Back Strengthening

Okay, background information time.  I’m a somewhat top-heavy 22 year old female (if you catch my drift) and have had moderate back problems all my life.  At one point, I had a week of insane-bad back pain that finally got me to go to the doctor to make sure nothing was WRONG with me.  The doctor basically said that I could blame my mother’s genetics for my body’s predisposition toward back problems (my mom has all kinds of back issues, including a curvature of the spine that should have had her in a wheelchair by the age of 24, but she is not, and my granny has osteoarthritis in her spine).  He also said that, because I’m top-heavy, it’s putting extra pressure on my lower back, so I will have back problems and “may consider a breast reduction in the future if it gets worse”.  Whoo!  Don’t get me wrong, the back problems I hate but I wouldn’t want to consider surgery, I wouldn’t say I’m TOO topheavy personally, but I guess for my frame and structure I’m a bit… overproportioned?  But, I digress.

So, the doctor basically suggested that I do inverted crunches to strengthen my lower back, which should help with the occasional bouts of pain, as well as increase posture which is always good.  I’ve been doing this, but I honestly don’t think that it’s doing a great deal.  I still get soreness from time to time and when I’m doing “back-crunches” (not sure what they’re actually called, sorry), I don’t really feel the muscles working. 

So, this all leads up to my question.  Which is, I suppose, a couple of things really. 

1. Are doing these back-crunches actually going to do anything?  How many reps/sets would need to be done daily to achieve any strengthening? 

2. Is there anything additional that I can do to strengthen my back?  I have a gym membership, but what with the super-freezing weather and the fact that it’s midnight-dark here in England by the time I finish there after work at 6pm, and I don’t have any way to get home other than waiting potentially half an hour for my bus to come, I haven’t been going as often as I should (right now it’s only about twice a week).  They have a nautilus machine, which I use when I go, but it’d be more convenient to have some back exercises I can do daily at home where possible.

3. Are there any like, yoga positions that might help? (I’m looking into getting into yoga at home as well)

I forgot what number 4 was, so that’s it for now.  Thanks for your help folks.

Original Post by madefromconcentrate:

1. Are doing these back-crunches actually going to do anything?  How many reps/sets would need to be done daily to achieve any strengthening? When you say 'back-crunches' I'm picturing back hyperextensions (laying on your stomach then lifting your upper body up off the ground).  If that's the case, stop doing them. Pulling your back into a poor postural position isn't going to improve your posture any more than slouching forward in a chair over and over again is going to help you stand up straiter. 

 

2. Is there anything additional that I can do to strengthen my back? The purpose of the muscles in your lower back area are to prevent your lower (lumbar) spine from flexing/twisting, so do exercises where you use these muscles for their intended purpose, like planks  I have a gym membership, but what with the super-freezing weather and the fact that it’s midnight-dark here in England by the time I finish there after work at 6pm, and I don’t have any way to get home other than waiting potentially half an hour for my bus to come, I haven’t been going as often as I should (right now it’s only about twice a week).  They have a nautilus machine, which I use when I go, but it’d be more convenient to have some back exercises I can do daily at home where possible. There are plenty of exercises that can help with correcting your posture that can be done at home, if you don't have weights laying around you can improvise (bottles of water, bags of sand, backpacks filled with books, etc). I'd recommend looking over Eric Cressey's 5 part 'Neanderthal No More' series of articles (they're all free on this website) for lots of good info on correcting postural problems.

 

3. Are there any like, yoga positions that might help? (I’m looking into getting into yoga at home as well) There might be, but they most likely won't be as effective as focused corrective exercises.  A lot of yoga also tends to emphasize flexibility over stability, and stability in the back is what keeps pain away, not flexibility.  Yoga is also limited in it's ability to strengthen muscles because you can't really add resistance in yoga and if you can't add resistance you can't add strength.

One other point, pain in one joint is often causes by muscle imbalances or lack of mobility in the joint above or below said joint.  Lower back pain can often be caused by the lower back having to make up for lack of mobility in the hips (and if you sit at a desk all day, there is a good chance you have pretty immobile hips).

Yoga is awesome for begging a back strenthing routine! Denise Austin has some great yoga tapes, Wei Lee is good for begginers too. Even though I reccomend going into a class for 6 weeks or so before you do Yoga on your own. The instructor can make sure that you are doing the poses correctly so that you don't hurt your back even more!

A stretch that I do for my lower back problems is a cross legged hamstring stretch. Just stand up, cross your legs at the ankles, and slowly start to bend over. The twist is to make your forfinger and thumb into a diamond shape and then place that "diamond" as flat on the ground as you can. Then slowly roll up and switch your legs.

Original Post by floggingsully:

Original Post by madefromconcentrate:

 A lot of yoga also tends to emphasize flexibility over stability, and stability in the back is what keeps pain away, not flexibility.  Yoga is also limited in it's ability to strengthen muscles because you can't really add resistance in yoga and if you can't add resistance you can't add strength.

 

 In order to perform the poses correctly ( aka not hurt yourself) you have to have a stable base. The body will do automatic, microscopic reactions to keeping your balance. These reactions will help strengthen the muscles that are being used.  For beginning to medium strength training that is slow and gentle, I think Yoga is the best course of action.

Yoga does require flexibility, but you have to have a level of strength and stability in order to increase the flexibility level. It's all intertwined.

I was practicing yoga about a year ago. I stopped going when I hurt my back doing it (I've had back issues most of my life).

So far, the best thing for my back I've ever done is weight lifting. My back stopped hurting as much, I had better posture while standing and sitting, and I stopped going to a chiropractor.

I took a month off from lifting (started up again just this week) and I can feel my back has gotten weaker and aches during the day. I'm hoping that as I get started up again with weights, it'll ease up.

Original Post by m0m6: 

For beginning to medium strength training that is slow and gentle, I think Yoga is the best course of action.

For somebody with back problems, the twisting and flexing of the spine required in many yoga poses will do way more harm than good. The lumbar spine is not designed for mobility and the muscles surrounding it are there to prevent the spine from flexing and twisting.  And exercise program that emphasizes flexing and twisting the spine in order to improve posture makes about as much sense as slouching in a chair over and over again to make yourself stand up straiter.

I looked through About.com's list of beginner yoga poses (Stuart McGill would probably have a heart attack if he saw this stuff), and just about every one of them involved either:

a) rounding the lower back (downward facing dog, standing forward bend, standing straddle forward bend, head to knee pose, seated forward bend, child's pose)

or

b) twisting the lower back (extended side ankle pose, half lord of the flies pose, supline spinal twist)

or

c) hyperextending the lower back (bridge pose, cobra pose, knees chest and chin)

Maybe someone could explain to me how any of these poses teach the muscles surrounding the lower back to prevent flexion or twisting?

That is why you need a trained instructor (Yogi) to teach you the proper way to perform the poses, and to show you modified versions of the poses.

Here is a website that lists all the different types of yoga

http://yogapilates.suite101.com/article.cfm/y oga_anatomy_lumbar_spine

I'm confused, but I thought that flexibility in the spine was a good thing, and having muscles in the lower back that allow you to turn, bend and reach w/o hurting yourself was desirable? Yoga will help with that.

I can personnally state that Child Pose FEELS GREAT!! I have a level 2 scoliosis of the spine, plus I just gained 55 pounds with my last child,(lost 42 of it) so that particular lower back stretch feels wonderful. Also, when a co-worker was going in for Physical Therapy after his back surgery a few years ago one of the stretches they did was Childs pose.

Also, it is nearly impossible for a beginner to go to a class or pick up a DVD and perform the pose as well as the instructor. So, you have to work up to it. Going at your own pace is the un-official mantra of Yoga.

If you have back problems and are thinking about starting a yoga program, that's fine. What I wouldn't do, however, is try to learn them yourself at home with a DVD or book. This is really where you want to go to an experienced instructor, probably starting with a gentle class.  Make sure you tell your instructor ahead of time, and most will be happy to give you gentle corrections or modifications, or to refer you to a different instructor who has experience with people with the same sort of problems.

If you have an exercise ball (one of the big ones you can sit on), here are a couple of things you can do at home:

-reverse sit ups: knees on the ground and feet against the wall for stability, torso draped over the ball, lift your torso up until parallel with the ground, lower slowly.

-plank: make sure you have a good open stretch of floorspace for this. Drape yourself over the ball, stomach facing down, walk out on your hands until you are supporting yourself on the ball with some part of your legs (however far you can go). Hold your back straight for a count of 20, roll back, rest, repeat. As you build strength, you'll be able to walk yourself out farther and hold the pose for longer.

I am a yoga instructor and would like to encourage you to try yoga, as it can most definitely help to strengthen your lower back muscles and alleviate the pain you are having.  However, a big caveat -- you need to be sure you are doing the poses correctly.  The only way to really and truly do that safely is to take a class with a certified yoga instructor, preferably one with experience in injured populations.  Back problems are nothing to mess around with, and you can seriously make your problems worse by doing the postures (or any exercise for that matter) incorrectly.  You may not even be aware of the damage you are doing until pain sidelines you again.  Yoga poses that are known for being "good for the back" can cause serious injury if not done correctly -- even a simple Cobra pose can make things worse if done wrong. 

Please take the time to obtain some instruction, either from a yoga instructor or a qualified physical therapist (also a great source of back strengthening exercises).  Talk to your doctor about a prescription for a short course of Physical Therapy.  Many of the stretches that a PT will teach you for your back come from yoga.

Since I cannot see you to evaluate you, I would hesitate to recommend any specific postures for you -- I can't emphasize enough how important it is to get the proper instruction.  I will tell you, however, that in order to strengthen your back, the muscles of your core (which support your back) need to be strong as well.  As I believe floggingsully recommended, planks are excellent for strengthening your entire core, but again, they need to be done correctly in order to be effective and not further exacerbate the issues you are having.  Be sure that your body is in a straight line when you do them -- have someone look at you to be sure your bum is not sticking up or dipping down, causing a swayback.  If you can't do the plank on with your legs extended with good form, feel free to drop to your knees and begin there. 

I hope that you will get some assistance from a qualified PT and/or yoga professional and will soon be on your way to recovery!

Good luck!

For the record, I was in a beginners yoga class with an experienced instructor when I hurt my back. The instructor knew of my back issues, and I understand my back well enough to in general know what to modify (even if I don't know the correct modification). Still got hurt.

About flexibility, look up Stuart McGill, as floggingsully suggested, and see what he has to say.

I have mutiple back problems and I do a few exercises I can't live without.  The first thing that helped me was The miracle ball method.  I'll try to find the sites and send them to you. 

I would suggest not participating in yoga. Excessive stretching of the lumbar spine isnt something you need right now. No offense to yoga instructors but they are not phyical therapists or doctors.

I have some suggestions Some of which have been previously mentioned. But think of your lower back and abdomen as something that is solid, in that it cant bend. Every movement you do, you should try to focus on bracing your core to stabilize the spine and prevent any flexion or hyper extension. But when i say flex your abs im not talking about the rectus abdominus which are the main muscles invloved in situps. This will put more stress on the spine. Think of the deeper muscles.

Also, where on the spines is this located? Inverted sit ups will have a bigger impact on the lumbar spine, rather than the thoracic spine

Stuart Mcgill is an EXCELLANT source for information on any training of the spine and its musculature.

Make sure when you are bending over and picking things up to consiously attempt to contract your glutes and hamstrings, while bracing your lower back and abdominal muscles. This acts as a chain so the load is spread through out other muscle groups. And as said before tight hips can have an impact. Stretch your hip flexors.

Also if you carry anything in your hands be sure to carry it as close to the body as possible to reduce the torque placed on the lumbar spine.

Avoid sit-ups/crunches or anything that focuses on spinal flexion.

Your back is not an isolated unit. You need to work the back muscles, their opposing muscles (abs), and the muscles that join the back/abs to the upper and lower body (core).

1. Inverted crunches are hard, and by themselves they won't do a lot. Try stiff-legged deadlifts instead: stand straight, lock your knees, bend at the waist as far as you can naturally, grab a weight (barbell, dumbbells, , and stand upright to just beyond vertical (don't hyperextend). Hold for a second, then slowly bend forward and return the weight. Use a barbell or some light dumbbells, or at home, a couple of kitty litter buckets half-filled with water. GO EASY. You don't want to feel like you're straining to lift the weight.

This goes against the classic rule "lift with your legs, not your back". But it works specifically because you're breaking the rule and working your back. Just GO EASY, and don't twist while lifting. Warm up well beforehand, stretch well before and after.

2. You can find a good stretching routine and try to stretch 2 x 10 min/day.

You can do core strengthening exercises. http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article -detail.asp?articleid=486 is a helluva routine. Try 5 reps of each exercise and take plenty of rest. 

You can make sure you're ergonomically ideal. If you sit all day, is your chair at the right height, and do you get up and stretch once an hour? If you stand all day, do you have good shoes? How's your posture in general? Did you invest in a good bra?

3. Yoga can help with back pain, but it's really a good idea to take at least an intro class. Does your gym have one that you could try? Just be careful of the combo exercises: anything where you bend and twist is dangerous (but again, helpful if done CORRECTLY).

I had a couple of bouts of back pain when I was first working. I was 15, working foodservice, and part of my job was doing the heavy lifting. So I'd grab 100# of flour from the bottom shelf, hoist it up while twisting around, walk across a slippery tile floor, and throw it onto a table. Yeah, I don't know why my back hurt! Some strength work and proper lifting later, everything was fine.

Also, I have three friends who've gone through breast reduction surgery, and they're all glad they did.