Why do you have back pain and why don't you do anything about it?
It is really difficult as a personal trainer to see all sorts of people have so much back pain and then also see them do nothing about it. Back pain is a leading cause of discomfort and usually can be fixed with some simple and consistent steps...
#1 SIT UP STRAIGHT & CHECK YOUR POSTURE
If you are at work and you sit in a desk, chances are you have a rounded back which can lead to back pain. Get a new chair, buy a lumbar( low back) support, get your computer up in front of you at eye level with your hands parallel and not reaching up or below. When you are in your car or if you travel a lot, the same general rules apply.
#2. STRETCH 2X PER DAY
Stretching is a huge plus to help your back pain. Don't just focus on the areas that hurt, like your back, focus on areas that also could be affecting it such as tight hamstrings, hips, hip flexors, or tight thoracic area to name a few. If you are not sure where to start, go see a physical therapist, chiropractor or personal trainer to get you on the right track.
#3 EXERCISE 3-5X PER WEEK
The last thing you want to do with back pain is not move. You should be exercising multiple times each week and loosening up your body. However, be careful of high intensity exercise if you have back pain. Jumping and high intensity workouts along with tough core exercise can increase back pain and have you thinking working out is not the answer. If you are in this situation, keep working out, just work with your trainer communicating and modifying exercises for you.
#4 FOCUS ON CORE
The core is sometimes a term overused relating to the abs. The core is indeed your abdominal areas but also related to other important areas. You definitely want to focus on your deep abdominal muscles and pelvic floor stabilizers. Sorry everyone, these are NOT the pretty ones you see in magazines but the ones that stabilize and support your back. Don't worry though, we still want to hit those as well. Furthermore, do ab exercises that don't overuse your hip flexors or quadricep muscles. Bridges and exercises that will recruit your glute muscles are also very important to work at as well as chops and rows that will incorporate activating your thoracic and scapular region.
#5 BE CONSISTENT & REACH OUT
In order for your back pain to go away you must be consistent. Back pain, in my experience, can go in waves and can sometimes feel like it is corrected and then come back. This can simply be b/c one day certain muscles are tight and affecting your low back. Reach out to professionals about exercises to do on a daily basis and MAKE SURE YOU DO THEM. I cannot say that enough. If someone tells you to do things 2x per day, you should do them 2x per day...not once every other day. I see this all the time. Furthermore, if your back pain is not fixed and seems to keep being a hassle, don't give up. It takes time, process of elimination by professionals and a good solid effort on your part. In my opinion, there is no such thing as a quick fix so don't expect one. Do things right, work hard at them and eventually you will get where you need to be.
Hope this was helpful and please reach out anytime. Gotta go. I just got all tight from sitting at my desk writing this blog and need to stretch out...you should too!