PAIN in the BACK
Being a bipedal anthropoid (that’s a two-legged, ape-like creature to you and me) can be a pain in the back. In fact, it is reported that around 80% of all South Africans will suffer some form of back pain in their lifetime.
Since we began balancing on our hind legs a few millenia ago, our spines have taken a beating while carrying out their complex tasks. The spine supports a top-heavy skull, lugs weighty objects, and is made to bend and flex in all directions. The spine is the centre of the erect human; every signal from the brain to the rest of the body has to travel through the spine. A combination of muscles constitute what we loosely call the core. They support the spine in its many activities. The rectus abdominus, external and internal obliques, the multifidis, the transversus abdominals, aided by the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, function to create stability, while enabling good posture and mobility.
Slouching at our office desks or on the couch watching TV does not encourage spine-supporting muscles to develop properly.When back and abdominal muscles are not toned, you are at risk. This is exacerbated by any unusual strain, like a sudden lunge during games. The pain is intense because there are many large nerves clustered near the injured muscles.
Additionally, there are the shock-absorbing discs between vertebrae that can twist out of alignment and press on nerves. Ouch!
Work to strengthen the core, condition and develop muscles and ligaments, and your spine will become supple and strong, allowing you to enjoy the relief of a pain-free lower back.
DON’T
* Lock your knees during any activity or posture. Keep them soft to absorb shock.
* Hyper-extend or overarch your spine. Your posture should emphasise the natural curves of the spine, without any of that old-fashioned army exaggeration and artificial curvature.
*Don’t allow the abdomials to become slack. They should be kept in a state of light tension, pulled in slightly to maintain your bearing.
*Sit at a desk for more than an hour without rising, walking and stretching the spine.
DO
* Exercise the abdominals regularly. Lengthen the body, on hands or forearms and balls of feet( long legs). The plank is one of the best positions to help strengthen core.
* Rest the spine by lying on your back and elevating feet to rest on something higher,
especially if you have to remain on your feet for long spells.
* Always bend knees when lifting something from the floor. Make your powerful thighs and erector spinae muscles bear the brunt of the lift before straightening your back.
* Warm up the back before exercising.
* Exercise regularly to prevent bone-density loss and develop the spine-supporting muscles.
* Stretch all the muscles you train.
BACK-EXERCISES
* Before rising, sit on the edge of the bed, feet on ground. Rest one hand beside you and reach the other arm over your head to the opposite side. Repeat to the other side, feeling the stretch from waist to finger-tips. This will relieve the tension that is often created by assuming uncomfortable postions while sleeping.
* Stand, feet hip-distance apart. Place hands on the small of your back, fingers touching. Slowly bend trunk backwards, hips forward as you lean, maintaining balance with soft knees and hold position for 3 counts. Relax and repeat 10 times.
* Stand, arms raised to side, elbows bent 90*, palms forward in the ‘stick-em-up’ position. Draw shoulderblades together and squeeze as you move arms back, tightening middle- upper back rhomboids. Repeat 10 times.
* Stand, relaxing neck, with arms hanging each side. Slowly shrug and roll shoulders up and back to ears, then gently lower, to stimulate trapezius. Repeat 15 times, rolling in reverse direction.
* Lie face-down, legs straight behind. The neck is relaxed by keeping forehead on your mat. Don’t raise thighs or feet, anchor lower body, but lift torso from waist to head, engaging the erectors. Hold for count of 3, lower and repeat 10 times.
* Lie on back, heels up on a chair. Rest on shoulderblades and lift lower back and hips off floor into the leaning plank position, and hold for3. Lower, and repeat for 10 repetitions.
* To complete, rest on hands and knees. Curve spine into the cat-stretch position, separating verebrae, tucking in the abdominals by tilting the pelvic floor up towards the navel. Hold position but don’t hold breath. Breathe comfortably while stretching.
* To encourage develoment of bone-density, sit on your mat, bend knees and clasp hands around the legs while dropping chin to the chest. Keep the spine curved and roll backwards onto shoulderblades (no pressure on neck)and roll up again. Repeat, keeping the spine weight-bearing with your repetitions.
Your body, well-maintained, will last you a life-time.
Your spine, well-supported, should enable you to perform a comfortably wide range of movement and support your everyday activities, painlessly.