"Dude, I think I wrecked my back."

So there I was, chilling in a pool in Mexico, margarita in hand, when my future brother-in-law – let’s call him “Deadlift Dan” – drops a bombshell:

"Dude, I think I wrecked my back."

Everything was hunky-dory until he Hulk-smashed his back during a deadlift session right before our flight.

He was feeling great, so of course he decides to push his limits and test his max.

The set? Smooth as butter.

But then... BOOM! He bends over to change the weights, and suddenly his lower back is doing the cha-cha slide of pain.

Fast forward to our family vacay:

Day one. Dan’s still hobbling around like a penguin with a wedgie. And boy, did he have questions.

Did I blow out my disc?

Should I stop lifting?

Are deadlifts the devil?

Should I rest, ice, take some time off?

I've heard this a million times. Heck, I've BEEN there myself.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

The typical advice — you know, the "RICE" mantra (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) that's been parroted more times than a Beyoncé lyric?

About as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

Here's the kicker: what you do IN THE MOMENT and in the hours/days following a little tweak can make or break your recovery. It's like choosing between the red pill and the blue pill in The Matrix.

So what do I tell him?

"Dude, motion is lotion."

He looks at me like I've grown a second head.

Can't blame him, but here's the deal: staying active is the real MVP.

So we start small:

1. Gentle movement check-ins. Cat-cows, windshield wipers, unweighted toe touches.

2. The goal? Find his pain-free baseline, ease pain and restore range of motion.

3. Keep moving. Some pain is okay, but 4/10 or less. If pain increases, dial it back.

4. Take a walk. 10-20 minutes. Because motion is lotion, baby!

5. Easy movement tells his brain, "Hey, we're safe here. Chill out."

Pain-free movement? Do it.

Ice and chill? Leave that for your margarita.

Here’s how it went:

Day two? Still sore, but moving better. We add some breath work and more mobility.

Day three? Almost back to normal. More movement, less margaritas (well, maybe).

Day four? Deadlifting sandcastles. 

Okay, maybe not, but you get the picture.

Anyway, here's the real lesson: 

When life gives you lemons? Make lemonade.

When life gives you a tweaked back on vacation? Make... movement-ade?

Okay, that was terrible. Sue me. 

The point is, sometimes conventional wisdom is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

So next time you're hurting?

1. Keep moving. No couch potato impressions allowed. Don't avoid pain completely, but aim to keep it LESS THAN 4/10.

2. Keep working out. Check-in with your body, modify as needed to keep pain in check, but keep moving.

3. Add pain-free cardio - walking, biking, swimming (preferably not after those margaritas).

4. Ditch the Advil and ice packs. They're so last season. Instead, keep moving throughout the day. Breath work, gentle mobility, short walks. Heck, throw in an extra movement session before bed. Your body will thank you.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Easy for you to say, Mr. Fancy Pants PT!"

And you're not wrong. But here's the thing — I teach this stuff to my clients all the time. And it works.

I recently had a client who tweaked his back and followed this advice to a T and he was back to full speed within 2 days. No pain, no weeks of "easing back in." Just straight-up, back-to-normal living.

So, here's the TL;DR for you skimmers out there:

If you tweak something, forget about:

• Resting

• Icing

• Popping Advil like they're M&Ms

Instead, do this:

• Keep moving (some pain is okay, but keep it less than 4/10)

• Modify movements as needed to keep pain in check

• Add pain-free cardio (walking, biking, etc.)

• Throw in extra "movement snacks" (breath work, mobility work, walks)

Now, if you're struggling with pain that just won't take a hike? Or if you're tired of playing Russian roulette with your workouts?

Ditch the ice packs and the "rest is best" nonsense.

Instead? Hit reply and shoot me a message.

Or hey, book a free call with my team to see how we can help. We're like the Avengers, but for pain. Minus the cool costumes.

Let's kick that pain to the curb, shall we? 

Keep moving, 

Dr. Matt

P.S. Remember Dan? He's back to deadlifting like a boss now. And if he can do it, you can, too. Don't let pain be your kryptonite. Reach out now, before your couch starts looking too comfy again. Your future, pain-free self will high-five you.