Avoid Back Pain

This article gives an overview of techniques that can be applied to avoid lower back pain and hernia injuries while working out. Lower back injuries are one of the most common types of injuries affecting Americans today. Don't let lower back pain hamper your quest for fitness!

Certainly some people are more predisposed to have lower back pain and hernial injuries. Genetics plays a role in every aspect of our lives. In the gym setting however, most lower back pain and hernial injuries are not due to genetics alone, but instead are due to poor lifting techniques and poor planning.

When someone begins a workout/fitness routine, certain areas must take higher priorities than others. But near the top of the list should be core strengthening and posture. Have a fitness specialist check out your posture before starting. At the very least, stand naturally in front of the mirror. Does you lower back sway forward in the classic beer-gut posture (lordosis)? Or does it produce more of a "C" effect, curving backwards (kyphosis)? Regardless, there are some specifics to be followed when starting a routine.

1) When doing weight training exercises, keep your ab's tight and in a neutral spine posture.

2) Never, ever forget number 1. Your form should never suffer! If you ever change your form you will either hurt yourself now or later. And, if you analyze it, you'll notice that bad form does not allow you to workout the area you want to workout any more, but instead recruits other body parts to help, defeating the purpose. Never have bad form!

When I mention keeping one's abdominals (ab's) tight I'm referring specifically to the transverse abdominus, or TVA. The easiest way I can explain to someone how to "keep your TVA tight" is to behave as if you knew someone were going to punch you in the stomach. In seeing that punch coming towards you, you tighten your ab's. This is the feeling you should have at all times during your lift. This is not the easiest of tasks and will cause many long term lifters to lessen their weights and correct there form; this, of course, is one of the main goals of this article. While you are keeping your TVA tight you should, of course, continue to breath normally and remain focused. Again, not the easiest task in the world. But, if you do this, your chances of getting a lower back injury or hernia while lifting weights are reduced to almost nothing.

And how does one keep her/his spine neutral? It would be easier to say "keep your back straight" but no-one has a straight back; there is always a slight curvature. This is just fine and should be maintained. Lower back pain and injuries occur when, while lifting, the TVA is relaxed and the spin curved and/or twisted, and weight is added to it. This is way more pressure than the disks can take.

Actually, most lower back injuries occur before lifting. Usually poor posture at the desk or office is the main culprit, weakening the spine over time. Try sitting on ergonomically designed chairs or exer-balls, keeping your TVA tight the whole time. Watching your posture and your desk and throughout your life is a good way to avoid lower back pain and even look better doing it.

What about weight belts? Don't get me wrong. I am certainly not knocking the prescribed weight belts given out by doctors. What I am leery of are the old school leather weight belts. Most of the time, these weight belts act as a crutch to the abdominal wall and lower back area. Using these belts and adding more weight than the core can maintain is a sure way to lower back pain and hernial injuries. These belts and the lifting the weights that encourage their use should be avoided.

After reading this article, as I mentioned before, many long time weight lifters may disagree with me. This is unfortunate as evidence indicates that one can improve his/her strength, improve her/his core and show excellent results by following these techniques. In fact, upon further analysis, it can be demonstrated that many of the top lifters in the world follow these guidelines.

In closing, keep your TVA tight, your spine neutral, and keep lifting to get stronger. Continued progress and avoidance of lower back and hernial injuries are great ways to outshine the competition and keep on the road to good health.