Why Does My Back Always Go Out?

If you’ve ever said something like “My back’s gone out again”, you’re definitely not alone. I hear this phrase constantly in clinic, and while it perfectly describes the feeling, it’s not actually what’s happening inside the body.

Your back isn’t literally “going out” the way a shoulder might dislocate. Instead, there are several common reasons why your back can suddenly feel unstable, sharp, stuck, locked, or unable to move. And most of the time, these reasons relate to one core theme:

Your body is asking for more stability.

Let’s break down what that really means — in simple, practical terms — and what you can do about it.

What People Mean When They Say “My Back Went Out”

When someone describes their back “going out,” they’re usually experiencing one or more of these:

1. A muscle spasm

This can feel like your back has locked up and refuses to move.
Muscles spasm when the body senses instability or irritation. It’s a protective reflex — your body creates tension to stop you moving into a position it doesn’t trust.

2. Irritation of the facet joints

These are the small joints at the back of the spine that guide movement between each vertebra. They can get irritated with sudden movements, poor mechanics, repeated strain, or long periods of loading in awkward positions. When irritated, they can trigger sharp pain, stiffness, or the sense that one spot in the spine is “catching.”

3. A feeling of fragility or vulnerability

Many people describe the sense that “one wrong move and it’ll go again.”
This is usually the body’s way of saying, “I don’t feel stable here.”

4. Slight changes in neural control

As chiropractors and osteopaths, we often talk about improving the communication between a spinal segment and the brain. When this communication isn’t great, the body can produce tension, poor timing/tone of muscles, and protective patterns that feel like something is out of place.

(This is sometimes historically called a “subluxation,” but in modern terms we’re really referring to altered control — not a bone literally out of position.)

5. Overuse or overload

Lifting awkwardly, sitting too long, gardening for hours, carrying the kids, long drives — small repetitive loads add up.

Individually they’re fine. Repeated without good mechanics or stability?
They become a perfect recipe for “my back just went.”

So Why Does This Keep Happening?

If your back “goes out” often, it’s not bad luck — it’s a pattern.
And patterns always have a cause.

Here are the most common underlying contributors.

You don’t have the stability your body is asking for

This is the big one, as your body always wants stability.

To move well — whether lifting a basket of washing or rotating in tennis — you need a strong, coordinated “centre” that supports the spine, and supports the arms and legs in the movements they need to do.

Not six-pack abs.
Not sucking the belly in.
Not holding your breath.

Those actually reduce stability.

True stability comes from:

• Functional breathing (your diaphragm working with your lower rib cage and pelvic floor)

• Deep stabilising muscles around each spinal segment

• Appropriate pressure within the abdomen (your internal support system)

• Good timing between your diaphragm, deep core, pelvic floor, and spinal stabilisers

When these systems aren’t working together, the body compensates using the big global muscles:

• Upper traps

• Hip flexors

• Pecs

• Glutes

• Thoracolumbar extensors

These muscles are great at moving you…
They’re terrible at stabilising you.

This creates hinging, overloading and strain — especially on one or two segments of the spine.

That repeated overload = “my back goes out.”

But why don't I have the stability required?

Hypermobility or “Looser” Joints

Some people naturally have more joint movement.
Others develop it over time through pregnancy, injuries, or certain sports.

More movement = more demand for stability.

Without it, the body feels unsafe and will protect you using tightness, spasm, and pain.

Old Injuries and Compensation Patterns

Past sprains, falls, car accidents, sports injuries, and even old foot or ankle injuries can create imbalances that linger for years. Your body remembers. And it will move differently to protect old injuries — even long after they’ve healed.

Poor Breathing Patterns

One of the most overlooked causes of back instability is breath-holding or upper-chest breathing.

• Breath holding stiffens the spine.

• Chest breathing drives tension into the neck and low back.

• Neither builds stability where you need it — in the centre.

Sedentary Lifestyles and Daily Habits

Even if you exercise, the rest of your daily life might be pulling you in the opposite direction.

Common contributors include:

• Lots of sitting

• Repetitive tasks (cleaning, gardening, childcare)

• Lifting awkwardly

• Retrieving toddlers from car seats

• Standing or bending in the same pattern every day

None of these are “bad,” but if you repeat them without good mechanics, the accumulative load becomes significant.

Stress and the Nervous System

When we’re stressed:

• Muscles tighten

• Breathing becomes shallow

• Posture collapses

• The nervous system becomes more reactive

A “sudden back go-out moment” often shows up during or after a stressful week — not because of weakness, but because the nervous system is already on high alert.

Why Your Brain Sends the “Back Out” Alarm

The feeling that your back is “gone,” “might go,” or “is about to go” is your nervous system: trying to protect you.

It’s saying:

• “Something here feels unstable.”

• “Something is overloaded.”

• “Something needs support.”

• “Please slow down so I can keep you safe.”

These sensations are not silly and shouldn’t be ignored. They are meaningful messages about the body’s current capacity.

Why It Keeps Coming Back Every Few Months

This is one of the most common frustrations:

“I was doing fine… then out of nowhere, three months later, it went again.”

This happens when the symptom is treated, but not the pattern.

People often:

• Rest

• Stretch

• Take painkillers

• See a practitioner

• Do a few exercises

• Feel better

• Go back to life as usual

• Wait for the next flare

But if the way you move doesn’t change…
Your symptoms don’t change either.

You can’t strengthen dysfunction.
You have to correct it.

So… What Actually Stops the Back From “Going Out”?

Here’s the good news:

Your body is incredibly retrainable.

Here’s what genuinely makes a difference:

1. Relearning your fundamental movement patterns

These are the patterns we develop in our first year of life:

• Rolling

• Crawling

• Squatting

• Reaching

• Stabilising

• Coordinating breath with movement

They’re the blueprint for all adult movement.
When we return to these principles, everything becomes more stable.

2. Creating stability through functional breathing

This is the cornerstone of long-term spinal support.

3. Reactivating the deep stabilisers

The small spinal muscles between each vertebra need retraining — gently and consistently.

4. Improving the timing between your centre, pelvis, and shoulders

Your “girdles” — shoulder and pelvic — are major stability hubs.
When they’re stable, your limbs move more freely and pain-free.

5. Reducing reliance on the big global muscles

These are fantastic movers, but poor stabilisers.
When they take over, you get hinging, overloading, and compensation.

6. Moving better in everyday life

This is where long-term change happens:

• Lifting the washing

• Cleaning

• Gardening

• Carrying kids

• Getting in/out of the car

• Sport

• Work tasks

Once you re-learn how to stabilise, everything becomes rehab without feeling like rehab.

Why Generic Workouts Often Don’t Fix the Problem

This is worth noting, especially in the age of online workouts.

A strong body is great — but strength without stability isn’t protective.
In fact, it sometimes makes things worse long-term.

Many people do Pilates, HIIT, gym programs, mobility routines, or online classes and may still get back pain because:

• The exercises don’t address their fundamental movement patterns

• Breath mechanics aren’t considered

• The focus is on “getting through the session” rather than movement quality

• The approach is generalised, not individual

• The body builds fitness but not stability

Short-term strength gains don’t always equal long-term resilience.

The Big Takeaway

Your back isn’t “going out.”
It’s responding — intelligently — to:

• Instability

• Overload

• Poor mechanics

• Stress

• Old patterns

• Poor breathing

• Repetition without support

• Compensations

Your body isn’t failing you.
It’s protecting you.

And the most powerful way forward is restoring stability — from the inside out — so you can move through your day with confidence, ease, and long-term resilience.