Help for Lower Back Pain

I’ve lost count how many times I’ve hurt my lower back. My theory on our back problems is from an article I read many years ago that made some sense. It said that back millions of years ago man’s life expectancy wasn’t very long, so our spines were expect to keep going for years and years. Now days our life expectance has increased to 65-70 years old, and some people like my grandparents have lived past 80.

I thought I would pass on some info from some of the doctors and physical therapist that I’ve been too regarding back pain on how to manage it. The best thing you can do for your back is exercise and stretching. As bodybuilders, we seem to kind of over look stretching. Weight lifting is a key to building solid back muscle, but stretching helps keep it limber. I have found as long as I do a combination of back exercises and stretches that my back doesn’t bother me.

Here are some stretches that a physical therapist gave me to help my lower back.

• Piriformis stretch: Lie on your back and cross one leg over the other. With both knees bent, place both hands together under the knee of the other leg (the lower leg), and gently pull the bottom leg toward your chest and hold both thighs closely until a stretch is felt in the buttock area.

• Double knee to chest (a variation of the Piriformis stretch): Lie on your back with both knees bent, place both hands together under the knees, and gently pull the bottom leg toward your chest and hold both thighs closely until a stretch is felt in the buttock area.

• Hamstring stretches: Tight hamstring muscles are also associated with low back pain. One way to gently stretch hamstring muscles is to lie on the back and grasp the leg behind the knee with the hip flexed to 90 degrees and the knee bent. Attempt to straighten the knee with the toes pointed back toward you.

• Seated trunk rotation: This one Stretches lower back, side of hip, and neck: Sit on floor with left leg straight out in front. Bend right leg, cross right foot over, place outside left knee. Bend left elbow and rest it outside right knee. Place right hand behind hips on floor. Turn head over right shoulder, rotate upper body right. Hold 10-30 seconds. Repeat on other side. Breathe in slowly.

• Laying trunk rotation: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Very slowly, let your knees fall to the left. Take a couple of breaths to allow your muscles to lengthen and hold for 10-30 seconds. Now return to neutral, with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Very slowly, let your knees fall to the right. Take a couple of breaths to allow your muscles to lengthen and hold for 10-30 seconds. Return to neutral, with your kness bent and feet on the floor.

• Glute Stretch: Lie on you back with your right ankle crossed just below the left knee. Reach through with both hands to get a hold of the left knee. Gently pull the knee toward your chest and settle back, resting your head on the floor. Feel the stretch and hold for 10-30 seconds. Repeat on other knee. Breathe in slowly.

• Hamstring & Back Stretch: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Hug your shins to your chest to stretch your hamstrings and lower back.

The following really feel incredible they stretch your upper and lower back. Start on all fours (on the floor on your hands and knees).

• Cat Stretches: Start on your hands and knees. Arch your back upwards, like an angry cat, hold for a couple of seconds and then arch the back downwards, like a happy cat. Repeat this exercise several times. If you do not like cats, imagine you are a dog.

• Next stay on all fours. Extend your right arm and stretch it out. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Go back to starting position. Extend left arm and stretch out and hold. Repeat this exercise several times.

• Next stay on all fours. Extend your right arm and stretch it out. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Go back to starting position. Extend left arm and stretch out and hold. Repeat this exercise several times.

• Stay on all fours. Extend your right leg and stretch it out. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Go back to starting position. Extend left leg and stretch out and hold. Repeat this exercise several times.

• Back to starting position on all fours. Extend you right arm and your left leg out at the same time and stretch them. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Go back to starting position. Extend left arm and right leg and stretch them out and hold. Repeat this exercise several times.

These are just a few lower back and hamstrings stretches. That can help keep your spin feeling great. I have more, but I won’t list them at this time.