Core Stability, Fear of the Back and Managing Patient Expectations

Kjartan sees nothing wrong with the original core stability research but criticizes how it was applied: isolating one muscle and stiffening the spine during every task. People in pain usually struggle to switch muscles off, not on, so he spends more time helping them relax and move out of stiff postures. Short-term guarding after an acute episode is like limping on a sprained ankle, adaptive at first but unhelpful over time. The back and neck carry special fear, so people want an MRI for back pain when they would not for a headache or stomach pain. On expectations, motivational interviewing has taught him to lean back and create discrepancy between what patients were told and what they can do. Research from his group suggests that non-responders tend to be those who hold firmly to a biomedical cause. He also respects patients who want only short-term relief. Communication continues during hands-on care, and sensitive information may surface only later.