It happens every year across the UK. On 1st January, gyms from Formby to London see a 50% surge in attendance. After a December defined by sedentary festive cheer, mince pies, and perhaps a few too many hours hunched over a jigsaw puzzle or a new novel, the British public collectively decides it is time to move.
At Chadwick’s Physiotherapy, we call the third week of January “The Great Rebound.” This is when the initial adrenaline of a New Year’s resolution fades, replaced by a sharp, nagging, or radiating pain in the lower back. If you are currently sitting with a heat pad on your lumbar spine, wondering where it all went wrong, let’s be clear: you haven’t failed. You’ve simply encountered a biological mismatch between your ambition and your current physical capacity.
The Anatomy of a “Resolution Injury”
To understand why your back is screaming after three sessions of “Couch to 5K” or a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) class, we have to look at what happened in December. During the winter break, most of us undergo a period of “deconditioning.” We sit more, which causes the hip flexors (the psoas muscles) to shorten and tighten. Because the psoas attaches directly to your lumbar vertebrae, tight hips act like a tether, pulling your spine into an exaggerated arch.
When you suddenly decide to sprint or perform squats on January 2nd, your spine is already under “pre-load” tension. Add the cold UK temperatures—which reduce blood flow to tendons and make muscles less pliable—and you have the perfect recipe for a disc bulge or a severe muscular strain.
Beyond the “Six-Pack”: Redefining Core Stability
One of the biggest mistakes we see at the clinic this month is the “over-correction.” People feel their back is weak, so they start doing hundreds of sit-ups or “crunches.” In reality, traditional crunches can actually increase the intradiscal pressure in your lower back, potentially worsening a burgeoning injury.
True core stability isn’t about a six-pack; it’s about “Intra-Abdominal Pressure” (IAP). Think of your torso as a lemonade can. If the can is full and sealed, you can stand on it without it crushing. if the “pressure” is leak—due to a weak pelvic floor, poor diaphragm control, or inactive deep abdominals—the “can” (your spine) collapses under the weight of your workout.
At Chadwick’s, we teach our patients how to “brace” rather than “hollow.” This involves engaging the Transversus Abdominis and the Multifidus – the tiny, deep muscles that act as your body’s internal weightlifting belt.
The “Cold Start” Danger
In the UK, January temperatures often hover around 2–5°C. For an athlete, or even a casual jogger, this is a hazard. Cold weather causes “vasoconstriction,” meaning your muscles receive less oxygenated blood. If you jump straight from a warm car into a cold gym or onto a frosty pavement, your connective tissues are brittle.
A proper January warm-up should last at least 15 minutes and be “dynamic.” This means no static stretching (holding a pose), which can actually destabilise a cold joint. Instead, focus on:
- Cat-Cow Stretches: To mobilise the individual segments of the spine.
- Glute Bridges: To “wake up” the muscles that should be protecting your back.
- Bird-Dog: To cross-pattern the brain and the core stabilisers.
The Psychological Component: The “January Blues” and Pain
It is well-documented in clinical literature that stress and low mood increase pain perception. January is a tough month; the holidays are over, the credit card bills arrive, and the days are short. This stress manifests physically as tension in the trapezius (shoulders) and the lower back.
When you are stressed, your body produces more cortisol, which can increase systemic inflammation. This makes a minor “niggle” feel like a major injury. Part of our role at Chadwick’s Physiotherapy is helping you distinguish between “hurt” and “harm.” Just because it hurts doesn’t always mean there is structural damage, but it is a sign that your system is overwhelmed.
When to Stop the “DIY” Approach
We often see patients who have spent three weeks trying to “roll out” their pain with a foam roller or a tennis ball. While self-massage has its place, it can often be “poking the fire” if you are dealing with a nerve-related issue like sciatica.
If you experience any of the following, it is time to put down the foam roller and seek professional help:
- Pain that travels past the knee into the calf or foot.
- Numbness or a “pins and needles” sensation.
- Pain that is worse first thing in the morning (a classic sign of disc inflammation).
- A feeling of “weakness” in the leg where your foot feels heavy.
Your Roadmap to a Resilient Year
The goal of January shouldn’t be to get fit in thirty days; it should be to build a foundation for the next twelve months. This means:
- Progressive Overload: If you haven’t lifted weights in months, start with 50% of your previous max.
- Hydration: We forget to drink water in winter. Dehydrated spinal discs are less effective shock absorbers.
- Professional Assessment: Having a movement screen can identify “energy leaks” in your form before they turn into a 6-week layoff.
At Chadwick’s, we don’t just treat the symptoms; we look at the person. Whether you want to return to competitive rugby or simply want to be able to walk the dog along the Formby coast without aching, we create a bespoke plan that addresses your specific biomechanics.
Don’t let a January setback dictate your health for the rest of 2026.
If your New Year’s goals have been sidelined by back pain, don’t wait for it to “just go away.” We want to help you understand exactly what is happening under the surface. At Chadwick’s Physiotherapy, we offer a Free Discovery Visit where you can sit down with one of our experts, discuss your history, and get a clear professional opinion on the best path forward—completely free of charge and with no obligation.
Ready to get back on track?
If your New Year’s goals have been sidelined by back pain, don’t wait for it to “just go away.” We want to help you understand exactly what is happening under the surface. At Chadwick’s Physiotherapy, we offer a Free Discovery Visit where you can sit down with one of our experts, discuss your history, and get a clear professional opinion on the best path forward—completely free of charge and with no obligation.