09/08/2026
If you have chronic low back pain, you may have been told you have a bad back, weak core, tight muscles, poor posture, or a damaged disc. But what if some of what you believe about back pain is actually making it harder to recover?
In this episode of the Functional Longevity Podcast, Chris Borda breaks down the modern science of low back pain and explains why pain does not always equal tissue damage. Most low back pain is considered non-specific, meaning there often isn't one identifiable structural problem responsible for the symptoms.
We explore why MRI findings don't necessarily determine how much pain you experience, why avoiding movement can contribute to the fear-pain cycle, and why constantly trying to protect your back may actually reduce your strength, confidence, and physical capacity.
You'll learn how strength training, core stability, motor control, and graded exposure can help people with persistent back pain gradually return to movements they've been avoiding. The goal isn't to find one magical back exercise. It's to progressively build a body that is stronger, more capable, and more resilient.
We also discuss the connection between the brain, nervous system, and chronic pain, including how fear, stress, expectations, previous experiences, and pain beliefs can influence what you feel. Most importantly, this does not mean the pain is imaginary. Pain is real, but it is far more complex than simply measuring tissue damage.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why most low back pain doesn't have one clear structural cause
• Why an MRI doesn't necessarily explain your pain
• The difference between pain and tissue damage
• How fear and movement avoidance can prolong back problems
• Why your spine may not need more flexibility
• How core stability and motor control can help
• Why there isn't one “best” exercise for low back pain
• How strength training builds capacity and confidence
• What graded exposure means and how it helps restore movement
• How the nervous system can become more sensitive to pain
• Why the language we use about back pain matters
• How to gradually return to lifting, bending, carrying, and everyday activity
The goal isn't to spend the rest of your life protecting your back. It's to progressively build the strength, capacity, and confidence to keep doing the things you love.
If you're over 40 and want to stay strong, active, independent, and healthy as you age, subscribe to the Functional Longevity Podcast for practical strategies on strength training, healthy aging, injury prevention, mobility, and functional longevity.
Ready to Build a Stronger, More Capable Body?
At YES Fitness, we help adults over 40 build strength, improve movement, and stay active so they can continue doing the things that matter most to them.
Schedule your FREE Functional Longevity Strategy Session.
Call 860-673-4293 or visit yesfitnessct.com to get started.
This episode is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose or treat low back pain or other medical conditions. Persistent, severe, or unexplained symptoms should be evaluated by an appropriate healthcare professional.
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