Five Ways to Ease Back Pain - While Keeping Up With Your Exercise Routine
Having helped 100’s of adults get back to their favorite exercise routine there is one thing we are sure of, when it comes to overcoming low back pain - exercise should be part of the solution - NOT part of the problem.
But that isn’t always the case. Many of the individuals we speak to are finding that their exercise routine is actually making their back pain worse. For every two days of movement they’re having to take five days off. Meaning that something isn’t right. Which is why today we want to cover five easy things you can do to keep up with your exercise routine even if you’re dealing with back pain.
1. Warm Up
It’s important to prepare your muscles and joints for the work they are about to do. A good warm up with help mobilize your joints, engage and prepare muscles for some work, and get your heart rate elevated to get your blood moving. This will not only help with any stiffness that may limit the way you move, but decrease the stress that goes through your body that contributes to those nagging aches and pains. The following video is one of our favorite full body warm ups!
Important to note: Studies are beginning to show that static stretching is not an effective warm up and does not decrease injury risk.
2. Pay Close Attention to How You’re Moving
If exercise is making your pain worse, it’s very possible that we’re moving inefficiently and putting more stress on our already achy joints. It’s important when we’re exercises to pay attention to the way we’re moving to be sure we’re using the right muscles and loading the right joints, especially if we’re adding any weights! Our bodies are meant to move a certain way and unfortunately hours spent sitting in front of a computer and long periods of inactivity can change the way we move, leading to more aches and pains.
We’re one of the few clinics in Portland who not only assess movement patterns, but put together programs that retrain those movement patterns so you won’t be stuck dealing with chronic aches and pains. I recommend seeing a movement expert, like those employed in our office, to make sure you’re ready and able to start on that new exercise program you’re so excited about!
3. Progress and Regress
The new craze in fitness is boot camps and small group classes. Generally, these classes create a set workout with movements that all participants do. Most movements can be progressed/regressed to fit client needs. If a movement is causing back pain, or it feels unsafe, don't be afraid to ask a coach/trainer to adjust workouts to fit your situation.
Example of Plank Progressions from Easiest to Hardest
Knee Plank - Elbow Plank - High Plank - High Plank Leg Lifts - High Plank Shoulder Touches - Quadruped Shoulder Touches - Bear Crawl
4. Schedule in ‘Active Rest’ Days
One of the most common mistakes we see people make when getting back into shape is to overdo it. Seven days a week of high intensity weight training doesn’t give our joints and muscles enough time to recover. Rest doesn’t mean we quit cold turkey. Active Rest are days where we can still incorporate movement, but with lighter, lower impact movements.
5. Get Assessed By An Expert
Your first thought might be to go to your doctor when you start experiencing back pain. But most doctors aren’t trained in the specifics of back pain. They will assess you to make sure there isn’t a major pathology or broken bone, but they won’t assess your movement. They often offer ‘quick fixes’ like pain pills or injections or just advise you to rest.
A specialty chiropractic and movement practice will be able to assess your movement in detail, through various movement tests, which will tell a much better story about how your pain may or may not impact the new exercise or program you’re about to start. Plus, we’ll be able to create customized programs specifically designed to make sure you can embark on your new goal while decreasing your risk of injury.
At Evolve Performance Healthcare we specialize in helping adults aged 40+ stay active and strong so they can continue to do what they love and stay out of the doctors office.
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