A FREE Guide to Navigating Your Low Back Pain
Low back pain is a prevalent issue, particularly in the athletic population. So it’s important to learn as much as you can from the professionals around you! In this guide, we will first discuss the main reasons for lower back pain, cover some of the best ways to reduce pain, and then touch on some additional topics to consider when managing lower back pain.
Here are some reasons for low back pain;
- Excessive Load: Overloading the lower back with heavy weights or repetitive motions can strain the muscles, ligaments, and discs in the lower back.
- Poor Technique: Incorrect or poor lifting techniques during training or competition can place excessive stress on the lower back. Athletes may be more susceptible to injuries if they don’t maintain proper form and body mechanics.
- Chronic Underlying Mobility Issues: Athletes may have underlying mobility issues in the lower back and lower extremities, such as limited hip mobility, tight hamstrings, or inflexible spinal segments.
- Muscle Imbalances: Weak or imbalanced core and lower back muscles can lead to overuse injuries and lower back pain. Athletes should focus on strengthening these muscle groups to provide adequate support and stability.
- Overtraining and Fatigue: Overtraining syndrome can lead to an increased risk of injury and low back pain. Athletes who push their bodies beyond their limits without adequate rest and recovery are more susceptible to pain and injuries.
- Previous Injuries: Athletes with a history of low back injuries may be at higher risk of recurrent pain. Proper rehabilitation and injury prevention strategies are essential in these cases.
TOP 3 ways to manage your low back pain
- SLEEP/NUTRITION/STRESS MANAGEMENT. These are all vital parts of healing and recovery. Dialing in at least one of these to start will allow your body to respond to stress with greater tolerance.
- Move DAILY, whether that be PT-specific movements or just going for a walk. Exercise has been found to reduce pain and mortality in the general population (but you guys already knew that). So, I wanted to include my top 3 movements in reducing low back pain.
- Transverse Abdomnus isometric contraction: used to reduce pain and improve mind-to-muscle control of THE largest abdominal muscle in your body.
- Hip Controlled Articular Rotations (CARS): if tolerated, this movement gets the hip moving RIGHT! From what I’ve seen clinically, if you get the hip moving appropriately, the back starts to follow suit.
- Isometric deadlifts: This movement primes the body to accept and lift heavy loads! It also improves spinal flexion (bending) tolerance.
- Work with a professional to not only get a solid understanding of what/could be going on, but it will allow you to get a solid plan of attack on how to navigate your situation (in day-to-day life, workouts, sport, etc.)
Additional Topics of Discussion
- Pain is Multifactorial, meaning it’s not always as simple as blaming a body part for the discomfort you are experiencing!
- Cracking the code to working with a movement specialist comes down to trusting the process but also feeling confident and informed about their approach. Make sure your specialist gives you plenty of insights and knowledge to boost your confidence!
I hope this was helpful! If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out or schedule your FREE discovery visit! To schedule, click the link below:
Stay Moving
Stay Vertical
Dr. Jack Jander, PT, DPT, CF-L1
