What an MRI Won’t Tell You About Your Back Pain

by Dr. Chris Garcia, Founder of Sports Performance Physical Therapy

When it comes to back pain, one of the first things people turn to is imaging—MRIs and X-rays. You might be told that your scan reveals disc bulges, arthritis, or degenerative changes. But what if I told you that those images don’t always explain the pain you’re feeling?

I’m Dr. Chris Garcia, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Sports Performance Physical Therapy. After helping thousands of people overcome pain, here’s the truth you need to know: your scan doesn’t tell the whole story.

The MRI Myth: Why Your Scan Doesn’t Match Your Pain

MRIs and X-rays are powerful tools. They show us anatomy—bones, discs, joint spacing. But they don’t show what’s actually causing your pain. Here are some eye-opening statistics:

• 64% of people with no back pain have disc bulges by age 50.
• 85% of adults show disc changes, whether they have pain or not.
• Even 40% of people under age 30 show abnormalities despite never experiencing back pain.

In other words, your MRI might look “abnormal,” but that doesn’t mean it’s the source of your pain.

Pain is Complex—And Often Beyond the Frame of the Image

You can have disc bulges or arthritis and still move pain-free. Conversely, you can have a “perfect” scan and be in daily agony. Why? Because pain is influenced by much more than what imaging reveals.

Factors like:

• Muscle imbalances
• Poor movement habits
• Breathing dysfunction
• Chronic stress
• Poor sleep
• A hypersensitive nervous system

…all play a massive role in how your body experiences pain.

Real People, Real Recovery (Without Surgery)

One of my clients came to us terrified after an MRI showed a herniated disc. But when we evaluated her movement, the real culprits were core weakness, stiff hips, and poor posture at work. Once we addressed those? Her pain dropped dramatically—without ever needing to “fix” the disc.

Another patient had constant back spasms, but his MRI was perfectly normal. The real issue? He was sleeping four hours a night, under intense work stress, and holding tension in his body all day. Once we helped him regulate his nervous system and restore his strength, the pain disappeared—no injections, no surgery.

Surgery Isn’t Always the Answer

Here’s a sobering statistic:
70% of people who get back surgery still have pain afterward.
Even more concerning: People who get MRIs are eight times more likely to have surgery, but they don’t have better outcomes.

That’s because surgery often targets structure—not the root causes of dysfunction.

So What Should You Do Instead?

If your MRI looks normal or you were told it’s just “wear and tear,” don’t lose hope. That doesn’t mean nothing is wrong. It means the root cause of your pain may lie outside the MRI—and that’s good news, because it’s something we can actually address.

Here’s where to start:

• Get a movement-based assessment.
• Ask yourself: How’s my posture? Am I sitting too much? How’s my stress and sleep?
• Know this: Functional movement screening is 3x more predictive of future pain than MRI results.
• Work with a provider who looks at the whole picture—not just a scan, but your lifestyle, your goals, and your recovery potential.

You Are Not Your MRI

Research shows that 90% of back pain cases can resolve without surgery when treated with proper movement-based care. Strength can be rebuilt. Movement patterns can be restored. The nervous system can be calmed. You’re not broken—and you’re not defined by a diagnosis code.

If you’ve been told surgery is your only option or that nothing is wrong, take a breath—there’s a better path forward.

As always, we hope this helps! For any questions and all suggestions, please email us at TeamSP@SportsPerformancePT.com

If you want to know more information about how we can help, get started with a FREE discovery phone call.

Click the following link -> DISCOVERY PHONE CALL.

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If you would like to see more from us at Sports Performance… Watch our Podcast episode 141 about How to Improve your Long Term Health and Wellness -> CLICK HERE