The trials and tribulations of life present themselves in various ways where we can expect to prepare for them or randomly when we least expect it. Our society consistently manages the scales of financial status, human relations, and psychological health. A few top contributors requiring a substantial amount of time include paying the bills, maintaining a healthy relationship with our spouse, and finding time to enjoy our everyday lives. Along with ensuring the rent and utilities are paid, mitigating quibbling of relationships, and getting enough sleep, yet another variable seems to fit directly into life’s top five critically important topics to maintain at an optimal level. This item that seems to appear randomly and needs immediate attention is back pain.
The back is comprised of a network of bones, muscles, and nerves granting us the freedom and ability to thrive in the physical realm of our world. The spine acts as a keystone in the center of our body. Our spine possesses protective properties to the spinal cord. Also known as a portion of the central nervous system, the spinal cord is an elongation of the brain responsible for sending electronic signals to our skeletal muscles and organs. Without an efficient signal sent to the muscles and organs, one could imagine that the human body may not operate as effectively. Therefore, if there is an alarm sounding off in the form of back pain notifying us that something isn’t right, it would be just as essential to address the issue of back pain in the same sense of urgency we address other high-priority themes that hold together the productivity of our time on earth.
In the fitness industry, personal trainers see back pain as a primary culprit to impeding an exercise participant’s progress. If there is an issue that barricades the productivity of someone’s everyday life that can be alleviated if attention is brought to rectifying the primary cause of back pain, then we know where to start. We instruct our personal training clients to follow simple yet effective best practices to fend off back pain and mitigate the long-lasting afflictions back pain causes.
- Exercise consistently: Before we go into the cutting-edge exercises that can be found on the interwebs or posts by social media fitness professionals, it’s essential to understand the concept of ingraining regular exercise as a staple in our identity. Exercising for ten to fifteen minutes two to three times a week can redefine a human’s physical architecture. Before choosing what areas of the body we want to tone and strengthen, identify a consistent and realistic plan to adhere to an exercise schedule. Inconsistencies in exercise routines disrupt progressions toward fortifying the human body.
- Start with isometric exercises: The traditional sit-up, crunch, or fancy core machines at our local gym are effective but require a substantial amount of spine organization to be performed correctly and reap the full benefits of reducing back pain. Before venturing into advanced exercises, a safe option would be to start with isometric exercises such as the simple straight-arm plank. Isometric exercise is defined as a body position placed under tension without any mechanical movement. Putting the body in a situation where it must remain unmoved by the external resistance of gravity requires muscular activation by simply remaining still under tension. The straight-arm plank requires one movement that needs to be held for a short period. Practicing this technique two to three times per week can reinforce the spine muscles to mitigate the harmful effects of back pain.
- Find a fitness professional and practice your technique: Exercise can be challenging. Similar to being trained at job sites for specific functions, exercise requires consistent adherence to refine techniques so we get the most benefit without harming ourselves. Seeking a personal trainer to meet in a one-on-one setting, a Pilates instructor, or physical therapist offers invaluable resources toward ensuring the execution of each technique is performed for optimal outcomes.
Understanding that back pain can slow down our ability to function optimally in our everyday lives is important. Take some time to identify what back strengthening and injury prevention exercises fit your life. By practicing back-strengthening exercises, we can avoid being held up by back pain and get the most out of life.
Sean McCawley, the founder and owner of Napa Tenacious Fitness in Napa, CA, welcomes questions and comments. Reach him at 707-287-2727, napatenacious@gmail.com, or visit the website napatenaciousfitness.com.
