AVOID 5 exercises...if you suffer from Back Pain & Slipped Discs

60% of Adults experience back pain at some point in their life....and, for the most part they’re totally unaware that they are exacerbating their back pain by making bad exercise choices.

When you’ve got back pain the last thing you should be doing is rounding the spine (and reversing the natural lumbar curve).  The moment we bend forward or hunch the back, whether sitting or standing, the load on the disc space increases dramatically, putting a huge amount of pressure on the lower lumbar vertebra!

It may come as some surprise that some of the more common exercises are actually some of the biggest culprits!

1) Toe-touching; and twisting the spine:

Repetitive toe touching rounds the spine and puts pressure on the lumbar curve, performing this repeatedly places pressure on the intervertebral discs which leads to degeneration.

2) Situps/Crunches:

While sit ups used to be a favourite for working the belly this move only works 20 percent of your abdominal muscles and puts a huge strain on the back.  Pulling on the neck while crunching hurts the upper back and your lower back gets hit when as your hip flexors pull on the spine to raise your upper body off the ground.  So instead of opting for a gruelling sit up routine, consider planking – which works your entire body while really focussing on your core.

3) Double leg raisers:

Another favourite in the gym, but again a common exercise that can stress the lower lumbar and Sacro iliac joints. For most people, it’s nearly impossible to keep the back from arching as both legs raise and lower. When that happens, the back hyper-extends, placing stress on the spine and increasing the risk of injury. 

If you’re set on doing double leg raises, try placing your hands underneath your lower back for added support, moving in a slow, controlled way. If you have any back pain – simply avoid this exercise.

4) Spinning with a rounded back: 

Mountain biking and cycling with an upright posture honours the correct lumbar curve and doesn’t create undue stress on the back, however leaning forward on a spinning bike or doing long distance road cycling may put stress on the lower spine and exacerbate tension in the area.  

Commonly cyclist who complain of numbing fingers and numb toes while riding are actually suffering from the effects of locked up muscles which have tightened in response to the body’s rounded posture.

 5) Running:

Running is a high-impact exercise. The faster you run, the harder your feet hit the ground and this repetitive jarring is very hard on the joints and the spine. 

Studies such as the one published in the September 1986 issue of the “British Journal of Sports Medicine” found that the spine shrank by several millimeters after a 6 km run, and the shrinkage was directly proportionate to running speed. 

Although the relationship of spinal shrinkage to spine pain isn’t fully known, those results show how much stress running can put on the spine. If you experience chronic back pain, running may not be an option.

SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING BACK PAIN
Rule no 1 : you CANNOT build strength or tone into stressed or tight muscles!
When  one is experiencing pain or tension from body stress being present in the body the first approach is to release the tightly locked up muscles to allow the muscle tone to relax back to a more normal tone.  You’ll do by working with your Body Stress Release practitioner.

When the muscles have had an opportunity to release you’ll be able to build up strength through well directed exercise such as:
Swimming ; Walking ; Pilates and Core excercises that your BSR practitioner will give you.Training with an instructor who understands the Biomechanics of the spine 
Manage your limits :  In doing exercise, remember to listen to your body. Pain in the warning signal that you are starting to push yourself beyond your individual limit into “overload”.   When you feel pain, stop or adapt the activity- don’t try ignore the pain or “work through it” or supress it with pain killers.  In the long run a little rest often goes a long way in bouncing back stronger.