TOP TIPS FOR PREVENTING BACK PAIN WITH EXERCISE

Your back is quite the workhorse! It holds you up all day long, so back pain can really put a damper on your daily activities. And back pain is one of the leading medical problems in the US; four out of five people will miss work or other important activities due to back pain or injury.

Most back pain isn’t caused by serious injuries. It’s just living our everyday lives: slouching over our desks, skipping our gym trips and forgetting to stretch when we do workout. Note that two of those habits are related to our physical fitness! Your workout routine can reduce your risk of back injury and eliminate back pain.

Reducing Your Back Pain

Incorporate stretching: When muscles are tight, they’re more prone to getting pulled. Most of us are good about stretching our legs and arms because it’s easy to feel when we’ve pulled a hamstring or calf muscle. But pulling a back muscle may feel more dull so you might not realize that the pain is due to a pull. The lesson: even if you don’t really “feel” it, take some time to stretch every day.

Top-Tips-for-Preventing-Back-Pain-with-Exercise

Work that core: Often we focus on strengthening one specific set of muscles when we want to prevent injury to that area. But we also need to remember how our muscles work: different groups oppose each other, so they work together as complements. For example, your abdominal muscles oppose your back muscles, so these two muscle groups actually both help support your spine. That means you need to work your entire core not just your back muscles.

Don’t forget your hips: While your back and ab muscles support your spine, your hips and pelvis provide a different kind of support, stabilizing your torso. Talk to your personal trainer about including exercises and stretches that focus on your hips and pelvis. These moves will help correct imbalances in the body that can lead to back pain.

Use proper form: One of the leading causes of workout injuries is failure to use the right form. Every workout move has a proper form, not only to protect you from injuries, but also to ensure that you get the full benefits from the exercise. Take some time to learn the mechanics of your muscles and skeleton, so that you can better understand the purpose and mechanics of individual fitness moves.

Avoid overexertion: The other leading cause of workout injuries, including back problems, is overexertion. It’s often tempting to step up our workouts when we get bored or feel like giving ourselves a bigger challenge. But starting an aggressive workout routine or being to ambitious when you increase your workout intensity leaves you primed for back aches and pains.

Talk to one of our personal trainers about putting together a workout routine that will help you combat back pain. The right exercises will protect your back from minor and major injuries over time.

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