This article was inspired by conversations I held with several people over the last few months who came to see me for help with a chronic back problem that was hindering their job. During their assessment I could see in each case how poorly they would complete a bending action using their spine instead of their hips. This is not unusual and a very common problem to most back pain sufferers, especially those with a bulging disc. However, as I got to know these people I discovered this was not their natural way to move. They told me that they had spent considerable time learning how to lift a certain way at work where they use their knees and keep their back straight. It was this poor method that they had been taught that was to blame for their pain. Unfortunately, it was not a simple task to reset their movement to a more efficient and safer technique as their body had developed a lot of compensation and stiffness in the meantime. If they had been shown a better way in the beginning I believe they would have avoided a lot of pain and suffering.
Be Careful Of Over-training Your Core With Abdominal Exercises?
In one of my recent articles about core strengthening exercises I compared the value of using isolation exercises versus integrated movements, I posed the question how much strength do your abdominal muscles really need? Based on scientific research by Dr Stuart McGill the answer to this question was on average about 10% of maximal voluntary contraction. The ability to fire first and maintain endurance of the core muscles for long periods was of more importance than the overall strength of the abdominal muscles. When you consider how many people devote considerable time to improving their abdominal strength via planks, sit-ups, roll-outs, and various other exercises the question I now have is can you have too much strength? For most muscle groups more strength is a good thing, but is this the same for the core? For as we discussed in the previous article, these muscles are not designed to function the same way and as you will see shortly, sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.
Golf Posture – Why It Is Vital To Improve Your Handicap & Preventing Back Pain
Golf posture and your set up position is one of the first things that any golf professional would look at when assessing your golf swing. They know that when you are in good posture, your potential to hit straighter and longer golf shots is much improved. They also know the danger of poor posture to the spine during a golf swing and potential for disc tears is very common to golf. Knowing how to prevent this injury is vital if you want to enjoy your game and reach your true potential. When addressing the ball with a straight spine, the golfer allows him/herself the potential for making a better turn in the back-swing. The better the shoulder turn, the more club-head speed the golfer should be able to generate. And in addition to that, having good postural stability will provide you with sustained endurance to be able to play a consistent game from the 1st hole to the 18th hole. Because if there is one thing a golfer really wants, more than just driving longer, it is the ability to play consistently well.
7 Common Myths About Back Pain That Prevent People From Improving
If there is one thing that frustrates me more than anything it is seeing people remain in pain from following a plan that is based on poor information and doomed to fail. I regularly see clients who on the first visit tell me the things they have been doing to help their problem in the belief it was the right thing to do. Some had made this decision themselves, whereas others were given advice from someone else, or found a video on You Tube. Back pain is by far the most common injury with statistics showing 85% of the population will suffer with this at some point in their life and it does not discriminate who it affects. As it can greatly impact inactive people, fit people, young kids, sporting athletes, and older adults. Most of the strategies people adopt thinking it is helping are merely treating the symptoms and based on information that is never going to work and in some cases make it much worse! Most of these methods neglect the reason WHY the pain is there in the first place which leads to gradual progression of the problem and eventually more severe pain. In this article, I am going to discuss what the common myths relating to back pain are and what you can do to avoid making these mistakes and get rid of your pain for good.
How Sitting Poorly For Long Periods Potentially Ruins Your Spine & Knees
In recent years the dangers of sitting to our health has attracted a great deal of attention as researchers have proven there is a link between lack of movement and injury/disease. All this attention has prompted many great improvements in the workplace to overcome the fact we have many jobs that require us to be seated and computer bound. From workplace exercise programs, to the amazing evolution of the stand-up desk which is one of the best things to be invented in recent times we are becoming much smarter and more aware of the need to move. However, there are many who remain oblivious to the danger this repetitive movement causes to your body and in particular the neck, lower back and knees. In this article I will explain exactly what this danger is and how it can very easily create a vicious cycle of ongoing pain if you do nothing to recognize the warnings early on.
Big Lessons I Learned About Back Pain From Dr Stuart McGill
When it comes to talking about back pain, and more specifically what causes it and what are the best exercise strategies to treat it there is nobody better than Dr Stuart McGill. His books and endless research into this chronic condition are referred to by experts in all fields from all over the world and rated as best practice for helping people find long term solutions to their pain. I first read his books “Low Back Disorders” and “Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance” back in 2007 and was blown away by his approach and this changed the way I trained clients and my entire training philosophy. In 2016 I read his latest book “Back Pain Mechanic” and lastly in 2018 I read “Gift Of Injury” and also completed a two day training course on how to implement this with clients. Even though I was using most of his methods and philosophies in our back pain rehabilitation programs, it is not until you spend time hands on with this that you “really learn” some of the finer things and gain a greater understanding of the reason behind his methods. This article I am going to share with you what I found to be some of the best lessons I learned from him.
Is Twisting & Rotational Exercise Bad For Your Back?
This is an interesting question for the answer is both yes and no! Twisting of the lumbar spine is very dangerous and is linked to many painful back injuries with the most common being a disc tear, but rotation of the thoracic spine and the hips is not, and is actually what the body needs. Twisting of the spine is another form of a herniated disc which is usually caused from bending poorly, whereas this is caused from repetitive poor rotation movements. If you think of the disc like an onion with several layers protecting a core in the middle. The outer disc is made of small rings of collagen, and these layers can separate from repetitively twisting the spine allowing the nucleus gel from the middle of the disc to find it’s way into the opening between the two layers causing extreme pain and a very lengthy rehabilitation plan. But does this mean we should stop all twisting for fear of this injury? Many experts will tell you yes. But if this were true you would see no tennis players, golfers, baseball and hockey players and we would never be able to vacuum our floor! What this really means is you need to stop twisting the lumbar spine and learn how to use the thoracic spine and hips to do the work. Trying to stop yourself using any rotational movement is pure stupidity and to be honest almost impossible, even walking uses rotation. You will have to stiffen up like a robot to stop any type of twisting. What you need to learn is how to rotate correctly and what movements and exercises to avoid. In this article, we will show you how to do this and provide you with a series of movements from easiest to hardest to.
Preventing Back Pain With Cycling Is All About Pelvic Position
In one of my recent articles about daily habits that ruin spinal health I went into great detail explaining how simple, everyday daily movements we make contribute to creating chronic injuries with the back, hips, and neck. One activity I wanted to include in this article was cycling! While this is a great sport or hobby to undertake for improving fitness and endurance it can come at a high price to your overall health and posture if you are not aware of the potential dangers it poses. I myself have been a keen cyclist with road bikes and mountain bikes for over 20 years and love the challenges this sport provides. However, I also acknowledge the damage this unnatural position can cause to my body if I do not look after my joints and muscles effectively. In this article I will explain 3 key areas all cyclists need to pay attention to, and why the pelvic position is of such great importance.