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I'm 22 years old and started having lower back pain one day several months ago after I moved a bunch of heavy furniture up the stairs into my apartment (I foolishly didn't eat much that morning, so I was feeling weak and thus probably had very bad form while doing it).
I was fortunate enough to do a session with a personal trainer where she showed me how to lift things properly and how to do weightlifting in general with good form. After I was done, my back felt much better. Recently, it's started to hurt again, but not nearly as bad as it did before.
I don't work out often but I really want to address my back pain and I would also like to just be more fit in general. I will have to move that furniture back out of the apartment someday after all!
For Christmas I got three sets of weights (8's, 10's and 15's I believe), a body bar (maybe 10 lbs), an 8 lb medicine ball and a pilates ring.
I have the exercises the personal trainer showed me, but I just wanted to ask if anybody has any particular ones they'd recommend for lower back pain?
First I would learn proper lifting technique. Not so much weight lifting, but everyday moving stuff around chores. First lift with your legs. They should be doing the majority of the work. You want to be close to the object you are lifting. Always set your core when picking the object up. Once it is up, hold it close to your body. If the object is large, think again about lifting it your self. Get help instead. Always lift in a straight plane. No twisting while the object is in your hands. If you find yourself in a position where you must lift something while breaking the rules I described, set that core really hard. You are using it as the lever, not the back.
In regards to your current pain, stay off the couch as much as possible. Same for office chairs. Theyput a lot of strain on the back. A good alternative is a large fit ball. Sit on that and you will naturally roll to an upright position. It sounds like you have a good foundation from your trainer. At this point I would say without knowing your exact situation to simply walk. If you find that this helps, keep doing it and see if the pain disappears. I would also add in some safe core strength work. Good examples are here:
Once you're stabilized, superman stretches are fantastic. But if you're feeling a lot of sharp pain doing them, you're not ready yet.
I have two damaged disks, one of which ruptured. Couldn't walk more than a few feet at a time. I was told by three sports medicine doctors I had no choice but surgery. Luckily I had a college friend who's a well known PT and called someone local to me to work with me. I avoided surgery. I did many of those exercises in the link above, except for the planks/modified planks, as part of my rehab. I also did a lot of leg work with small ankle weights - standing straight, moving each leg out perpendicularly for 10-15 reps, then forward and back. A pulley machine at the gym should allow you to do that.
I hope I'm right in assuming this-- are you female, like me? In that case, may I suggest ballroom dancing-- it's been a lifesaver for me with back pain. It's because we dance backwards-- the dorsal muscles like the gluteus medius, latissimus dorsi, etc. get a targeted workout. You're also encouraged to pay attention to your posture, which helps too.
Two exercises I do with a kettlebell: One-leg deadlifts, and windmills. Since I've started I've noticed a reduction in back pain, which used to bother me frequently. Also there's the general core strength benefits that come with the kettlebell training.
@Sandbow: No, I'm male haha. Good suggestion though! I live in a relatively small town though so I'm not sure if there's any place to take classes or anything like that.
@Johnbiggs: I don't have a kettlebell or gym membership. Would I be able to do any of those kettlebell exercises with a medicine ball instead?
@Sandbow: No, I'm male haha. Good suggestion though! I live in a relatively small town though so I'm not sure if there's any place to take classes or anything like that.
@Johnbiggs: I don't have a kettlebell or gym membership. Would I be able to do any of those kettlebell exercises with a medicine ball instead?
It wouldn't really be the same. You can get a kettlebell for a good price on Amazon though.
You were already linked to proper exercise. Read and learn and do core strength exercise.
Now, before we go anywhere, let me introduce myself. I come from a bad back mother. Terrible pain. I was hit with it 1st time when I was 19. I took a wrong step down from street tram, lifted my left leg up in the air and suddenly realized that I can not move, that if I lower that leg, I'll go down. Good my GF was next to me. I stood, grabbing her elbow, for quite some time, until I was able to relax and lower that leg.
I spoent 2.5 weeks thereafter bed ridden, with muscle spasm L side, L3-4 level, about size of a large fist. I could sleep only on my knees, forehead against the wall and pillow against my chest, and that for about 2 hrs.
Thereafter, I was hit with such spells many more times.
At age of 27 I started weight lifting. I virtually crawled into the gym. But in about a year, I strengthened my core and paraspinals so much, that back issue was gone. Ever since, I did not have a serious attack and still dead lift over 300 lbs several times, closing on 59.
I KNOW BACK PAIN AND RELEVANT EXERCISE.
So, if you were to consider my advice, here it is.
You will get NOWHERE with tiny weights. You have to continuously increase loads and you will end up with hundreds of pounds you should be able to move.
You shall never quit, or it will hit you bad.
You shall watch your weight and live healthy lifestyle, or it will hit you bad.
Core exercise should become part of your life, automatic and everywhere, or it will hit you bad.
Your best friends are sit ups against increasing resistance and well exercise, or dead lifts, proper technique, on about five inch thick podiums. Reason being, that allows your back to flex far down.
Of course, there will always be a Dr Good, or Dr Nice, who will tell you it's "easy surgical fix". But let introduce myself one more time. I am a CPO. Certified Prosthetist Orthotist. I KNOW what happens after those surgeries, I had enough of thos patients treated in almost 20 years of practice.
It's hard to exercise proper lifting technique when you're moving furniture, especially when stairs are involved. There is really no proper way to do it.
Keep your abs strong. They help to support your back.
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