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Workout Idea for Lower Back Muscle Pain |
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Question:
I have lower back pain due to poor muscle tone and old injuries. Can
anyone recommend a workout for this that won't just aggravate the
problem? I've tried simple things like toe-touching, but anything I do
just makes the pain worse.
And yes - I have seen a couple doctors and
had xrays to make sure there isn't anything bad in there. They just
tell me to strengthen my lower back and abs and I'll hopefully be all
fixed.
Answer:
I would suggest that you go to see a physio. He should be able to give
you exercises that won't aggravate it.
The thing that fixed my back was deadlifting. I bought "Power To The
People!" did my best to follow the instructions, suffered a few minor
tweaks along the way, but it's been the main thing that works for me
and, if I don't do it regularly or something similar, my back starts to
bother me more. (The substitute for me is the kettlebell snatch, which
is a lot less of a mainstream sort of thing.)
Pavel (the author) has a
great line in his flexibility book, "Relax Into Stretch", about why you
should _not_ try to stretch to relieve back pain. Here it is:
"Spasms and pain are only symptoms. The real problem is usually
weakness. A weak back muscle has to contract hard just to keep you from
walking on all fours - spinal erectors are 'anti-gravity muscles'. This
tension is difficult to maintain, so the muscle just locks up. Movement
and circulation become limited, so it gets even weaker, so it cramps
even more to get even weaker to cramp even more... It's a vicious
cycle.
"Conclusion: trying to fix a bad back with stretching is about as useful
as an oil change on the Titanic. You'd better get on a first name basis
with deadlifts."
And that's from a stretching book!
I suffered a debilitating back injury about 6-1/2 years ago - couldn't
walk for about six months, took over a year until I could walk without a
limp. If you want to follow your doctor's advice and learn to
strengthen your lower back and abs, deadlift. Be careful, stay tight
(PTTP spends a great deal of time talking about what it is to stay
tight, why it's important, and how to structure your workouts to
maximize its effectiveness), and give yourself a few months to start to
see signs of progress - and a few years to see real results that will be
worth the wait.
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