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Back Hurt? Check Your Attitude

If you're over 30, chances are you've had a bout of low back pain or will soon. That's when years of slumping in car seats and over keyboards leave your spine protesting louder than a Cleveland fan.

If you or someone you know is out with a bad back, whisper this news: What you think will happen next — healthy recovery or chronic pain — dramatically affects what will happen. The more optimistic and can-do your mind-set, the better off your back will be.

Don't get us wrong. We don't think low back pain is all in your head. But developing what one expert calls "grounded optimism" is what studies show helps. Try these:

Get spine smart. Ask your doc to explain what's going on, and use a model or picture. In one study, people who learned what was wrong with their backs and how to treat it soon felt better. Those who decided their bad back was fate had months of disabling pain.

Get moving. Chronic back pain sufferers often fear exercise, yet your muscles grow stronger to protect your back when you use them. Start slowly. Do a little more every day.

Think "watch me beat this" instead of "woe is me." Where your mind leads, your body follows almost as fast as paparazzi follow Lady Gaga.