When Your Back Speaks: What Lower Back Pain Can Teach Us About the Whole Body
Lower back pain doesn’t live in isolation. Your hips, core, glutes, thoracic mobility, and even emotional stress are all part of this story. In The Peter Attia Drive episode #287 — “Lower Back Pain: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention”, featuring Dr. Stuart McGill, the conversation makes one thing clear: there is no such thing as non-specific back pain.
At Synergy, we see this every day. When one zone is weak, stiff, or misaligned, another must pick up the load—and eventually, that secondary structure cries out in pain.
This episode offers powerful insights that align perfectly with how we think about movement, assessment, and long-term resilience here at Synergy Chiropractic & Sports Rehab.
Your Pain History Matters
In the episode, Peter Attia shares his own story of recurring back pain—from athletic overuse to surgical recovery—and how Dr. McGill helped him uncover the mechanism behind it all. Instead of focusing only on pain relief, McGill digs into the patterns that led there: posture, movement habits, and loading strategies.
At Synergy, we take the same approach. We always ask, “What brought you here, and what’s been happening day to day?” Whether the pain flared after bending to tie a shoe or came out of nowhere, those patterns carry the clues. It’s never “just back pain”—it’s your spine trying to tell a story.
Why the Lower Back Is Often the Weak Link
Dr. McGill describes the spine as a flexible rod—one that should move freely when needed and stiffen under load. Certain regions, especially L4-L5 and L5-S1, bear much of that load and become vulnerable when the surrounding areas—hips, thoracic spine, or core—aren’t doing their part.
When one area of the body stops functioning properly, the lumbar spine often compensates, which leads to overuse and pain.
That’s why at Synergy, we don’t just treat “the back.” We look at the whole system: how your hips move, how your core stabilizes, and how your feet connect to the ground. A healthy back depends on how well the rest of your body is working together.
Assessment Over Imaging
One of the most impactful points from the episode is McGill’s argument that MRI results don’t always match real-life symptoms. Some people have severe disc degeneration but live pain-free, while others with perfect imaging suffer daily.
He challenges the idea of “non-specific back pain,” emphasizing that every case has a cause—it just takes time and careful observation to find it.
At Synergy, we believe the same. Imaging can be helpful, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Movement reveals the story. That’s why we use movement screens, functional testing, and posture assessments to understand what’s really happening before we ever start treatment.
The “McGill Big Three”: Core Stability With Purpose
Dr. McGill highlights what he calls the Big Three core stability exercises—Modified Curl-Up, Side Plank, and Bird Dog. These movements aren’t about brute strength but about control and coordination. They teach your spine how to stiffen when it needs to and move when it should.
At Synergy, we love the intent behind these exercises and often build upon them. We integrate bridging progressions, loaded carries, hip hinge drills, and dynamic stabilization work. The goal isn’t just to hold perfect positions but to build stability through movement—so your spine feels strong in real-world conditions.
Building Strength and Longevity
Both Peter Attia and Dr. McGill stress the importance of building strength intelligently. It’s not about chasing one-rep maxes or extreme flexibility; it’s about finding the balance between capacity, control, and recovery. They emphasize training for longevity—enough strength, mobility, and resilience to support a lifetime of activity.
That’s exactly how we program at Synergy. We’d rather see someone lift moderately well for decades than go all-in for a few years and burn out. Our focus is sustainable progress—movement that supports the way you live.
The Mind-Body Connection
One of the most powerful takeaways from this episode is that pain isn’t purely mechanical. Chronic pain often has psychological layers—fear, anxiety, and frustration—that amplify physical symptoms. McGill and Attia discuss how education and awareness can reduce fear and help people regain control.
At Synergy, we spend time teaching our clients how their bodies work. Understanding why pain happens can be just as healing as any exercise or adjustment. When you replace fear with knowledge, you start to move with confidence again.
Putting It All Together
Inspired by this conversation, here are some of the ways we help clients move from pain to progress:
Understand your pain story. Keep track of when symptoms appear, what movements trigger them, and how your body responds.
Manage your load wisely. Increase activity gradually and allow time for recovery.
Build control, not just strength. Incorporate McGill’s Big Three and progress slowly.
Strengthen your hips and glutes. Stronger support below means less stress above.
Restore mobility through your thoracic spine. Better upper-back motion means less compensation in your lower back.
Rebuild confidence through education. Learn your movement patterns so you can move smarter, not just harder.
The Synergy Philosophy
Dr. McGill’s insights echo what we live every day at Synergy:
Don’t chase the symptom—trace the chain.
Movement is medicine.
Resilience is built over time, not overnight.
People are more than their scans.
Education and empowerment are essential parts of healing.
Pain is a signal, not a sentence. As Dr. Stuart McGill and Peter Attia remind us, your body is always communicating—it’s up to us to listen. If your back hurts today, it’s often because something else is out of balance or compensating.
At Synergy, we aim to decode that message. To help you move freely—not just now, but for years to come. Because a healthy back is never just about the back—it’s about a connected, strong, resilient you.
Listen to the full episode: “Lower Back Pain: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention” — The Peter Attia Drive #287
Read more on the episode: PeterAttiaMD.com/StuartMcGill
Book your free discovery call today: Schedule a Free Discovery Call to get the conversation started!
