Did you know that the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) estimates that there are around 577million people living with low back pain across the globe?
Back pain is something that we all want to avoid. Yet, this statistic shows we are losing the battle to maintain our back health.
The wrong idea
Often, we associate back pain with sedentary lifestyles, yet this belief is misleading.
In my experience as a back pain specialist, back troubles often occur because of poor posture, movement, and overload – especially from exercise.
To make matters worse, things are often exasperated as we grow older.
Complicated causes
There’s no avoiding the fact that – whether in the lower, mid, or higher range – our backs often take the brunt of our well-intentioned workouts.
Because many of us want to retain our fitness levels and carry on doing the things we love into old age, we need to learn new ways of preventing our exercise regimen from leading to injury.
This includes understanding more about the causes of back pain and finding out ways to avoid them.
Common mistakes
The overwhelming amount of people I see daily have one thing in common: They all do too much exercise and/or move in a way that can eventually lead to injury.
It’s almost difficult to believe, but I rarely see people in my clinic who are there because they have done too little.
So, if you are either approaching or well into your middle years, here is some advice that should help future-proof yourself against poor back health.
I hope you find it useful!
1.Prioritize recovery
As we grow older, our ability to build muscle and stamina decreases over time.
But this isn’t as much as you might think.
We still have the potential to increase our fitness levels as we age, however, what changes is our body’s ability to recover.
After participating in high-impact exercise or heavy lifting, ensure that you leave a day or two in between sessions for adequate rest and recuperation.
2.Choose Movements Over Muscles
When we’re in our younger years, we tend to focus on developing the “show” muscles: Biceps, pecs, calves, etc.
However, in time this can have the effect of overloading a single joint or muscle group and this can lead to injury.
I’d recommend choosing more functional activities – that will help you live your daily life to the max. Such exercises include squats, deadlifts, and push-ups.
These are beneficial because they disperse the load amongst multiple joints and translate to the daily activities/sports that many participate in.
3.Build Durability, Not Brute Strength
Building a strong physical foundation will help you pursue a high-impact sports regime for longer. It’s therefore important to take a measured, sustainable attitude to exercise.
As the saying goes, “if you don’t use it, then prepare to lose it” so aim to build durability by addressing all of the major muscle groups in a dynamic way.
While strength is important, it is important to gain an appreciable amount of strength in certain movements than work until “failure’ each time.
4.Take Daily Walks
I consider walking to be the unsung hero of the exercise world.
Not only is it good for back pain, but it also has benefits to various biological systems, reduces blood pressure, and plays an important role in spine health – particularly if you have a history of back problems and/or sit for long periods.
Take multiple walks a day, but make sure you protect your joints with the right footwear. Swing your arms as you go along to help with flexibility and try to maintain a ‘shoulders back, pelvis slightly forward’ posture to protect your lower spine.
To maintain a healthy back and body, walking is non-negotiable.
5.Build Your Healthcare “Team”
If you’re active – and want to stay that way – then it’s important to acknowledge that you will have to adapt your exercise regime regularly as the years go by.
The good news is, however, that with the right advice, support, and team in place it’s possible to keep doing the things you love and look and feel great at the same time.
Always have the details of a good primary care doctor on hand as well as a physical therapist, trainer, and manual therapist.
Together, their combined expertise will see your exercise program keeping you in tip-top condition – rather than away from the life you love.
Written by: By Dr. Marc Luko
About the Author:
Dr. Marc Luko is the founder of Optimal Performance & Reconditioning.
He is one of only a handful of practitioners in the world that has been designated as a McGill Method Master Clinician through Backfitpro and the world’s leading expert on low back pain, Dr. Stuart McGill.
As a former track and field athlete himself, Dr Luko has dealt with his fair share of injuries. A devastating lower back injury in his teenage years resulted in back and right leg pain. This led him down the path of learning more about low back disorders and into his career as a leading physical therapist.
Dr. Luko received his bachelor’s degree in Health Studies and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Boston University. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) recognized by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
While Dr. Luko treats clients with varying injuries, he specializes in working with clients suffering from low back disorders from all over the world.
