Stop the Assault & Remove the Hammer - best strategies to fix low back pain
Flexion is the number 1 cause of disc injuries...
“If you were to hit your thumb lightly, but repeatedly, with a hammer, it would eventually become very painful, and soon, the slightest touch would cause pain.” - Stuart McGill, Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention and Rehabilitation
The number one cause of low back pain is repeated or sustained flexion. If you add in a rotational component, it’s even worse!
Today, it is agreed across professions that flexion is the number one mechanical cause of disc injuries, whether it’s repeated as in bending over to pick up boxes, gardening in the yard, or sustained (sitting in flexion at work) or even if the lumbar spine is over-utilized in sports without adequate stability.
Simply put - flexion is that slouched posture you are probably in right now while reading this sentence. There is nothing inherently wrong with flexion, it’s just that we tend to do a lot of it.
If you have low back pain and it’s a constant problem in your life, then you might want to reconsider traditional core exercises that focus on abdominal flexion movements, such as sit-ups and knees-to-chest, these “often recommended” exercises can actually make the situation worse, especially if the disc is already irritated. Not long ago, sit-ups and flexion exercises were the gold standard treatments prescribed for low back pain sufferers. Today, current research has changed this line of thought.
Tight Lateral Hip Rotators
Following up from the last blog - foot flare - I want to go into more detail on the importance of preventing your external (lateral) hip rotators from becoming too tight. Hip rotators can easily become tightened, usually as a result of overuse or sitting too much throughout the day.
Lateral Hip Rotators in Order of Importance - Warren Hammer, author of Functional Soft-Tissue Examination and Treatment by Manual Methods.
- Gluteus maximus
- Quadratus femoris
- Oburator internus
- Gluteus medius and minimus (dorsal fibers)
- Iliopsoas
- Obturator externus
- All adductors except pectineus and gracillis
- Piriformis
- Sartorius
These actions will cause your leg to rotate laterally causing the foot to pronate, or roll inward, more than it should at foot contact. Although the external rotation is often small, it is enough to cause a problem during running or even walking. Overuse and asymmetries are the top factors leading up to an injury, there are approximately 1,500 steps in a mile, if there is a mechanical dysfunction, given enough time something is bound to breakdown…
Improve Knee Health
Knee pain is a common injury that sidelines runners and impacts overall health. To resolve knee pain, it is critical to understand that the knee is sort of a biological “fall guy” because it is located between two mobile joints: the ankles and the hips. If there is a lack of mobility within these joints, then greater demand is placed on the knee and problems can arise.
To keep knee pain from becoming a problem or to resolve ongoing knee complaints, here are 5 proven suggestions that will make a difference:
- Improve posterior chain strength
- Fire up the glutes
- Improve your running technique
- Increase mobility of the ankle and hip joint
- Release chronic myofascial tension
Suggestion 1: Improve Posterior Chain Strength!
Combo move targeting core, glutes (glute medius), and the hamstrings.
Force producers-the glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps-stabilize the knee by working together. Over-dominance in the quads, tight hip flexors, or weakness in the posterior chain can result in knee instability.
Action step: incorporate exercises that improve posterior chain strength, for example bridges to improve hamstring strength.
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