The "90% Heals Itself" Low Back Pain Myth: Why Waiting Isn't Always the Answer

Posted: December 12th, 2025

The statistic is everywhere: “Up to 90% of low back pain (LBP) episodes resolve on their own.”

This message often encourages people to wait out their pain. However, as a registered chiropractor, I want to clarify why this commonly quoted statistic can be misleading and why passive waiting may not lead to the quality of life you deserve.

The Origin of the Statistic: A Crucial Distinction

Where did the 90% statistic come from? It often originates from clinical studies that tracked one specific, narrow outcome: when patients stop seeking medical consultation.

A pivotal prospective study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in 1998 set out to test this assumption by following hundreds of patients who presented to their GP with a new episode of LBP.

The Research Twist: Stop Consulting vs. Full Recovery

The findings were revealing:

• 90% of patients did, in fact, stop consulting their doctor about their LBP within three months. (This is the source of the common statistic.)

• But here is the critical distinction: Only 25% of those patients had achieved full recovery (being completely free of pain and back-related disability) at the 12-month follow-up.

For the majority of people, the pain didn't truly vanish—they simply learned to tolerate it, or stopped scheduling appointments.

When Waiting Leaves You With Lingering Pain

When people stop seeking medical advice for LBP, it doesn't mean they're suddenly pain-free and fully functional. It often means:

1. Tolerance vs. Resolution: The pain may have dropped to a level they deem manageable, leading to a resignation to living with a chronic ache or stiffness.

2. Increased Recurrence Risk: Waiting for the pain to resolve without addressing underlying mechanical issues may increase the likelihood of future, more severe episodes.

How Chiropractic Care May Help in Line with Guidelines

The UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for managing low back pain and sciatica recommend specific treatments for non-specific LBP.

Chiropractic care often aligns with these recommendations through the use of:

• Manual Therapy: This includes spinal adjustments, which is a core component of chiropractic care. Manual therapy is a recommended treatment option for non-radicular LBP.

• Exercise and Advice: We provide tailored movement and exercise advice, often encouraging patients to remain active—another key recommendation from NICE guidelines.

As your chiropractor, my goal is to facilitate a true recovery, not just management.

By improving joint function and mobility, and addressing muscular imbalances, chiropractic care may help to reduce pain and disability. Many patients under our care report finding relief from the stiffness and restricted movement that often persists long after the acute pain subsides.

If you’ve been waiting for your low back pain to become part of the "90%"—only to find yourself still stiff, restricted, or in pain months later—it might be time to stop waiting and explore an active approach to your recovery.

References

1. Croft PR, Macfarlane GJ, Papageorgiou AC, et al. Outcome of low back pain in general practice: a prospective study. BMJ. 1998;316(7135):1356-1359.

2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management. NICE guideline [NG59]. Published November 2016 (last updated March 2024). Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng59

Ready to explore conservative, evidence-based options for your low back pain? Contact us today to book a consultation.