in the Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) field champion early returns to work, providing a safe environment and supporting managers with effective communication every step of the way.
The Shocking Truth About Back Scans
In a groundbreaking study involving 3,110 patients aged 20-80, Brinjikji et al. scanned patients with NO BACK PAIN and uncovered some startling facts. If you’re
40 and get an X-ray or MRI without having back pain:
- 68% of you will have disc degeneration.
- 50% will have a disc bulge.
That’s right. Even without back pain, these conditions are common!
The Vicious Cycle of Overdiagnosis
In workplaces around Australia and New Zealand, non-specific low back pain is a frequent complaint. The typical response? A GP visit and a scan, resulting in a diagnosis of “disc degeneration” or “disc bulge.” This diagnosis often exacerbates the pain, leading to fear-avoidance behaviour—stopping activity, avoiding exercise, and skipping work. This inactivity then spirals into weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
This cycle is a classic case of overdiagnosis or over-scanning to cover medico-legal responsibilities. Don’t get me wrong—GPs have one of the toughest jobs around. They have to juggle time constraints, listen carefully, and educate patients—all while being driven by a volume-over-outcome-based system.
Breaking the Cycle: Early Intervention
Early intervention programs disrupt this cycle by promoting activity, educating clients, and developing success pathways. Research shows that getting people back to work in a safe environment as quickly as possible leads to better outcomes for everyone, we know this. But to achieve this, onsite managers need the right skills, support and plans from health professionals so employees can feel supported by their company and achieve the best outcomes.
Taking Action
If you resonate with the struggles many employers face, here are a few steps to reduce the chances of back pain issues derailing your workforce:
- Engage trusted Health Providers: Understand the services they offer, demand more and think outside of the box. Many contributing factors to MSK strains and sprains are not physical in origin. Think stress, sleep and fatigue!
- Define Job Roles Clearly: Ensure managers can find suitable duties for employees and that they have the support to help your people get the best outcome.
- Consult Health Stack: Let experts handle it for you, in todays workplaces our Physiotherapy team are a click away to take the stress and frustration out of it for you.
The back pain hysteria needs to stop. We have trained many Physiotherapists around Australia and New Zealand with the latest research on being the first contact practitioners in the workplace. It’s time to recognise overdiagnosis for what it is and adopt a proactive, informed approach to managing back pain in the workplace.
Health Stack
