You never realize how awesome your back is until it checks out. Then you lay there in amazement that something as simple as blowing your nose can hurt.
When your back is out, it’s hard to fake feeling good. Chances are you’ll miss work, your neighbor’s BBQ, your kid’s soccer game, cutting your grass … OK, maybe not that last one so much, but you get the idea. When your back is out, you’re out.
How to Conduct Yourself
We once asked our friend and exercise physiologist, Dr. Paul Divico, how best to prevent a back injury. His response: “Conduct yourself like you have one.”
So what are some of the things we do when our backs are injured? We certainly move differently. Now we’re not implying that you should walk around stiff and rigid, or move like you have a rod in your back, but think about it. When your back is injured, you move more deliberately and carefully; for instance, you bend at the knees, not the waist, to pick something up.
When your back is injured, you may also seek the help of a physical therapist to relieve your pain. Aside from the ultrasound, electrical stimulation and heat and ice treatments, they’re going to instruct you on core-strengthening exercises that target the muscles in your lower abdomen, lower back and pelvis. Why not get ahead of the curve and do those rehabilitating, strengthening exercises before sustaining an injury?
Core strength development is often overlooked. Why? It could be that some people aren’t aware it exists. Plus, the exercises aren’t very macho, like a rippin’ set of bench presses, but we guarantee they’re more useful. Taking time to do these exercises could keep you off the sick list and engaged in the activities you enjoy.
Before the Core
There’s a plethora of core-strengthening exercises out there beyond the crunches (both regular and side) leg raises, etc., and variations on each. We’ve selected five to get you started: bridging, with and without an exercise ball; the prone and side stabilizers; and the bird dog. Some require static muscle contraction while others utilize repetitive motion, but the general idea among them all is to engage the deeper muscles of the lower back and pelvis.
Several things must happen before you even begin these types of exercises. First, you must know the proper body position for each exercise. Doing these exercises in anything other than the proper body position could be detrimental.
Secondly, an effort to flex certain muscle groups should preempt actually initiating the exercise. Those muscles include the lower abdominals, the lower muscles of your back and posterior pelvis and the pelvis floor. The pelvis floor? Yes, contrary to what you may think, the Kegel is not an exercise reserved for women; men can do it too. How? Try to stop peeing before you’re actually done–that’s the muscle.
Engaging the muscles of the lower abdomen and the lower muscles of your back and posterior pelvis requires subtle effort. Lay on your back with your knees at a 90-degree angle. Then focus on slightly drawing your belly button down toward your spine. Place your hands on your lower abdomen between your hipbones, or sacral area of your lower back, and feel if the muscles are engaging. Once you can easily engage the muscles in all three of these areas, move onto the core-strengthening exercises.
Building the Bridge
The bridge is the first exercise we’ll discuss; it’s also the start position of several other exercises. To get into the bridge position, lay on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Slowly raise your butt off the floor until you form an imaginary line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold this position for several seconds, then repeat 10—15 times for two to three sets.
Variations on bridging include slightly raising and lowering one knee at a time, focusing on keeping your hips parallel to the floor and not allowing your butt to drop. Alternatively, you can straighten one leg at a time while maintaining stability of the pelvic area.
If you want to take bridging to a more intense level, throw a workout ball into the equation. Instead of firmly anchoring your feet to the floor, rest them on a workout ball. Pressing up into the bridge will take on a whole new dimension, and engaging all the muscles in the lower back, abdomen and pelvis will become even more critical. Engaging the lower-back muscles will play a critical role in keeping your lower body stable on the ball while you continue the exercise. Note: The ball will be squirrelly, especially when you start lifting one leg off of it. Trust us.
When you’re on the ball, your body should be straight from your shoulders to your feet. From that position, try lifting one leg off the ball at a time and holding that position for a couple of seconds. If you’re more comfortable with both feet on the ball, try bending your knees and using your feet to roll the ball in closer to your butt, still keeping your hips up and square to the floor.
The Stabilizers
Prone and side stabilizers are both static exercises. The idea is to get into the proper position for each and hold it for 20—30 seconds, repeating this three to five times.
The position for the prone stabilizer looks like a modified push-up. Instead of being on your hands, however, you rest your upper body on your forearms. The key is keeping your head, spine, hips and legs as straight as possible. Tip: If you want to make this exercise a little more challenging, alternate lifting each leg just until it lines up with your back and holding that position for 3—5 seconds each time.
The side stabilizer is similar, except you’re positioned on your side, and your weight is on one forearm and the lateral aspect of either foot. Hold for this position on each side for 30 seconds and repeat three to five times.
The Bird Dog
The last exercise is called the bird dog. Much like the name implies, you must position yourself on all fours, with your arms and legs squarely under your shoulders and hips. To perform, extend one arm and the opposing leg straight out from your body so they’re on an even plane with your back. Hold the position for 3—5 seconds, then lower, relax and repeat with the opposite side. Repeat 10—12 times on each side for three to five reps.
Conclusion
Don’t feel like you have to get all of these exercises in during a workout. Pick a couple that you like or look for additional exercises on the Internet and incorporate them into a period of light stretching after your primary workout. You can also get down on the floor of the TV room and do these while watching a movie. (What a great reason to get out of the lounge chair!)
Give your back a break. Give it the fine-tuned strength it needs to get you through your shift, your day and your life.
Points to Remember
When working on strengthening your core, remember the common goals of all these exercises:
- Engage the muscles of the lower back, abdomen and pelvis prior to beginning.
- Clearly picture the desired body position in your mind.
- Keep the head, shoulders, back hips and legs in line at all times.
- Any time you lift arms or legs, pay close attention to maintaining your body position, which will be more problematic when lifting your legs.
- Focus on keeping your hips square and not allowing them to drop at your leg lifts.
