About 10 years ago, I hurt my low back while doing a heavy barbell deadlift. I was young, stubborn, and honestly… pretty uneducated about how back pain actually works. Like most people, I assumed the “normal medical route” was the right place to start.
So I went to my primary care doctor. He ordered an X-ray, then referred me to a spine specialist. The orthopedic surgeon was kind, but the appointment was quick—maybe a minute. After a brief exam, he ordered an MRI.
A couple of weeks later, I sat in his office reviewing the results. He told me I had degenerative disc disease and several disc herniations. He explained that these findings were the reason for my pain and that surgery might be necessary. And to top it off, he advised me to stop all Olympic lifting, deadlifting—basically anything I loved doing that loaded my spine.
Something about that didn’t sit right with me.
So I asked him, respectfully:
“Doctor… is it possible that my MRI could’ve looked like this even before my injury?”
He paused. Then said, “Well… I suppose it could have.
”That was the moment everything changed for me.
I followed up with:
“So if these findings might have been there already, how do we know they need to be fixed surgically? Couldn’t I still make a full recovery without changing anything about the imaging?”
His response is something I’ll never forget. He said:
“You’re absolutely right. If you’re willing to put in the work rehabbing your back, the chances of a full recovery are high. But you have to remember, I’m a surgeon. I’m trained to see a finding on an image and fix it. Many people want the quick solution, even if it means more surgeries later.”
I appreciated his honesty more than he probably realized.
So instead of going down the surgical route, I committed to a progressive rehab program. I rebuilt my strength, my movement, and ultimately my confidence.
And now, ten years later, at 35 years old, I have zero back pain. I lift. I train. I live normally without fear and without needing my imaging to “look perfect.”
Why This Story Matters for You
Your X-ray or MRI might show “degeneration,” “disc bulges,” or “arthritis”. But those findings are incredibly common and often unrelated to your actual pain.
The real question isn’t: “What does my MRI show?”
It’s:“What do I need to do to get strong, move well, and feel confident again?”
That’s exactly the approach we use at Iowa Spine and Performance.
We don’t chase scary imaging findings.
We don’t rely on generic quick fixes.
We focus on helping you understand your pain, rebuild from the ground up, and get back to the life and activities you care about, stronger than before.
You deserve answers that make sense and a solution that actually works. Click here to take the first step and schedule your free discovery call today.
Michael Henrichs
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