5 Tips to Help You Overcome Low Back Pain
I recently read Dr. Stuart McGill’s Low Back Disorders Vol 3. Dr. McGill is one of the top researchers on the origins of low back pain and is well known for providing non-surgical solutions to people who struggle finding a reason for why their back hurts. Although many of his patients are ordinary adults, he is one of the most trusted resources for high performing athletes. In fact, one of his patients recently set a world record, squatting over 1300 lbs, just a few years after suffering multiple disc herniations and a sacral fracture.
The two biggest lessons I took from the book’s updates:
1. Injuries to the spine and/or discs can heal, and previous levels of function or performance can be restored without surgery. It might not happen overnight, but it also will not take years to recover.
2. All back and/or spine pain has a mechanical or structural origin. A diagnosis is always possible, contrary to what many medical professionals may think. Simply, the patient has not found a clinician with the right set of skills to evaluate and diagnose their unique issue.
Understanding Back and spine pain has been somewhat personal to me. I suffered my first disruptive back injury at age 19 while deadlifting. Of course, I was likely attempting to lift more weight than I should have, didn’t really appreciate good technique, and was in a state of fatigue when the injury happened. Since then, and over the years, my back has never been the same. I was never officially diagnosed with anything, as most Xrays and MRIs always came back somewhat “normal”. I was able to find ways to keep training, but it was rare that 6 months would pass without a recurrence.
It took me until my forties to accept there were things I probably shouldn’t do, things I needed to modify, and things I needed to do more of that would allow me to continue to pursue active interests. Here are five tips I learned from Dr. McGill’s books over the past fifteen years to help you manage and/or overcome back pain.
1. Learn and understand your triggers. Triggers for back pain are specific to the underlying pathology, so it helps if you know what the actual issue is. Regardless, start to identify movements, positions, postures, exercises, etc. that trigger or bring on your pain. For some, it might be bending forward to pick something up off the ground, while for others it might be sitting or standing too long, and yet others might trigger their back pain when twisting to reach into the back seat of your car. Keep a journal and document every position you determine to influence the intensity of your pain. If there are specific exercises that trigger your pain, it’s important to identify them as well.
2. Learn spine sparing techniques that will allow you to avoid your triggers. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to completely avoid picking things off the ground, for example, but you do have to find a more protective strategy to do so; one that spares your spine undue stress. For example, you might have to get down on one knee to pick up an object instead of bending over at the waist. You might need to get a different chair for your office that allows you to sit without slouching excessively. You might have to change the way you grab dumbbells off the rack or put them away. Whatever works best for you, you need to work relentlessly to make these strategies automatic so when you need to grab something off the floor, your reaction will be to move in a way that prevents pain.
3. Change your position every fifteen minutes. One of the biggest reasons for low back discomfort and/or pain is a result of the structure of our spine. We have ligaments that attach the various levels of our vertebra to each other along with long ligaments that run the length of our spine. Ligaments are tissues that connect bone to bone, and they lack elastic properties. In other words, they don’t spring back easily after being stretched for extended periods of time. When stretched, ligaments start to remodel and adjust to the new position(s) within sixty seconds. If you sit for extended periods of time, those ligaments will have settled into a new resting position and they will revolt if you force a quick change. It’s important, thus, that people with back pain change positions often. At a minimum, get up from your chair every 10-15 minutes, even if its just to stand for sixty seconds.
4. Go for a walk…frequently. Injuries deep in and around the spine tend to lack something that’s essential to healing…blood supply. Blood delivers nutrients and removes waste. Walking increases circulation to all your muscles but is especially helpful in driving supply to the torso. You do have to walk well, however, swinging your arms (from the shoulder), in an alternating pattern with the movement of your legs. This creates a stabilizing effect around the spine so you get the benefit of increased circulation and use of your torso muscles without creating undue stress, which happens when you don’t swing your arms. Dr. McGill recommends walking three times a day for fifteen minutes. Not only does walking improve circulation, the improved cardio-respiratory and weight loss benefits can also help reduce symptoms from a low back disorder.
5. Incorporate exercises that improve the stamina or endurance of your “core” muscles. Contrary to what many believe, increased strength in the “core” muscles is NOT protective against low back pain, endurance, or the ability to sustain contractions for longer periods IS. McGill recommends his “big 3” exercises: the Birddog, the Side Bridge, and the Crunch. The exercises are done with specific techniques to spare undue spinal stress, and held for periods of 5-8 seconds, repeating each drill up to ten times, two or more times a day. You can access video descriptions on our Youtube page HERE.
In my 25+ years in the fitness industry, I’ve come across many philosophies regarding the best way to train to prevent or overcome low back pain. Dr. McGill is, easily the most objective, thoroughly researched, and rationale of any I’ve had the opportunity to learn from, even if only in the pages of a book. His concepts are easily applied to both average Joe and elite athletes, and they get results.
Although everyone is unique, as is their pain, these tips are universal. You’ll need to continue searching for a clinician (i.e. physical therapist, physician, chiropractor) who can provide you with an accurate diagnosis, but at least we can give you a head start on finding relief with this information.
If you are experiencing low back pain or discomfort, jumping into a “one size fits all” exercise program can be detrimental. Seek exercise & fitness professionals who will assess you and design a training program specifically for you. Life doesn’t stop because you’re out of commission, so protect yourself and your health.
McGill, Stuart. Low Back Disorders. 3rd ed. 2016