Strengthening routines for low back pain
Over the years I have treated a lot of clients with lower back pain. Pain in general is quite complex and can have many different origins.
But one of the most common misconceptions I hear on a regular basis from clients who come in with lower back pain is that they think they need to strengthen their back to get rid of their pain. “My back feels weak” many people say. “Can you give me some exercises to strengthen my back?”
My answer usually is “It’s excellent that you want to strengthen your body and strengthening your back is definitely important. But from my clinical experience with lower back pain you should start with a focus on strengthening your core muscles.”
The “weakness” that a lot of people feel in their back is often a weakness in their core muscles.
What is your core?
Many of you have probably heard of core muscles and for most people it is easy to think of those “six packs” showing in the front. And that’s why I think a lot of people get discouraged when they hear they should strengthen their core - “Oh, I’ll never get a six pack…”
Well here is the good news! You don’t need to get a “six pack” to strengthen your core.
For some of you the information I am sharing in this post is probably nothing new. But I think it is important to talk about it, as many of my clients over the years did not know about the effects of core strength on their low back and general physical health.
There are many other reasons to strengthen your core such as: improving your balance and your posture, reducing pain associated with prolonged sitting, heavy lifting and physical labor.
One of the best things about strengthening your core muscles is that it can be done without any special equipment. There are endless exercises that only require body weight.
Another great part of my goods news about core strength is that people can see an increase in core strength relatively quickly.
Without getting into too much anatomy, there is a lot more to core strength than the “six pack muscle”.
That one is called your ‘Rectus Abdominus’ by the way. You definitely want to strengthen your Rectus Abdominus, but there are quite a few other muscles that make up your core.
Your ‘core’ is mainly made up of muscles that attach to your pelvis as they stabilize your ‘trunk’.
I will consider the following ones as most important with regards to back pain and prevention of back pain.
They are the ‘Transverse Abdominus’, ‘External Abdominal Oblique’, ‘Internal Abdominal Oblique’, ‘Erector Spinae’, Multifidus’, 'Psoas Major', ‘Quadratus Lumborum’, ‘Latissimus Dorsi’ and the pelvic floor muscles.
Five good core exercises
So here are some of the top core exercises for beginners:
Plank
Side Plank
Bird dog
Hip Bridge
Supine Toe Taps
Here is an article that shows these exercises
https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/5807/beginner-ab-core-exercises-to-increase-stability-and-mobility/
Here are some other articles about core exercises that include more advanced moves as well.
https://www.self.com/gallery/core-exercises-top-trainers-swear-by
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/g31205589/beginner-core-workout/
https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/10-best-abs-exercises-beginners/
You can check out YouTube and find something that suits your style. There are lots of core exercises out there!
How long should I perform an exercise?
So a question that is often asked when it comes to strength exercises is “How long should I exercise and how many repetitions should I make?”
If you are just starting out, you could start by simply doing core exercises for 10 minutes, 3-4 times a week. There are many approaches to building muscles and I suggest you find what works best for you. Do your research and/or consult a personal trainer.
If you are in Cheticamp, check with Remi AuCoin. He is an excellent personal trainer!
In Halifax I can highly recommend Fabrice Goosens.
A good personal trainer to follow online and get programs from is www.athleanx.com
But there are many others out there so check for yourself.
What I like to do with regards to repetitions
I prefer working muscles until they fail. By that I mean until I cannot perform another repetition during that set.
For example with a ‘Plank’ - you can hold it for as long as possible. Whether that is 10 seconds, 30 seconds or 3 minutes. By always holding it for as long as you can, you will be sure to increase strength over time. If the exercise involves motion (a plank is often static and does not involve motion), you can take the muscle through its complete range of motion until the muscle is too exhausted to perform another repetition of that motion.
It is also easier to keep track by performing an exercise until your muscle is too tired to do one more repetition. You don’t need to worry about what exactly you did last time. And you are guaranteed to be gaining muscle down the road, when you are taking a muscle to failure.
A big reason I like this technique is - when weights are involved, this method makes it safer to work out, because you don’t need to work out with heavy weights in hope to build more muscle. You can gain more muscle just the same, by using less weight but exhausting the muscle each time.
So I usually perform each exercise 3 times during a workout and perform each exercise until the muscle fatigues.
This is just one technique for gaining muscle strength. Please do some research and experiment. Find what works best for you!
With regards to core exercises. I usually make them part of my workouts and spend about 15 minutes on core workouts, 4-5 times per week.
Pilates
‘Pilates’ is a great exercise regime you should consider when it comes to core strengthening.
Here is a video that shows some basics in ‘Pilates’. ‘Pilates’ may be a great choice if you are not used to or interested in ‘working out’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6q792sF69E
The following is a little bit more advanced
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsZvlTtK3V8
Pilates’ exists for all levels of experience and physical ability so check online and I’m sure you will find something that suits you!
In conclusion
Just remember - your core helps you with stability and balance. It is where you can develop a lot of power. Think of Bruce Lee. He wasn’t the ‘strongest’ person, but aside from his technique he had incredible core strength. We generate a lot of force from our core.
And when it comes to low back pain it very important to think about strengthening your core.
Even if you don’t have any low back pain, a strong core can help with pain in other parts of your body. From my experience clients who suffer from sciatic, hip pain, mid and upper back pain also see tremendous results from improving their core strength.
And above all, a strong core is a good way to prevent injury!
Stay well,
Roman