Why does back pain keep coming back, even when treatment seems to work?What if pain isn’t the real problem? Many people feel less pain but still move poorly.That confuses doctors and patients alike.So researchers asked a deeper question.What if key muscles stop working properly? This study focused on older adults with long-lasting lower back pain.Not nerve pain.Not sciatica.Pure lower back pain that affects movement. Researchers tested muscle training alone.Then they added electrical muscle stimulation.They wanted to see what really changed. Pain improved in both groups.But movement told a different story.Only one group kept improving months later. Walking became faster.Standing up felt easier.Daily movement felt more confident. These improvements lasted even after treatment stopped.That surprised the researchers.Because passive treatments often fade over time. The difference was deep muscle activation.Muscles people cannot easily feel or control.Muscles that protect the spine during movement. Electrical stimulation helped activate those muscles.Exercise alone did not always reach them.That changed long-term function. This study does not promise cures.It does not give medical advice.It explains why pain relief is not enough. Movement matters.Function matters.Muscle activation matters. If back pain keeps returning, curiosity is a good place to start.Science often answers questions effort alone cannot. Tap the link to explore more.Read the full research digest.Find the podcast episodes.See the original study:  https://bit.ly/4s8xBcc