9 Tips To Help Erase Back Pain

The statistics on back pain are pretty surprising.  On any given day it is estimated that 31 million people will deal with the symptoms of back pain.  The American Chiropractic Association estimates that four out of five people will report back pain issues to a health care provider at some point in their lifetime.  Hopefully, with these tips you'll get pain-free and stay pain-free

STRETCH YOUR HIP FLEXORS- The hip flexors are a group of muscles located along the front side of your hips just below your abdomen.  Their job is to bring the knees towards the chest and/or the chest to the knees.  Since many Americans spend a large portion of their day sitting these muscles become extremely tight over time leading to what is called an anterior tilt.  This is where the pelvis is tilted forward.  When the pelvis is tilted forward you will have what is called a lordotic curve.  Think of a lordotic curve as always being bent backwards a little bit.  This curve puts a lot of pressure on the structures (muscles, nerves, vertebral discs, supporting ligaments, etc.) of the low back and will lead to back pain over time.  Consistent rolling out and stretching will help reduce this.  Also, standing more in situations where you would normally sit- such as when you are at your desk/ work station- will help prevent this.

STRENGTHEN YOUR GLUTES- This is the other side of the coin to #1.  When you simultaneously open up your hip flexors and strengthen your glutes you will get a synergistic effect.  In fact, doing one without the other will not be anywhere near as effective as doing both.  Some great exercises include glute bridges, RDLs, and reverse lunges.

ROLL OUT YOUR PIRIFORMIS- Your piriformis is a muscle that sits across the upper and somewhat outside of your glute complex.  The piriformis also happens to sit across the sciatic nerve.  When the piriformis is irritated or tight it will cause irritation in the sciatic nerve which will send pain signals through your low back and occasionally down your leg. 

STOP DOING SPINAL FLEXION AB EXERCISES- Remember when the lordotic curve of #1 led to stress through the spinal column?  This is the same thing, just in the other direction.  Spinal flexion exercises include crunches and stability ball crunches.

PERFORM ANTI-ROTATIONAL ABDOMINAL MOVEMENTS- Your back is designed to be stable and resist movement while your limbs move freely.  In many people this is backwards where the hip and shoulder joints are extremely tight and as a result they compensate by using their low backs for movement.  To tighten up those abdominals and thusly, your back, you’ll want to perform exercises that resist movement.  These include (but are certainly not limited to) planks, pallof presses, bird dog series, V-sits and rope chops.

STRENGTHEN YOUR UPPER BACK- People with weak upper backs often develop what is called kyphosis.  This is when your shoulders are rolled forward and you have a rounding of the upper back, AKA slouching.  This slouching posture places stress on the musculature of the lower back, specifically the quadratus lumborum, or QL. 

SLEEP ON YOUR BACK- Sleeping on your back takes pressure off of your spine, especially if you tend to sleep on your stomach.  To help maintain the normal curvature of your back place a small pillow underneath you knees.  If you sleep on your side a pillow between your knees with prevent your top leg from sliding forward and twisting your lower spine.

LOSE YOUR GUT­- This is the one that no one really wants to admit to.  But if you are carrying extra weight, especially around your midsection, you are very susceptible to back pain.  The extra weight will pull your lower spine forward and cause painful compression of the vertebral discs due to the effects of gravity.  Losing and then maintaining a healthy weight will help alleviate this.