Back pain is the worst. It’s the dead center of the body,
truly un-escapable. Lying down, sitting, standing, usually all hurt. For any
other body-part, there would still be a few comfortable positions. Even rolling
over at night leaves it aching worse.
Because it hurts to do everything, most stop doing anything.
Pain is demoralizing. Trading your favorite activities for struggling at simple
tasks sucks. But if you don’t fight it’s only going to get worse.
What’s the Problem?
First get it checked out by a qualified medical
professional. Understanding the problem is crucial for developing your path out
of pain. Every injury is different.
Eat Better
Certainly there is the obvious fact that dropping weight
takes pressure off the spine. There are other reasons to eat better. Nutritious foods will help the body heal
quicker. They also support a better energy level. Tired people are less
motivated to get off the couch. Additionally, properly nourished tissues are better
able to do what they are supposed to do (support your skeleton).
Avoid
Exercises that have jarring impacts, the body can’t absorb these
very well. Running with heel strikes is a great example. When the heel hits the
ground, the vibrations are sent into the skeleton. It has to end up somewhere.
And if your back is already tight, this will only make it worse.
Bending and twisting the spine under load will often
re-aggravate issues. Most classic sit-up variations fit this description. This
puts uneven pressure on the disc (think squeezing one end of a ketchup packet).
Exercising too hard will restart the pain. Fatigue decreases
quality of movement. The lower back will re-tighten. That exercise session now
went from a positive to a negative.
What to Do
Maintain the natural curve of the spine while exercising.
Whether standing or doing a push-up, this alignment will reduce the chance of irritation.
Better yet, doing this regularly will make the muscles required to maintain
this position stronger.
Get the hips and abs stronger. Any glute bridging or plank
position can do this. Often times these areas are very weak in people with
chronic back pain. The next step would do other exercises (pushing or pulling)
in a half kneeling position. This will help the hips and abs work together,
removing strain from the lower back.
A quality strength training program can help many people
live with and possibly move past a back injury.
