Build Muscle Tips

Helping Lower Back Pain with Exercise
Frank Williams

Defined Tag: Body Building Exercises.

The prevalence of low back pain and

discomfort in our population is astounding. It seems that a full 50

per cent of our people suffer in some degree with low back trouble.

To overcome the low back problem, it is

first necessary to determine the cause, if possible. Apparently there

are a number of causes of low back pain, some of which are most

difficult to find. The most severe cause of low back pain is the

herniated disc in the spine. Its rupture and protrusion causing

pressure on adjacent nerves is extremely painful and requires the

attention of an orthopedist or a neurologist and sometimes both. Some

recover with the so called "conservative" treatment and

others must have surgery to be relieved of the pain and restored to

normal. Persistent low back pain especially when accompanied by pain

in either leg should always be checked for the possibility of a

herniated disc.

Some other common causes of low back

pain are sacro-iliac strain, deep muscle spasms, or arthritis of the

lumbar vertebrae. Sacro-iliac strain may be caused by a number of

things such as falling, heavy lifting, long stooping, soft bed,

scoliosis, pendulous abdomen, etc. Muscle spasms may also be caused

by the same things or by simple tension syndrome as mentioned by Dr.

Kraus and Dr. Raab in Hypokinetic Disease.

General faulty mechanics of the lumbar

spine and the pelvis is apparently a common cause for muscle spasms,

too.

When the discs are not involved, the

objective is to relieve the muscle spasms and improve the mechanics

of the lower back. In the process, the muscular support of the lower

back is improved to provide a margin of safety against the recurrence

of the spasms. After the spasms have been relieved, improvement in

the mechanics and muscular support is obtained by a special

arrangement of exercise. The exercise used must relieve the tension

by stretching the muscles and must build improved support by

strengthening the proper muscle groups.

The following simple light exercises

are excellent to stretch and relieve tension in the low back and ham

string muscles.

Exercise No. 1.

Position: A supine position on the

floor with both knees bent up and the feet flat on the floor, and the

hands behind the neck.

Action: Keeping the right knee flexed,

bring it strongly to the chest, then extend it full length on the

floor, and repeat the motion. During the movement, the left leg is

kept motionless in the flexed position as at the start. The trunk and

shoulders are kept motionless also during the movement. After the

motions are completed with the right leg, the same is done with the

left.

Exercise No. 2.

Position: Lying on the side on the

floor with both knees flexed and the feet together, and a pillow

under the head.

Action: Flex the upper leg to the chest

and extend it at full length. Then turn to the other side and do the

same with the other leg.

Exercise No. 3. "Gluteal setting."

Position: A prone position on the floor

with the body out straight and the feet together. The forehead

resting on the folded forearms.

Action: In this position, tense the hip

and abdominal muscles at the same time and hold the tense position

for two seconds or more, then relax and repeat the motion.

Exercise No. 4.

Position: A supine position on the

floor with both knees bent up, the feet flat on the floor, and the

arms held at the sides.

Action: In this position tense the hip

and abdominal at the same time and endeavor to press the hollow of

the lower back strongly against the floor. Hold the position for two

seconds

or more, then relax and repeat the

motion.

Exercise No. 5.

Position: A prone position on the floor

with the body straight, feet together and forehead supported on bent

forearms.

Action: In this position, keeping the

legs straight, raise one leg as high as possible and return it to the

floor. Do the counts with one leg then repeat with the other.

Exercise No. 6.

Position: A supine position on the

floor with one knee flexed and the foot on the floor . . . the other

knee flexed and drawn to the chest. The head is held up from the

floor.

Action: Keeping this position, tense

the muscles of the abdomen and press the lower back or hollow of the

back strongly against the floor, then relax the muscles and repeat

the motion. When the counts have been completed with the one leg up

at the chest, do the same number with the other leg up. The shaded

areas indicate the muscles effected.

Exercise No. 7.

Position: A hands and knees position on

the floor as in figure No. 7.

Action: By tensing the hip and

abdominal muscles, draw the abdomen inward as strongly as possible,

then relax and repeat the motion. The shaded areas indicate the

muscles effected.

Exercise No. 8.

Position: A supine position on the

floor with the knees flexed, feet on the floor held down by some

pressure or hooked under some piece of furniture heavy enough to hold

them down, and the arms at the sides.

Action: From this position, arise to a

sitting position, return the trunk to the floor and repeat the

motion.

Exercise No. 9.

Position: A supine position on the

floor with the knees flexed, the arms at the sides and the head on

the floor.

Action: Bring one knee strongly to the

chest with the knee flexed, holding it there, straighten the leg

until it is perpendicular to the floor, then keeping it straight,

lower it to the floor and repeat the motion. As the leg is being

lowered to the floor, keep the hollow of the back pressed tightly to

the floor. Repeat the motion with the other leg the same number of

times.

Exercise No. 10.

Position: A standing position with the

arms at the sides.

Action: Keeping the knees locked and

the arms at the sides, bend forward until the trunk is approximately

parallel to the. Then resume the erect position and repeat the

motion. It is important to keep the head up as the body is inclined

forward.

Exercise No. 11.

Position: A standing position with the

arms at the sides.

Action: By tensing the hip and waist

muscles, pull the hips in under the lower spine.

Hold this position for two seconds or

more, then relax and repeat the motion. The shaded areas indicate the

muscles effected. Some prefer to do the motion standing with the back

to a wall and endeavor to touch the hollow of the back to the wall

with the same motions.

Exercise No. 12.

Position: A standing position with the

knees locked, the trunk flexed forward and the arms hanging downward.

Action: From this position, endeavor to

reach further to the floor by stretching the low back and ham string

muscles, relax and repeat the motion.

These movements should be preceded by a

period of rest in the supine position with the knees flexed and

supported by a pillow. In breathing inhale through the nose and

slowly exhale through pursed lips, with the aim to relax all muscles

before starting the exercise.

The individual exercises should be

performed slowly with sufficient time between movements to allow for

complete relaxation. They should be done in the sequence shown in the

figure, and then reversed.

Three exercises should be used the

first session, with not more than one added at a time.

Each exercise is repeated two to three

times only. The total number of exercises will add up to a fifteen to

twenty minute period, to be done once daily.

To increase the severity of exercise

number 8, cross the arms on the chest. When able to do this easily,

put the hands behind the neck.

When the low back is comfortable again,

it is time to begin the progressive resistance exercises to

strengthen the abdominal muscles and the low back muscles. All the

motions described in the section on abdominal exercises are good. It

is particularly important, with a history of low back discomfort,

that the motions be done correctly, so that very little forward pull

on the lumbar spine is used during their performance. The abdominal

exercise number 5, the "Hip Raise," is particularly

effective to strengthen the lower muscle wall of the abdomen.

To strengthen the lower back, the three

exercises are all excellent. Number 3 is a bit vigorous to use at

first and is best used after the back has been strengthened

considerably by number 1 or number 2. In number 2, the stiff legged

stretch, it is advisable to go only as far forward as is comfortable

with the bar. In this case, the purpose is to strengthen the muscles,

not to stretch them, and with resistance, the muscles can build more

strength if the forward position is not so extreme. Sometimes it is

helpful to let the bar forward until it is only above the knees. The

motion can be done facing a chair and letting the bar down until it

touches the seat of the chair. In this way, the back is kept in good

position for the effort and the muscles will strengthen rapidly.

The proper use of the stretching and

strengthening exercises given here will be of great value in

restoring the low back to comfort and building a margin of safety for

its use and comfort in the future.

Only one who has suffered from low back

pain can appreciate the blessing of a strong back free from pain and

discomfort!