Back Again Blog
Practical, science-informed back pain tips, new resources, and occasional product updates. No spam.
We'll soon add an archive of past newsletter issues here.
Do Herniated Discs Heal on Their Own?
By Dr. Mitch Whittal, PhD
The scan that scared you may describe the kind of herniation most likely to fade on its own. Here's the evidence.
Back Pain From Sitting: Why the Standing Desk Alone Does Not Fix It
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
The sitting-and-back-pain link is real, but the standing desk fix has a research problem most desk workers never hear about.
Why Your Back Is Stiff in the Morning (and When It Is Normal)
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
Your back is stiff in the morning because your spinal discs spent the night out drinking. While you slept, each disc absorbed fluid from surrounding tissues and swelled by 10-20% in height. That swelling makes the disc…
Your Diagnosis Doesn't Matter
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
You finally got your MRI and the results are back. You waited months for it (thanks Canadian healthcare system) and now have a report in your hands with a report full of terms like "L4/5 disc bulge", or “lumbar facet…
Sciatica and Nerve-Related Pain: What to Avoid and What Helps
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
Sciatica is irritation of the sciatic nerve. What to stop doing, what calms it short-term, and what builds long-term recovery.
Lifestyle Foundations for Back Pain (Part 2): Activity, Weight, and Smoking
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
Three physical habits shape how your back feels. Part 2 of the lifestyle series covers activity, bodyweight, and smoking, plus a surprising truth about carbs.
Lifestyle Foundations for Back Pain (Part 1): Sleep and Stress
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
Your lifestyle shapes your back. Part 1 of a two-part series on the daily habits that matter most.
Your Mindset Matters More Than You Think
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
Your mind and body share the same nervous system. This week: how beliefs, fear, and catastrophizing affect back pain.
Ergonomics That Actually Matter for Your Back
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
Your chair isn't the whole story. This week: practical ergonomic tips for desk workers, people on their feet all day, and a quick sidebar on your neck.
Movement Skills and Tips That Make Back Pain More Manageable
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
A practical set of movement skills and daily-life tips to help reduce unnecessary strain on your back.
What to Do When Your Back Pain Flares Up
By Dr. Mitch Whittal, PhD
A flare-up doesn't mean you've done damage. This week: a practical framework for responding to increased pain.
Walking & Unloading: The Most Underrated Tools for Back Pain
By Dr. Mitch Whittal, PhD
Walking is so important it gets its own post. This week we cover the biomechanical case for walking, how to actually do it when your back is flaring, and two simple decompression techniques to keep you moving.
The Spinal Stability System
By Dr. Mitch Whittal, PhD
Stability of the spinal system is imperative to its function and crucial to protect the spine from injury.
How Injuries Happen & Tissue Mechanics, Part 2
By Dr. Mitch Whittal, PhD
This week, we’ll direct a more specific focus toward how the spine itself is loaded and cover a few injury types that you’ve likely heard of.
How Injuries Happen & Tissue Mechanics, Part 1
By Dr. Mitch Whittal, PhD
Our tissues are viscoelastic. Engineers and biomechanists like to describe these properties with “springs and dashpots”. I prefer simpler explanations.
The Anatomy of Back Pain
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
The human spine is composed of vertebra-disc-vertebra segments for the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions…
The Healthcare of Back Pain: Challenges and Problems
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
Imagine you’ve been dealing with debilitating back pain for a few weeks. You finally give in to the nagging from your family/partner/friend telling you that you should see a doctor.
Introduction to Back Pain
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
Since this is the first official issue of the Back Again newsletter, I figure we should begin with the basics. Revolutionary, I know. I think it’s worth zooming out to examine the scope of the problem.
Welcome to Back Again Assessments
By Dr. Mitch Whittal
Welcome! My name is Dr. Mitch Whittal, and I founded Back Again Assessments. I’m sure you’re probably wondering… who is this guy, and what can he do for me? Dig in to find out.