Exercises for the back pain. Is it ok with it?

"they claim that strengthening the muscles involved in spine support is crucial"

well that parts v important BUT you need to be very careful in what exercises you do - ie if you do them incorrectly it can just add to the problems

Go and see your doctor first, sounds to me like any exercises you do should be managed by a physio???

Hi

I'm a fellow back pain sufferer too. I sneezed whilst sitting awkwardly back last year and every now and again it flares up and kills for a few weeks. This time tho I think i've cracked it. My problem is in the lower back...the muscle you use to bend forward whilst standing.

I used Deep Heat cream this time and now it's practically better I'm exercising a lot, I find the best exercise is to lay flat on my back with legs out straight - then lift them both the same time (keeping them straight) until they're straight up in the air until my body's an 'L' shape then lower them back down slowly. This is the muscle I have trouble with and hopefully when it's nice and strong I wont suffer any more. I've always worked out most of my life but never this muscle it seems - which is why it's very weak and I find this exercise difficult for now.

Good luck with your back, hope it feels better soon. 🙂

I would not recommend the above exercise, especially if you are not used to exercising. A personal trainer/ sport therapist will be a good starting point if you do not want to wait for a physio appointment.
regards
Gaz

I would not recommend the above exercise, especially if you are not used to exercising. Gaz

why not?

this kind of straight leg raise as I see it uses psoas muscle to flex hips for about six inches which puts pressure on the lumbar spineand externally rotates the leg. it is discouraged in the fitness industry, however if client is used to doing it and has good technique there should be no problem. Alternative is to do individual legs giving bigger base of support with cushion or roll under opposite leg to put a slight flex at the knee. This exercise however does not strengthen the back, just the psoas muscle, which attatches to lower spineand lesser trochanter on femur
It is more acceptable to use core stabilising muscle work alternating with core mobility exercise. By ensuring spinal flexion and extension both front to back and side to side will ensure muscles are not dysfunctional.
regards
gaz

this kind of straight leg raise as I see it uses psoas muscle to flex hips for about six inches which puts pressure on the lumbar spineand externally rotates the leg. it is discouraged in the fitness industry, however if client is used to doing it and has good technique there should be no problem. Alternative is to do individual legs giving bigger base of support with cushion or roll under opposite leg to put a slight flex at the knee. This exercise however does not strengthen the back, just the psoas muscle, which attatches to lower spineand lesser trochanter on femur
It is more acceptable to use core stabilising muscle work alternating with core mobility exercise. By ensuring spinal flexion and extension both front to back and side to side will ensure muscles are not dysfunctional.
regards
gaz

yes I think that is the muscle that i've probably pulled - the psoas (never heard of it before but just googled it for a photo).
thanks for the information anyway.
another exercise that seems to ease the muscle that's giving my problems and also seems weak (maybe it's the same one) is if I lie on stomach over the edge of the bed with only my legs on the bed the rest of body over the edge facing floor - then i raise and lower my upper body. any good?

hi J'
it works to strenghten back but I would prefer you to lay face down on floor/mat, kep feet bout shoulder width apart and hands touching forehead, lift chest off floor hold for 3-4 seconds lower and repeat, gradually increase hold, a progression is to do exercise overv fitball, legs slightly wider, it does the same as over the bed ie increases angle but you have to use more fixator muscles to achieve it, so it becomes more functional for lifting type activities.
regards
Gaz

hi J'
it works to strenghten back but I would prefer you to lay face down on floor/mat, kep feet bout shoulder width apart and hands touching forehead, lift chest off floor hold for 3-4 seconds lower and repeat, gradually increase hold, a progression is to do exercise overv fitball, legs slightly wider, it does the same as over the bed ie increases angle but you have to use more fixator muscles to achieve it, so it becomes more functional for lifting type activities.
regards
Gaz

thanks for the tip, i will try that one.

are you a qualified instructor do you mind my asking?

hi J,
yes qualified PT level 3, exercise therapy level 4, lecture in rehabilitation exercise prescription, had 20+ years experience of sports injuries, played rugby, football and basketball at high level in forces, qualified SAQ sport coach, football level 2 coach, cricket level2 coach, , nutritionally trained initially now fitness industry for several years.
regards
Gaz

hi J,
yes qualified PT level 3, exercise therapy level 4, lecture in rehabilitation exercise prescription, had 20+ years experience of sports injuries, played rugby, football and basketball at high level in forces, qualified SAQ sport coach, football level 2 coach, cricket level2 coach, , nutritionally trained initially now fitness industry for several years.
regards
Gaz

that's good enuf for me

Hi J,
if your avatar is you, I cant see any back problems there!!!!! just a pants issue!!!
regards
Gaz

Hi J,
if your avatar is you, I cant see any back problems there!!!!! just a pants issue!!!
regards
Gaz

haha no! alas that is not me.....but maybe I should move around like that all day then I wouldn't have back problems! 🙂

DIY BackCare

Back Pain

Have you ever woken up with a sore lower back or a tight neck which is painful for a while until you get moving ? Perhaps it doesn’t ease up even then? If so, I know how you feel, how debilitating pain is and how it drains your energy.
9 years ago, I was involved in a car accident, which wrote off my car and gave me whiplash injuries .
I was referred to various medical “specialists” in the London area and even Harley Street, who told me that what I was experiencing in terms of pelvic misalignment WASN’T POSSIBLE!!! I was amazed!
Moreover, none of them seemed to be able to offer me any help with the pain I was in with my lower back, between my shoulder blades ,my very stiff neck, leading to headaches and migraine attacks. They could only offer anti-inflammatory and painkillers of increasing strength, all of which had nasty side effects. It was very disappointing and hugely frustrating!

I received chiropractic/osteopathic treatments from various practitioners, only to find that they’d “click” and “crunch” me into some sort of alignment which was most uncomfortable,scary and would never last long, sometimes only as far as their car park!!! I was appalled at how much money this was all costing me! The only type of treatment that seemed to help was from a wonderful lady practicing the McTimoney technique ( a more gentle method of chiropractic work.) Even this only fixed me in the short term.

I had to find a way to help myself.

Having been a holistic health therapist for nearly a decade at that point, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I worked with a man who’d lived with a tribe of North American Indians for 4 years and I asked him how they re-aligned pelvises and corrected themselves osteopathically. After all, they have Shamans and Medicine men/women, but they don’t have chiropractors do they!
He showed me some of their techniques and from then, my back pain went away completely. I also learnt how to realign my neck from a 92year old healer….Grateful wasn’t the word. Without any exaggeration, these pieces of information changed my life. I am now able to realign my entire back and neck whenever it is necessary and haven’t had cause to visit a chiropractor or an osteopath for many years!
I have continued to gather a variety of techniques, exercises and movements from many indigenous cultures and have been lucky enough to be able to teach others how to do the same.

Most people suffer with back misalignment at some stage in their lives. I know that we need osteopathic/chiropractic practitioners, but I think it’s nice to know how to help yourself before having to resort to outside help! It’s certainly saved me a small fortune!

Why doctors can’t help.

Historically we turn to doctors to “fix” us. However, doctors only have so many tools at their disposal and due to time constraints, they have a very short period to spend with each patient. Some of them have even forgotten why they wanted to be a doctor in the first place…especially in Harley Street (in my own experience anyway!) and have no time to be healers.
It has now come to pass that some progressive GPs (without over-inflated egos) are employing Healers (spiritual) in their practices. They have found that “patients just seem to get better!” They cannot explain why, just that it is a fact. This is also true of London Health Authorities, and Guys Hospital. Thank goodness for that is my response. Finally healing and the holistic approach of treating mind, body and spirit is resuming, as it has been so many times in our history, as referred to by Plato and Hippocrates centuries ago. We cannot expect the overworked doctors to “fix” us any longer. We need to take responsibility for ourselves and our bodies and to enter into the healing process in a different way.

Balance is the key.

I’ve finally discovered that health is a fine balance of many things; fun, work, play, exercise, relaxation, stress. water, nutrition….not necessarily in that order!
How balanced is your life? Are you as healthy as you’d like to be?

What are your expectations of your healing potential?

I once treated a 10 year old girl who had been diagnosed with a “hypoflexive sacroiliac joint” at the age of 7. She had been taken to the doctor with back pain after falling off a bike and with this diagnosis she and her mother were advised that she would always have back problems! She did indeed suffer for the next few years until she turned up on my couch. I showed her the techniques to realign her sacroiliac joint and from that day on she has never had any problems at all. She is now nearly 16 and has helped me demonstrate these techniques at workshops, sharing her story with others.

This is only one of hundreds of cases that I have experienced that have had wonderful, seemingly miraculous results.

Testimonials:

“I was in agony with lower back pain - something I had never experienced before. As I walked down the stairs, my back seemed to 'lock'. I phoned Sarah in a panic as I was due to go on holiday the next day. She came over immediately and spent considerable time helping me to understand what had happened and giving me a series of exercises which helped to release the tension and put me back 'on top' again. Much to my relief I was able to fly out of the country the next day and enjoy a wonderful holiday free of any back pain. My problems haven't recurred since I saw Sarah.”
E.M Southbourne

“Sarah's treatments are deeply relaxing, restorative
and healing. Her skills are enhanced by her highly
tuned sensitivity, which enables her to sense exactly
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“Having suffered with neck problems for several years I visited Sarah and after only 2 sessions all tension in the neck had been released. The aromatherapy massage with Sarah’s organic essential oils and healing hands left me with a fantastic feeling of wellbeing”
P.S Rowlands Castle

Why people don’t heal

We are often misinformed about our potential to heal, as the doctors are only working within the guidelines that they know. We cannot blame them for this, obviously this is all they can do.
People are often told that they have one leg longer than the other. In my experience they then believe that they are born that way and will always have problems. If this is our belief, then it will be our experience. It is often compounded by more medical treatment. Podiatrists even make inserts for one shoe to help “correct” this effect. In my experience this is a rare condition and it is more usual that the pelvis is misaligned and can easily be adjusted…by the owner of the pelvis, often within minutes!!! It seems miraculous that a person can spend days, weeks, months, sometimes years spent in pain and discomfort and yet it can suddenly just disappear!!! The amount of carefully made shoe inserts that I have seen thrown out by their relieved owners is amazing.

In my professional experience,80% of the population are, as I write, walking around with a pelvic tilt, torsion or twist. Sometimes you don’t even feel it, unless or until it touches a nerve, often the sciatic nerve that runs through your gluteal and down the back of the leg. It is important to note that any misalignment here will always affect your neck in some way; if the bottom of a structure tilts then the upper part is affected. The next place to compensate for a misalignment is the mid-thoracic area (between the shoulder blades). Does any of this sound familiar to you?

I love watching the relief on peoples faces when they find pain relief and balance. It’s like a great weight lifting off them!!!

Try it for yourself

I now live on the South Coast with my family and practice from Southbourne and Aldsworth, West Sussex.
I hold DIY Backcare Workshops annually at various locations, including The MerKaBarn Healing Centre in Aldsworth and Bosham House, West Sussex. I love these afternoons as they are always hugely successful with typically 18 out of 20 attendees realigning themselves on the day and walking away PAIN FREE even those who have endured years of pain and taking pain killers! Try it for yourself.!

From that day forward, into the rest of their lives, they,like me, have the ability and knowledge of some empowering, highly effective techniques to keep themselves healthy. They feel as though they are back in control. It’s a wonderful feeling to see all these people find health and freedom of movement. I feel lucky to have such a wonderful job, and I gathered all this knowledge because of my car accident!!!

A self help DVD called DIY Backcare is now available in which I teach you what I have learned. This is available for £7.99 .For more information please call 01243 374880 or check my website for full details of current and future workshops:

sarah.j.williams@btinternet.com

Sarah Williams ITEC MGPP AC regd.

i also done my back in a few years ago....weakened muscle due to pregnancy and a very tight ham string. still gives me jip now and again.

I would personally not do any exercise until you have seen a pysiotherapist.

here I am looking at my own posts unable to stand properly, walk properly 3 weeks ago I stumbled and to protect my shoulder 10 days post op, I twisted and took my weight on my opposite arm, then I felt it go, sacroiliac joint up the swannee. Doctor says no physio appointments for 26 yes 26 weeks. so I am attempting to rehab myself and I have realised I am a complete wimp.
I have booked in with an osteopath on friday so hopefully be feeling a bit better next week.
regards and hope you are feeling fine
Gaz

Hi Spal, as Iant has already said, please seek treatment from a recognised professional eg osteopath as everyone should!
There are hundreds of different exercises out there, some may be ideal to help you and some may make your condition far far worse.
Please dont experiment with your condition please seek professional help.
Regards steve