Copyright 2005 MHG Consulting
Lower back pain is one of the most common ailments people suffer
from and approximately 8 out of 10 people will deal with back
pain at some point in their life. That's a lot of people… are
you one of them? I am. I have bulging, herniated discs and have
had low back spasms (that knock me to my knees) and sciatica. I
have been on all kinds of pain killers, including narcotics
which only mask the problem and is by no means a permanent
solution.
I have avoided back surgery like the plague as there are so many
with horror stories. The only relief I have found is with the
proper exercise and stretching. I can assure you will find back
pain relief if you do this regimen the correct way, do it the
wrong way and you might up under the knife! Out of all of the
various forms of back pain, lower back pain is by far the most
common and there's a good explanation for this.
Any idea why? It's not car accidents, it's not work-related
injuries, and it's not a lack of prescription medications
either. Lack of movement and use is the number one cause of
lower back pain! I bet your orthopedic specialist or
chiropractor didn't tell you that, did they? It's the lack of
movement in various muscles over years that leads to muscle
imbalances and uneven wear and tear on your body, especially the
spine. For example, how many times a day are you bending,
leaning, or twisting? Here's what the typical person's day is
like:
- Wake up - Eat breakfast (hopefully) - Drive or ride to work -
Sit at desk - Eat lunch - Sit at desk some more - Drive or ride
home - Eat dinner - Sit on couch and watch television - Go to
bed
Notice the trend here? That's an awful lot of sitting and not
moving. Well, this is what leads to serious muscle imbalances
and so what do we do, we go to the gym and perform exercises
that only make the imbalances worse! The key to eliminating
lower back pain (nearly any ache, pain, or injury for that
matter) is to identify the muscle imbalances that are pulling
the spine, bones, and joints out of place and then stretch the
tight muscles while strengthening the weak muscles.
How do I know this? Well, as certified personal fitness trainer
and post-rehabilitation specialist, I have worked with hundreds
of individuals with back pain and the conditions that ranged
from sciatic pain, to bulging discs, to spinal fusion, and
others. In working with these individuals I discovered some
startling facts.
1. Many people who seek professional help are often
mis-diagnosed and end up following a treatment plan that fails
to eliminate the cause of their back pain.
2. Nearly all of the individuals I worked with were able to
eliminate their back pain, or significantly improve their
condition even though all of the traditional treatments failed
them (physically therapy, chiropractic care, cortisone
injections, anti-inflammatory medications, back surgery, etc).
Even more amazing is the fact that most of these individuals
were able to eliminate their back pain in a matter or days or
weeks simply by performing a handful of exercises and stretches!
These weren't your basic exercises or the standard back
stretches and stomach exercises most "experts" recommend - these
were specific exercises and stretches prescribed based on the
individual. Many of these people had suffered for years and
years with aches, pains, and stiffness and lived inactive lives
because of their back pain.
3. Most back pain treatments offered for lower back pain only
address the symptoms and don't address the cause, which usually
delivers just temporary relief for the individual. In addition
to helping hundreds of others eliminate lower back pain, I also
have had personal experiences with back pain and other various
conditions such as sciatic pain, tendonitis, muscle strains and
sprains, and more. In every single situation the traditional
treatments did nothing but treat the symptoms (often times not
successfully) and the only approach that gave lasting
improvements and relief was targeted stretches and exercises.
Have you tried traditional treatments and found little relief? I
am not saying these treatments are not effective at temporarily
reducing the pain or inflammation, but I am saying nearly all
fail to get rid of the underlying cause of the problem.
I wish you the best and remember, the key to a healthy back is
movement!
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