Training with Low Back Pain
Posted on 03. Dec, 2008 by Keith Scott in Back to Health
In my last video, I gave some tips on dealing with hips issues to help deal with lower back pain and problems. The hips are one of the keys to having and maintaining a healthy lower back.
Once you deal with the hips, your low back will start to feel better and more secure, to the point where you will be able to get back to activities and exercise once again.
With that said, and the numerous different issues that people have, there will still be a lot of work to be done to finally get your back where it needs to be.
I will outline another set of exercises soon to go along with the hip exercises that I gave in the video.
Today, however, I want to talk about things you can do in the gym, safely, if you do have a bad lower back.
Too many people stop training or exercising all together when they have a back issue in fear that they will really damage something permanently…and justifiably so.
The truth is, training can continue, safely if you avoid certain things and do the right things.
Here is a quick list of things you could in the gym safely if you have a lower back problem without risking more pain and/or injury.
- Avoid Spinal Loading – This means that you need to take the weight off of your back. Instead of barbell squats, try dumbbell squats with the DB’s in your hands and to your sides. You can also substitute those squats with lunges, step ups and other leg work that does not involve putting a weight on your back, thus loading your spine.
- Avoid twisting motions at all costs. Twisting is the last thing you want to do if you have a back lower back. In fact, I don’t advise much twisting even if your back is healthy (more on that at a later time.)
- Limit or avoid spinal flexion while working out. This means forward bending. If you have a disc problem, bending is not recommended. Even if your back problem does not involve a disc, forward flexion will aggravate the muscles in the lower back which are probably in bad shape. This means crunches too.
- Work on your core everyday. The stronger your core is, the better your back will feel. You do not need to do crunches and other ineffective ab work to build your core up. Implement planks into your program, along with standing, full-body strength training.
- Stay away from the leg press. I am not a big fan of leg presses anyway, but in this context, just understand that the leg press puts your lower back in a lot of loaded flexion, which is never good.
- Avoid Dead Lifting until you are stronger and have your technique absolutely perfect. For this, I recommend someone that is in the “know” watch you and teach you the right form.
Just because your lower back is hurting or you have problems, does not mean your time in the gym is over. To be frank, you probably need more time in the gym correcting the things that caused your issues in the first place.
Stay away from the bad stuff, implement the good stuff and your back will be feeling much better in no time.
Super-Trainer
03. Dec, 2008
Great tips, Keith – I think it’s just as valuable knowing what NOT to do as what you should do, as you mentioned here -