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Lift Carefully, Lift Smart
If you must lift something that is heavy or awkward, hold your abdominal muscles in slightly and lift as much as possible with your legs to allow for good low back support. In addition, get in the habit of holding your head up slightly, while looking straight forward to decrease pressure on your lumbar spine.
Strength Training to Ease Back Pain
Oftentimes, lower back pain is caused by weak abdominal, as well as back muscles. In short, the stronger your abdominals, the less work your lower back will have to do. So, it's very important that both your back and abdominal muscles be strong. Here are two great exercises:
Back Extensions: (lower back) - Go to your gym. Position yourself in a back extension machine, ankles locked behind the pads, groin area and upper thighs resting on padded platform.
- The top of your hips should be over the edge of the platform, your back should be parallel to the floor.
- Fold your arms across your chest.
- Bend over at the waist, with your upper torso lowered to the point where it is just a few inches above being perpendicular to the floor.
- Raise up to the starting position and hold for a brief second.
- Lower yourself slowly and repeat.
Note: Do not swing up and down. Move in a slow, controlled manner.
Crunches: (upper and middle abs) - Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet together, flat on the floor, and about 10-15 inches from your buttocks. Your hands should either be crossed on your chest, by your side, or cupped behind your ears.
- Without moving your lower body, curl your upper torso up and in toward your knees, until your shoulder blades are as high off the ground as you can get them. Only your shoulder blades should lift--not your lower back. (Do not jerk yourself up. Slowly bring yourself up using your abdominals only.)
- As you come to the highest point, tighten and flex your abdominals for a brief second. (Keep your lower back raised off the floor. Go as far up as you can and feel your abdominals become tight.)
- Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
Notes: Do not move quickly. Do this exercise very slowly and resist on the way back. Next: Remember to Stretch >
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