Low Back Pain Keeping You From Achieving Everyday Goals?

Anyone who is anybody has most likely experienced a moment where they had to discontinue a daily activity due to chronic low back pain. Low back pain is a nagging injury that unlike a sprained ankle or knee does not have many visual signs for colleagues and teammates to empathize, making it all the more frustrating. Also frustrating is how low back pain is acquired, it can come from too much stress or not enough stress, making it a sensitive subject to argue without understanding patient history and daily activities.

Investigating Low Back Pain

Before anyone is prescribed an exercise plan for low back pain, understanding the exact reason for the pain is crucial. For frequent weightlifters, runners and athletes the problem can be overuse or bad form. Weightlifters should be educated before attempting heavy lifts on how to keep a strong posture supported by the core muscles including the erector spinae and gluteal muscles (buttock muscles). In addition the oblique muscles of the abdomen also assist in posturing the spine. Successful weightlifters and athletes understand the importance of targeting these muscles singularly in workouts to recruit their support for the “money muscles” (i.e. legs for sprinters or kicking athletes, arms for pitchers and quarterbacks and other throwing athletes). 

As I’ve stated in previous work: the core muscles form the alliance for the upper and lower muscles to work in unison. When athletes and weightlifters overwork the core stabilizers, taking some time off from weightlifting is recommended to allow muscle fibers to heal. Ice can be used to reduce pain and swelling during the first 72 hours, applied heat and a potential visit with the orthopedist is recommended beyond those three days.

Individuals who experience low back pain but can’t blame it on being a “gym rat” have to inspect other leads. Typically with these folks bad posture and gait during daily activities is also the reason for discomfort. However, it is weakness of core muscles, not strain that is contributing the pain. These folks should begin by assessing the pain based on how much of their daily activities are affected by the pain. First of all: stop bending at the waist. If caught soon enough this may be the only measure needed to relieve pain. If you intend to reach for objects of any size and weight that requires bending over, squat instead and lift with your legs. Keep a “lordodic curve” in the low back with the use of your core stabilizers. It may be comical to others watching you squat but its far less funny and painless than what follows the toe-touch style of bending down. However, even perfect posture can produce pain after long bouts of activity.

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To reduce pain, ice and rest may help with some simple static stretching that we will touch up on shortly. If the pain is burning, throbbing, shooting down the legs or up the spine it is time to take a time out and visit your orthopedist as well. In the meantime, ice and rest will help alleviate symptoms.

What You May Learn About Low Back Pain

Sometimes stress to the low back can bring on strains to the muscles mentioned above. In this case rest and stretching can help reduce pain, increase range of motion and help keep you busy at work or in athletic competition. Intense pain can be indicative of more serious diagnoses such as sprained sacroiliac joints or compressed nerves, also known as sciatica. These conditions may require some prolonged rest but can be alleviated with exercise. Therapeutic modalities such as electric stimulation or ultrasound can also relieve pain and heal these injuries. A licensed/certified healthcare professional will most likely conduct these prescriptions (athletic trainer or physical therapist) at your preferred rehabilitation clinic.

For the “lucky” individuals who avoid serious injury but would like to reduce the nagging pain that flourishes due to overuse and bad posture, attempting at home exercises may be just the key. First, understand that pain due to bad posture will take time to correct. Educating the muscles to fix posture may create more acute pain but will be beneficial in the long run.

At Home Regimen For Too Little Activity/Overuse

Begin by lying face up on the floor in preferably a carpeted room for head comfort, add a pillow otherwise. Slightly arch your lower back to fit your flat hand between yourself and the floor. Hold this position for thirty seconds and then rest for thirty. Repeat three to four times.

Next, you will do the exact opposite. In the same position, use your core muscles to press your low back into the floor. Conduct this exercise for ten seconds and relax for thirty seconds. Repeat three to four times. These two exercises are crucial to begin with because they fire the muscles and prepare them to complete the additional exercises more efficiently. From here on exercises and stretching can be considered synonymous for the at home rehabbers.

Low Back Pain Exercise Prescription (Sets x Repetitions)

• Sitting Straight Leg Toe Touches (3x10 seconds)
• Sitting Figure Four Toe Touches (3x10 seconds)
• Butterfly Stretches (3x10 seconds)
• Sitting Butterfly Stretches (3x10 seconds)
• Bilateral Lying Crossover Knee Figure Four (3x10 seconds)
• Bilateral Lying Knees to Chest Stretches (3x10 seconds)

In addition to these exercises, attempting weighted or functional exercises can be eased towards as the body allows it. Do not attempt these unless pain has lessened or if pain has increased. Keep in mind the core muscles must be strong enough to keep the lordodic curve during exercise.

Low Back Weighted/Functional Exercise Prescription (Set x Repetitions)

• Hanging Deadlift (3x10)
• 4-Way Hip Adductor/Abductor/Flexion/Extension Machine (4x3x10)
• Sit-Ups (3x10)
• Superman Planks (2x1 minute)

Most gyms have the equipment needed to perform these simple rehabilitation exercises. Superman Planks may have an array of names but consist of essentially not allowing your knees or elbows to touch the ground for the duration of the exercise. Flipping from stomach to back is also encouraged if it does reanimate pain. Important things to remember when rehabilitating the low back is not to add stress to the low back, keep the low back in lordosis during lifting and stretching can be beneficial to keeping muscles loose before and after activities. If pain does not subside after exercising a few days or gets worse visit or re-visit your doctor to report continuation of symptoms. If your posture is perfect and you still experience low back pain consider other potential causes such as leg length discrepancy, mattress firmness, pes planus/pes cavus (flatfoot/high arch) and other joint injuries.

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Injuries to surrounding structures such as the knee, ankle or upper back and neck pain can circulate down to the low back due to compensation. Consult your athletic trainer or orthopedic specialists if you suspect any of these conditions.