Simple Solutions For Chronic Low Back Pain

by Shin Ohtake on Thursday, February 25, 2010 • 21 Comments

About 75 million U.S. adults experience some sort of chronic pain, with low-back pain among the most common complaints. 

Although you can get temporary symptomatic relief from medications like Tylenol, Motrin and Aleve, it’s by no means a permanent solution…and taking too many meds can cause other serious health complications. 

So what’s the best remedy for chronic low back pain?  Well, the solution comes from understanding how the problem first came about. 

Modern conveniences have made us increasingly more sedentary and less active.  This has contributed to our ever expanding waist line, as well as, all of the health problems associated with it.

Although being overweight definitely adds to the problem.  Surprisingly, it’s not the most common cause.
 
You may be surprised to find out what causes most low back pains and the shockingly simple solutions for it.

As your weight goes up, so does the stress on your body and just the shear pressure on your spinal joints is enough to cause irritation and inflammation causing pain and discomfort in your low back. 

The obvious solution is to reduce body weight…right?  Well surprisingly, even after losing weight many people still complain of low back pain.  That being the case…weight can’t be the only issue.

Besides, there are plenty of people that aren’t overweight or obese that still suffer from chronic low back pain.  Even people that are in good shape can have low back pain. 

So what’s the most common cause of low back pain?

Sitting.

Yep…you heard it right.  Just think about it. 

You sit at work, at school, in your car, on the bus, in the theater, at home, on the toilet…wherever you are there’s a strong likelihood that you’re sitting.  And it you’re not sitting you’re walking to get to your next destination so you can sit again.  It’s the most common position people spend their lives in. 

Now let’s think about our basic anatomy.  If you looked at the way we’re built…it’s not to sit, but rather to walk, run, jump and move from one place to the next.  We’re supposed to be moving…not sitting still. 

Our ancestors had to move so they could hunt and gather food to survive.  Motion is key to our survival and lack of motion is detrimental. 

Just look at our sedentary society.  We have become fat, sick and fully dependent on modern conveniences and modern medicine. 

We have become unfit to survive.

I know what you’re thinking…but what about the people that are fit and don’t lead a sedentary lifestyle.  Well, there’a a few reasons why being active and fit may not solve all of the problems.

Spending prolonged time in a seated position causes the following detrimental effects:

• It causes “creep” - a stretching of the ligaments and cartilages.  These soft tissue structures are supposed to keep your joints tight and in place.  As it gets stretched out, it weakens and deforms joints.
 
• It causes muscle amnesia of your posterior chain.  The muscles that make up your posterior chain are your glutes, hamstrings and low back.  This means that the opposing anterior chain muscles become short and overactive.  This causes muscle imbalance which alters biomechanics and can affect even the simplest movements like walking and running.
• It causes shortening of the hip flexor muscle (one of the anterior chain muscles).  The hip flexors are anchored onto your lumbar vertebrae (lower back bones), so when they’re shortened it pulls on the lower back causing the spine to extend (or arch).  This puts additional pressure on the vertebral joints and can cause pain and discomfort.
• The altered biomechanics get carried over to normal movements.  These movements further enhances the imbalance.  For instance when you’re running you further strengthen the anterior chain muscles (hip flexors and quads), which weakens the posterior chain muscles (glutes, hamstrings and lower back) even more - setting up a vicious cycle of muscle imbalance.

So here’s what you need to do.

First and foremost, minimize sitting and increase moving. 

If you’re working at a desk, you may want to take a break every hour and walk around the office or go to the break room for a quick stretch.  Just 5 minutes of movement will do your low back wonders.

If you don’t exercises regularly, you need to start.  Even though weight isn’t the number one reason that causes low back pain, being lighter, leaner and more fit will undoubtedly help.

If you already exercise than you need to fix the muscle imbalance. Here’s a short protocol you can begin with:

 
• Foam roll (you can use a PVC pipe) your quads and ITB.  Spend as long as you need on each leg.
 
• After foam rolling, stretch out your hip flexors, quads (thighs) and ITB.  Hold each stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 2 - 3 times each side.
• Strengthen your posterior chain muscles by doing the following exercises:
  • bridges on the floor
  • bridges on a swiss ball
  • one legged bridges on the floor
  • one legged bridges on a swiss ball
  • supine hamstring curl on a swiss ball
  • one legged supine hamstring curl on a swiss ball
  • one legged deadlifts (use light weights)
  • straight legged deadlifts (use light weights)
  • Perform 12 -15 reps for 2 - 3 sets each exercise
  • The most important thing to keep in mind is form and technique.

  
  You can do the stretches and various bridges on the floor (without using the swiss ball) at your office as well.  If you want, you can even bring and leave a foam roller at work so you can do it whenever you take a break.

  So there you have it.  Avoid sitting for longer then you need to.  Move as often as possible.  Include the stretches and exercises posted above as often as possible.

  If you haven’t gotten on a good fitness regimen, then definitely check out my Max Workouts program.  It’s a 90 day fully comprehensive workout program that’s designed to get the most out of your body’s own chemistry to help you burn fat, lose weight and build a lean body.

  The program is composed workouts with functional full body exercises so you can build a well balanced strong body with a strong core and avoid developing any muscle imbalance.

  If you’re a low back pain sufferer, what have you done to deal with it?

  Do you have any favorite stretches, exercises that you found particularly helpful for you?

  I’d love to find out what you think?  Share you thoughts below.

   

   

  Posted by Shin Ohtake on 02/25 at 01:00 AM
  

  About The Author

  Shin Ohtake is a widely recognized strength coach and fitness & fat-loss expert. His unconventional, no-nonsense approach to getting fit has made him the go-to source for fitness enthusiasts and trainers alike. Shin is also the author of the world famous, MAX Workouts book, which has transformed and reshaped the bodies of thousands of people across the globe - without requiring hours in the gym. To learn more about how MAX Workouts can help you achieve your fitness goals, visit maxworkouts.com.
  Bookmark this post, or send it to a friend by clicking the "Share / Save" button below. You may also post this article to your blog or website - as long as you leave the content, links and the "About the Author" intact. Get notified of new posts by RSS or email.

  Like this post? Help me spread the word!