Tips On Relieving Low Back Pain

by Jeremy Reynolds

 

Fail!

 Historically, the curvature of the back has been a frequent theme in paintings across many cultures and has also served as the largest canvas for body art on the human body. The back is a symbol of strength and hard work, but can also be an area of vulnerability when it comes to the stressful rigors we place on it day in and day out.

 

 The muscles located in the lower back region play a critical role in both athletic performance and overall posture. Your lower back is designed for stability. A strong core (abdominal region) and posterior chain (erector spinae, glutes, and hamstrings) is incredibly important because it binds together the upper and lower body during all movements. The stronger a person is from the middle out, the more effective that person’s performance will be.

 While strengthening the lower back aids in support for the entire body, it can also help with many other lifts if done properly. However, it is very common for the muscles of the lower back to be underdeveloped compared to the muscles of the limbs and upper torso. Since this area plays such an important role in posture and stabilization, a weak back can be a nightmare for anyone.

Common causes of lower back pain and weaknesses:

 1) Tight hamstrings and tight hip flexors

Solution: Stretch and lengthen the muscles. Examples of some exercises you can do:

Leg Swings

  

Hip Flexor Stretch

 

Standing Hamstring Stretch

 2)  Excess weight around stomach

Solution: Well balanced diet and commitment to exercise program. Strengthen posterior chain with exercises such as deadlift variations, good mornings, reverse hypers and back extensions.

 3) Postural Imbalances (rounded shoulders, torso imbalances, etc.)

Solution: Maintain correct posture and reduce stress on the lower back during daily routine. Exercise can help reduce and even eliminate muscle imbalances, however this is a double edged sword because improper training can lead to muscle imbalances as well. Balance your workout regimen by working out all muscle groups.

 Tips to help avoid injury and low back pain:

 Tip 1: Learn how to lift – Performing a power clean, deadlift or squat with a rounded or arched back could easily lead to injury! A weak lower back causes bad posture during lifts, which makes the lift less effective all together.

 Tip 2: Develop your flexibility – Include a warm-up before your routine and stretching after your routine. Also, avoid sitting too long in one position.

Tip 3: Proper body mechanics – Bend your knees while lifting objects, carry loads close to the body, push rather than pull objects when possible and avoid shifting all your weight onto one side of your body.

 When you begin to perform exercises and daily activities without arching or rounding your back, you will most likely find out that you can’t lift as much and that is because you are now engaging the underdeveloped lower back muscles. Not only will your posture improve, your risk of injury will be greatly minimized, and the path to a strong and healthier lower back is now within reach.

Back photos courtesy of:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/gallery/jenny/standing_hamstring_stretch180.jpg
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http://magazine.stack.com/Content/Site012/Articles/10_01_2006/LegSwingsAjpg_00000005260.jpg
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http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/gallery/jenny/hip_flexor_stretch.jpg
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http://static.stuff.co.nz/1246427309/993/2556993.jpg
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http://www.amitbhawani.com/health/Images/Lower-Back-Pain1.jpg

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 15th, 2010 at 5:22 pm and is filed under Fitness, Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.