Why does my back hurt?

Herniated Disc.

You are either here, or headed there eventually.

When we stand, the lower back is functioning to support the weight of the upper body. When we bend, extend, or rotate at the waist, the lower back is involved in the movement. Therefore, injury to the structures important for weight bearing, such as the bony spine, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, often can be detected when the body is standing erect or used in various movements.

So, we are basically masking our symptoms with our sedentary choices, while increasing the problems.  Lets talk about possible ways to address these problems by first reviewing what leads us to the problem.

3 main culprits of lower back issues:

1.  Inactivity

1. We are shortening (tightening) our hip flexors when seated in traditional chairs.

2. We lesson the bodies ability to uptake oxygen into our bloodstream

3. We decrease our circulation, which slows the vital delivery systems of our body.

2.  Excess Weight - especially in mid-section

1. Simple science, we increase the load placed on our lumbar spine (lower back).

2. We tend to become less active as we gain weight (see above).

3. We lose flexibility as we gain weight; muscle tightness promotes misalignment.

3.  Alignment issues in foot/ankle

1. Simple science again here, this causes a chain reaction (knee/hip/pelvis/spine).

2. Higher risk for common injuries such as plantar fasciitis, & runners knee (PFPS).

3. Left uncorrected, this will flatten the arch, causing the knee to hyper-extend.

There is hope, there are solutions, this can be overcome!

The above (3) three groups are not a death sentence, in fact, most clients I worked with could check off each box when we met.

In the same fashion that a multitude of problems can, and will arise from one issue, we often see that multiple solutions begin to present themselves as we take each step of progress towards our goals.

Here are some very basic examples, of how you can start taking charge of your lower back pain.  this can be done anywhere, anytime, by virtually anyone.   Start today, as soon as you finish the last word of this article.

As a person who has had surgery on a herniated disc, I still do these as part of my daily routine, and would recommend the same to anybody wishing to avoid repeating my experience.

5 EASY-TO-DO @HOME EXERCISES

Start today, take control, and set your first foot down on this journey towards lower back pain relief. Contact Vertfit today!