According to epidemiological data, up to 80% of the adult population suffer temporary or chronic pain in the low back region. Spine overloading is regarded, among others, as the primary cause of low back pain.
⚠️Unfortunately, most medicine focuses on treating symptoms, rather than finding and curing the actual problem. Taking painkillers is not getting to what is causing pain and sooner or later that pain will return. The health of the vertebrae depends on the health of the discs which is dependent on diet, bodyweight, hydration, our posture, our breathing, our thoughts and whether or not we exercise.
⚠️Low back pain can be triggered by a number of factors, often in combination. Overuse, muscle strain and trauma to muscles, ligaments, bones and discs make the back vulnerable to injury. If you perform the same motion repeatedly without a properly braced spine, you can develop repetitive back strain and injure your discs and vertebrae. Bending, lifting, running, reaching and sitting all involve your back muscles. If you are not moving properly, your spine, particularly your lumbar spine, will be subjected to significant wear and tear.
⚠️You need to realize that the hip and the lumbar spine are linked. The reality is we work the hip to protect the spine. When the hip doesn’t work properly or doesn’t move the way we need it to, either actively or passively, we are going to get spinal motion and consequently have back problems. Our hips are designed to be our central fulcrum, yet the way most people live today restricts their natural movement by using the lower spine as their main mover.
⚠️Hip mobility requires the right muscles moving the hip joint to decrease the movement of the lumbar spine as substitute. This means core stability is directly related to hip mobility. If your hips don’t move, the spine will. The ability of the glutes to work is critical as weak glutes will prevent hip extension which may result to lumbar extension and then low back pain. When you get the hips moving and the glutes working, in most cases the back pain will go away.
My daily advice: Take care of your body, keep moving, focus on form and technique, master the basics first, then add load to movement!!