If we asked 100 strangers on the street if they have ever experienced back pain, how many do you think would say yes?
Without knowing for sure, I would have to guess the majority would.
One of the most uncomfortable and debilitating pains there is, digging in right into that low back. It’s common, and for good reason. We don’t put ourselves in a position where we have to use the muscles surrounding that area. Now years ago, when labor was the only real way to get something done, we put our backs under great pressure day to day, building up those weak areas and making them resilient to pain.
But now we sit often, we don’t do much physical labor, we don’t put immense strain on that area.
So you have back pain, what should you do?
I have a list of things I like to go through. I dealt with back pain every day for about 4 years, a few years back, I had put much more focus on the things on this list and the pain has virtually disappeared.
Step #1: Mobilize
A large majority of back pain stems from the joints either above or below the area. In many of these cases the hips are playing a HUGE role. So, we have to move the damn hips.
We want motion in all ranges. Here are a few of my favorites that I do every single week.
90-90 (and all variations)
Pidgeon stretch
Hip slide
Tactical frog
Couch stretch
These types of movements will help loosen up the hips and allow for better ranges of motion throughout the day. Our hips are mobile joints, let’s make sure they stay that way!
Step #2: Strengthen
For most of us, we sit on our butts often. So, two main areas of focus when It comes to strengthening will be the glutes and hip flexors. As you may have noticed, those two areas were also targets in the first section.
These areas both tend to be tight AND weak so they are targeted in each of these steps. The strengthening will build the resiliency up and protect the area with some insurance from the surrounding muscles.
Some of my favorite strengthening exercises for low back pain:
Pidgeon squats
Banded hip flexion
Glute bridges
Single leg hip thrusts
Tension planks
Side planks
And when I say strengthing exercises, these are things to do to help get back to the major motions without issue. I still believe squats, deadlifts, single leg squats, core dominant work, all play a major role in keeping the back strong and healthy. But these things can help get us back into doing those motions over time.
Every exercise on this list will target some area in and around the hips and low back. Some are targeted directly to the area and you will feel it immediately. Others may have an indirect impact and will help over time or in certain situations such as when an area is over fatigued. Either way, stretch and strengthen are #1 and #2 for a reason. They have a BIG impact.
Step #3: Move Everyday
Pain settles in because we are giving It a reason to. Our body is made to move, alot. So get up and move. We are not meant to sit all day in the same fixed position. We want to get up, get some blood flow, and release the areas that tighten and weaken as we sit.
As I stated above, steps #1 and #2 are very important because they will have a direct impact on the reasons the pain is there. If we want this pain to go away for good then we need to get AND keep our body moving every single day.
Step #4: Play It Smart
Your back hurts, and that doesn’t mean you shy away from everything. But It does mean that there should be some precautions as things begin to feel better.
So maybe some exercises will need to take a back seat for a little while or certain activities as things heal.
I had someone years ago who loved to back squat but had major back pain. After a while the back pain began feeling MUCH better but the squats still gave some aggravation. So at first we began by taking the movement out and replacing It.
As things felt better we began introducing the squats back in with lighter loads. As that felt better we began introducing some heavier weight but only in the afternoons when the area felt its best.
Over time we were back to squatting on a normal schedule with absolutely no pain. These kinds of pains do not have to dictate the rest of your life. Things can be changed, but It takes a lot of patience and a lot of effort.
Take It slow, be smart, and feel great.
In good health,
Jeff
