building a pain-free, resilient back: featuring dr. hannah breal of made2move physical therapy

Made2Move is a health, wellness, and fitness-oriented physical therapy practice with locations in Charleston and Summerville. Similar to Longevity Fitness, their method places great emphasis on making mindful lifestyle changes, moving consistently and purposefully,  and a working toward a sustainable, long-term plan for living your healthiest (and longest) life. As we anticipate our upcoming workshop with Made2Move, we started a  conversation Dr. Hannah Breal, PT, DPT on managing back pain and promoting spinal health. 

WIth a mission of empowering patients to take control of their health, Made2Move believes that you can achieve anything through the right medical care, movement practice, and lifestyle changes.

"Our current medical environment is quick to tell us that we are broken and need to be 'fixed' with pills, shots, or surgery - M2M is here to show you another way. Your body is strong, resilient and adaptable, and has the amazing ability to heal itself. We provide physical therapy and health coaching to help people get out of pain, get back to doing what they love, and improve their health, wellness, and performance in the gym. We prioritize having real relationships with our patients and giving our patients the tools to take their lives back." -Hannah Breal, PT, DPT of Made2Move 

OUR Q&A WITH DR. HANNAH BREAL, PT, DPT

What other factors most often accompany back pain? 
If you’re currently experiencing back pain, don’t panic! Back pain (and pain in general) is complex and can be from a variety of sources. Back pain is extremely common and doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with you.
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 Back pain is multifactorial and you may be experiencing a lot of other things in addition to your back pain such as…An Increase in life stressors - mental, physical, emotional, you name it! 

• Decrease in sleep quality or quantity 
• Increase in workplace demands
• Increased volume or loading in the gym (maybe you went up in weights, maybe you added a class or 2 to your weekly routine)
• Inactivity/decrease in exercise or activity ​

Photography: Made2Move

Photography: Made2Move

Can people self-manage their back pain? 
For SURE! If you’re experiencing back pain right now, I want you to know that this isn’t permanent. You don’t have to deal with back pain forever. Short-term solutions like massage guns, lacrosse balls, foam rollers, stretching, etc are valuable - but they are usually not the long-term solution. Instead, use them to temporarily decrease your pain to create a window of opportunity in which you can move more with less pain. This will help you “click the save button” on that pain relief. One of the best ways to be able to manage your back pain on your own is to find a healthcare provider that will help you gain a better understanding of your pain and will help you feel confident in getting back to your normal movement routine. Ruling out red flags, seeing someone you trust, and getting reassurance will help you start moving again. Sometimes all you need is a plan to decrease pain, get back to moving, and know how/when to modify movements when painful. This healthcare provider should help you come up with that plan to ultimately allow you to be independent and moving with freedom. At Made2Move, our philosophy is: calm it down, build it up, and keep it that way! Everyone is different and treatment plans should be individualized. By managing your stressors, moving regularly, and making sure you’re balancing and optimizing recovery, you CAN decrease your back pain, feel better, and meet your goals (in AND out of the gym).

A lot of people are worried about posture - how much does posture play a role in back pain? (asking for those of us with a sitting job!)
Okay, I have some awesome news. There’s actually no “bad” or “incorrect” posture or way of moving or sitting/standing. Phew! Posture has received a lot of attention, but it’s important to know that the evidence and research does NOT support posture being the cause of back pain. 
 
We like to say “your best posture is your next posture” as our bodies were made to move and our bodies feel better with regular movement. (Sitting is not the new smoking - sitting is not killing you. However, if you are completely sedentary, that’s where you may run into problems. But I promise it’s not the act of sitting that’s hurting you!)
 
Posture has been demonized but sitting or standing in a certain way won’t inherently hurt/injure you. Our bodies like to move in a lot of different ways. In fact, when we tell people they can only move or sit/stand in a certain way (ie. “good” posture) - this can actually contribute to them experiencing pain! There’s no one position that’s inherently bad for you, it’s more likely our bodies can become sensitive to prolonged positioning. Those sensations you get are your body telling you to move!

For people that have a job that consists of mostly sitting, here are a few tips: 

• Sit in the most comfortable position for you and your body. 
• Don’t be afraid to slouch! Slouching can be energy efficient for your body. 
• Try to move in a lot of different positions while you sit - a seated cat cow can feel amazing.
• Take movement breaks (or “movement snacks”) as often as possible. 
• Set a timer for every 1-2 hours to get up and walk around. 

Photography: Made2Move

Your go-to spinal strengthening exercises?
You want to feel like your back is strong and resilient, so you've got to  train your back like you do any other area or muscle. Specific back exercises are useful to increase tissue capacity and overall resiliency. The best program for you will definitely depend on your goals, but I do have a few personal favorites: 
 
To feel strong and empowered:

• Deadlifts / Single leg deadlifts 
• Loaded Squats 

 
Feel good in multiple ways of movement: 

• Cat Cows (simple but great!)
• Prone Press Ups 
• Lumbar Rotations lying on your back 

Our bodies are extremely strong, resilient, and adaptable. This means that if you load your back, given the right dosage of stressors/recovery, your back will adapt positively and be stronger for it.

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Intrigued? Us, too. Learn more about the Made2Move method in our upcoming workshop on Friday, October 1 at 10:30am, right here at Longevity Fitness. Dr. Hannah Breal, PT and Dane Gifford, PTA of Made 2 Move Health & Human Performance for an eye-opening workshop on back health. You'll walk away with an understanding of your back pain and what exactly contributes to it, along with a greater sense of confidence and control in managing your back pain. Sign up using the link below in advance as space is limited! 

SIGN UP FOR WORKSHOP