Dude, your back pain is caused by "biopsychosocial factors"
This is not medical advice.
Imagine this scenario; you are a 40 year old male, plumber, or 60 year old woman, who enjoys playing pickle ball, both with low back pain.
You call repeatedly to get a physical therapy appointment, wait a month, fill out reams of paperwork, get charged $150-400 ($50 co-pay), placed in a room to wait for 10 minutes, and then the Doctor of Physical Therapy graces your presence…
They ask you about your new symptoms, and while you are describing your pain, they have their face in a screen. “Uh huh, yes, interesting…” They may not even touch body parts.
After about 5 minutes of conversation, the DPT tells you that “climate distress” is the cause of your back pain.
Biopsychosocial factors
I found several studies by our esteemed (sarcasm) National Institute of Health. Their opinion was that “climate distress” is causing some health issues.
“There is a growing recognition that climate change is affecting human health.” Psycho-social factors associated with climate distress, hope and behavioural intentions in young UK residents
But then in a later study, also admitted some caution citing this model.
”…there is still no clear consensus regarding the meaning of this model in physiotherapy and how best to apply it.” A critical review of the biopsychosocial model of low back pain care: time for a new approach?
There are some legitimate concerns with social factors. Maybe someone doesn’t have reliable transportation, or enough money for healthy food. However, what we don’t hear from these circles is solutions.
Why don’t we hear more about upper back pain?
The reason there is so much low back pain in the world, is because of leverage. Your spine is a tower of sorts, and the muscles at the bottom of the tower constantly have to pull you upright. There are many factors that go along with this, yet strengthening and some posture awareness are some solutions and preventions. Walking is free, and is one of the best ways to decrease back pain. The BPS model might say that under priveledged people can’t walk in their neighborhood because it’s unsafe.
And that might also be legitimate, but I think you can see where this is going. Are you being offered a solution to your pain, or is the industry that is bankrupting a few generations of patients, using a bunch of rhetoric instead of offering real solutions?
