If Your Back Pain Keeps Coming Back, Something Deeper Is Driving It.
You’ve already tried treatment.
Physio. Rest. Injections. Exercises from YouTube.
Some helped for a while.
But it returned.
You’re not broken.
And you haven’t failed recovery.
But something may not have been fully understood yet.
The next step isn’t more treatment.
It’s clarity.
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How We Work
We don’t begin by chasing pain.
We begin by understanding how your body is currently coping with movement and load.
Pain is rarely random.
It is often the result of adaptations your nervous system has made over time — to injury, habits, workload, or protective guarding.
Our role is to identify:
What your system is protecting
What is overworking
What is not contributing
What your body can safely tolerate right now
Assessment provides direction.
Our Difference:
Depth Before Decision
Everything we do is organised around structured movement analysis.
Using the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), alongside integrated spine and neuromuscular principles, we examine how your body moves as a system — not simply where it hurts.
This helps us determine:
• Whether movement is restricted or poorly controlled
• Where compensation is occurring
• Whether the driver is mobility, stability, or sensitivity
• How your system responds under load
Two people with identical symptoms often require very different plans.
Depth of assessment determines direction.
👉 Learn More About Our Approach Here
The Goal
Not short-term easing.
Not endless sessions.
The aim is to help your body handle movement and load with greater confidence.
So you can:
• Move without hesitation
• Return to work or training with control
• Trust your back again
Who This Is For
This approach works best for people who:
• Have persistent or recurring back pain or sciatica
• Have tried treatment but continue to cycle back
• Value structured reasoning over repeated symptom management
• Are willing to engage actively in recovery
You may already be working with someone you trust.
That’s a good thing.
This isn’t about replacing anyone.
It’s about determining whether your situation requires a different level of assessment.
If it does, we’ll explain how.
If it doesn’t, we’ll say so.
What Patients Say
"Before seeing John, I relied heavily on daily stretching and struggled to sit or drive for more than twenty minutes. I feel so much stronger now and these things are no longer an issue for me. I would highly recommend to anyone who is suffering from back pain."
-Lauren, Wicklow.
"The best experience I've ever had with a physical therapist, or a physio for that matter. The attention to detail and thorough assessment helped me understand the root cause of my back pain. I felt better immediately and was able to start getting back to my normal routine. Highly recommend them especially if you've tried other options which haven't worked".
-John, Rathfarnham.
"I was suffering lower back pain for the last 3 years using different services with no big improvements. After 3 months with John I can say that the results are very satisfying. His knowledge and professionalism helped me to understand the root of the pain, and together with great exercises he put me back to shape. It was a great experience and would highly recommend to anyone who suffers from back pain".
-Damian, Limerick.
Meet Your Specialist
John Shevlin
Founder of The Back Specialists
John combines advanced neuromuscular therapy, biomechanics,
osteopathy, and pain science to deliver world-class back pain recovery.
With over 15 years of clinical experience, he’s helped everyone from everyday desk workers to elite athletes — helping them move freely, overcome persistent pain, and regain confidence in their bodies.
John has trained and taught internationally with the Neurokinetic Therapy and Functional Movement Systems teams, and his integrated approach draws on proven methods from:
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American & European Versions of Neuromuscular Therapy
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Orthopaedic Soft Tissue Manipulation
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The Selective Functional Movement Assessment
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The Functional Movement Screen
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The Fundamental Capacity Screen
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Dry Point Dry Needling
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Osteon Spinal Manipulation
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Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilisation (DNS)
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Anatomy in Motion (AiM)
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Inspiration from The McGill Method & Pain Neuroscience Education
“I believe back pain isn’t just about muscles or joints — it’s about how your whole system works together. My goal is to help you understand your body, move better, and feel like yourself again.”
What Our Clients Say
Lauren Hunt
Wicklow
John O'Connell
SF Fitness
Ian McNamee
Sandymount
"I cannot recommend John highly enough!
He’s operating at a whole other level"
Ian Brooks
Cork
Damian Laszkiewicz
Limerick
"Incredibly eye opening experience as he took a holistic view to why I had back pain instead of just treating the inflicted area.
John is incredibly approachable, has great insight and is superb at explaining the issue and his approach to fixing it.
Couldn't recommend him enough!
Toni Carroll
Terenure
John is an extremely professional and knowledgable therapist. He has been working with my son to resolve a very tricky and debilitating back issue. I cannot believe the difference in my son’s condition.I couldn’t recommend him highly enough. (as an extra bonus, he is kindness personified).
Click the image below to hear Ian O'Malley's Experience with
The Back Specialists
Frequently Asked Questions
The Back Specialists
