Joe Simon, a banker in Seattle, thought he was in great shape. He welcomed the chance to take his shirt off at the pool. He completed several half-marathons. He had abundant energy, even on hard days at work. When he was asked to help a neighbor move a few pieces of furniture, he obliged. After all, he thought, I'm in great shape.
He was surprised when he felt a sharp pain during moving, and had soreness for days afterward. A visit to a sport physician helped him figure out that he'd made a wrong move when lifting furniture--and had been ignoring his back exercises at the gym.
Furniture Leg Pads
Like many men, he had fallen into the trap of working on the "showy" muscles--his pecs, shoulders and biceps. His running kept his legs in shape. His abs were naturally lean, so he didn't do many crunches. Though he looked good, his back wasn't getting the treatment it needed.
Back problems seem more prevalent than ever. Experts say back pain affects 60 to 80 percent of adults in the U.S. during their lives, with 50 percent of Americans having had back pain in the past year. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says direct medical costs for low back pain are at least billion per year in the U.S. and as high as billion when disability costs are included.
Almost everyone knows someone who has a "bad back." Chiropractors have had booming businesses for years because of the thousands of people aching to end back pain.
While back pain has various causes, including genetic weaknesses, you can do much to avoid and even prevent back pain.
DISKS TO DOC
If you're already having back pain, see your doctor first. It truly is worth it to understand why you're having pain and how you should work out in relation to it. The wrong kind of workout can simply aggravate your back problems.
A common problem is herniated disks among people between 30 and 50, according to John Bendo, M.D., New York. A herniated disk can flare up, he explains, because of an event such as a car accident, but "you can also sneeze and get a herniated disk" if you're prone to it.
Pay attention to your occupation. Certain occupations lend themselves to back problems, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: mechanics; repairs of vehicles, engines and heavy equipment; operators of extractive mining and material-moving equipment; and construction workers. People in a few other occupations, such as nurses, are prone, too, because of the lifting requirements of the job.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you've had any back pain in the past, what you think was the cause, and the "type" of pain it was. Descriptive terms of pain like "radiating," "stabbing," "throbbing," and such help a physician a great deal, because it can help him or her pinpoint the cause.
Certain symptoms mean you should see a doctor right away. If your back pain extends from the lower back to the knee, or lower, is one warning sign. Others are back pain that includes numbness, or if you feel you are having a loss of coordination.
MAGNETIC RELIEF
What about magnets? If you've talked with others about back pain, you have likely gotten advice to tape magnets to your back--the same type of "healing magnet" people wear on their wrists for pain relief. Does it work?
There's no conclusive evidence that it does, though it might. Robert R. Holcomb, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, has been studying specialized medical magnets for 10 years, observing more than 5,000 people. He says, "Our evidence indicates overwhelmingly that magnets can help relieve back pain. In fact, I've used them successfully on myself."
How does it work? "Our evidence suggests they block the brain's perception of pain," says Holcomb. Also, the arrangement of the magnets seem to matter more than the strength.
But if you're having back trouble, using a medical magnet is best left to professionals. After all, you don't want to be relying on magnets when you really need surgery, and you won't know unless you ask a doctor.
EXERCISING THE BACK
What's interesting, and little known, is that the best way to avoid back pain is to exercise regularly (any type, not necessarily back-oriented) and have a good diet. Such things as stress can create back problems, too. People who are not overweight stand a good chance of not having back pain just because they aren't packing the extra weight.
Most of your regular exercises will help your back. But on certain ones, pay attention to your form to strengthen, rather than hurt, your back.
* Doing barbell deadlifts, make sure your back and shoulders are straight. Keep your head up, looking forward, not down.
* During upright rows, look forward and don't bend over as you pull up the weight.
* Do low-back lifts. If you're not familiar with it, this is a sort of opposite of crunch. You lie on your stomach, hands behind your head, and slightly lift your torso. Just take care to not hyperextend your back, and slowly lift and release.
* Avoid hanging leg raises and find an alternative exercise if you have back problems.
Numerous other exercises help your back. Just follow a plan in which too much weight is not used and bend your knees instead of bending over with locked knees.
Don't assume that a weight lifting belt will prevent problems if you have decided to heft a honking big weight. While such belts are believed to be helpful in weightlifting, the jury's still out on whether they can prevent back pain. The best measure is still to not overlift, gradually increasing the weight you lift as you are able.
IN FRONT OF THE BACK
Besides back exercises, you also need to do abdominal exercises. This actually helps strengthen your lower back. Remember, your abs are on the opposite side of the body from the lower back.
While we call it the "upper," "lower" and "side" ab muscles, an expert like Joyce Vedral, Ph.D., author of "Gut Busters," knows the ab muscles consist of the rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques, and transversus abdominus. The former functions to pull the torso toward the lower body when sitting up from a lying position, she points out.
"The external obliques work with other muscles to rotate the trunk and flex the torso," she says.
Your waistline--the abs and lower back--are the core of your body, affecting all your movements.
When developing and executing an exercise routine, don't forget to include crunches and other ab-developing exercises for your lower back. Getting a defined six-pack won't be a bad side effect, either.
DAY TO DAY
Back pain can also be caused or aggravated by your daily activities. Take a look at these "big three" causes of back pain:
1. Bending while relying on your back, rather than your knees. In other words, if you're picking up a box from a standing position, you should squat down and get it, rather than bend forward with your legs straight.
"This sounds like simple advice," says Jim Youngstrom, a personal trainer in Minneapolis. "But many people don't realize they're lifting with their back when their legs should be doing the work. You have to pay conscious attention each time you lift, then it'll become second nature."
Don't be a he-man when helping move large objects. Use a dolly, wagon, wheelbarrow or other assisting device when moving heavy objects.
2. Carry things closer to your body. Any guy who has ever held a dumbbell at his side, and then extended it forward (as in shoulder exercises) realizes the change in force when a weight is held at a distance from your body.
3. Correct lumbar support problems wherever you sit, especially at work, and where you sleep. If you sit most of the day for work, get an ergonomically-correct chair. Most of them have a pad or raised area at the lower back for extra support.
Believe it, you can't go wrong taking care of your back. As Dean Brittenham, CEO of S.P.O.R.T. Elite, Ltd., La Jolla, CA, and author of "Stronger Abs and Back," says, "The muscles of the back are critically important to the proper functioning of the spine and therefore of the center of power."
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