Low back Fix

Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal diagnoses in the world. Did you know, that approximately 9 to 12% of people (632 million) have LBP at any given point in time(1,2). About 40% of people have LBP at some point in their lives, with estimates as high as 80% among people in the developed world(3). Low back pain most often begins between 20 and 40 years of age, and men and women are equally affected(1,4). Low back pain has become the leading cause of decrease in activity and absence from work. So let's see if we can help "FIX" the low back.

Below are a few exercises that may help reduce your risk of injuring your lower back.

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​The pelvic rock exercise.

When referring to the low back most people think about the  lumbar spine, but it is also important to remember the pelvis and the hips are heavily involved in the motion at the low back. After an injury or pain in this region, the brain can cause a rewiring of its movement. This rewiring can cause rigid abnormal motion throughout the low back, hips and pelvis, leading to more pain and discomfort. This exercise is great to help decrease that rigid abnormal motion and to help retrain proper motion in the low back.

✅Focus on✅
✅Knees bent and feet flat on the floor
✅Slowly flatten your low back to the floor, push your tailbone away (posterior pelvic tilt)
✅Hold this position for 2-3 seconds
✅Slowly start to arch your low back (anterior pelvic tilt)
✅Remember to breath throughout the movements

❌Avoid❌
❌Moving too quickly
❌Holding your breath

​The next progression is moving to an all fours position (quadruped position) on your hands and knees as this increases the demand on the low back. 

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✅Focus on✅
✅First, start with legs in a 90-90 position (hips and knees at 90 degrees) and arms perpendicular to our body.
✅​Bring your belly button in, bracing through your core.
✅Flatten your back to the floor, tucking your pelvic bone up.
✅Breath slowly and controlled.
✅Slowly extend opposite arm and leg, maintaining core stability and a flat back to the floor.
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The proper DEADBUG exercise.

This exercise will help you learn to activate your deep spinal muscles, build core strength and develop trunk stability. This increase in strength and stability will protect the back from unexpected motions, which can cause disc herniations and mechanical (pain arising from spinal joints, vertebrae, and soft tissue) low back pain. 

❌​Avoid❌
❌Arching your low back
❌Flaring your rib cage
❌Holding your breath
❌Moving quickly through the motion

​Remember the reason for going slow and controlled is about building a solid foundation and learning control.

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The proper BIRD-DOG exercise.

This exercise is an awesome core exercise and great for overall low back health. This exercise strengthens the back against shear stresses too, while also teaching independent motion of the hip and shoulder from the trunk. This is helpful to desensitize (decrease your sensitivity)  back pain.
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✅Focus on✅
✅Neutral spine.
✅Reaching the arm out and kicking the leg straight back.
✅Pull the pelvis down towards the ground, locking it in place. 

❌Avoid❌
❌Hyperextending the low back
❌Reaching up and kicking up the arms and legs
❌Hips spun open and trunk turned

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References 

1. Hoy D, Bain C, Williams G, et al. (June 2012). "A systematic review of the global prevalence of low back pain". Arthritis Rheum. 64 (6): 2028–37. doi:10.1002/art.34347. PMID 22231424.
2. Vos, T (15 December 2012). "Years lived with disability (YLDs) for 1160 sequelae of 289 diseases and injuries 1990–2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010". Lancet. 380 (9859): 2163–96. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61729-2. PMID 23245607.
3. Vinod Malhotra; Yao, Fun-Sun F.; Fontes, Manuel da Costa (2011). Yao and Artusio's Anesthesiology: Problem-Oriented Patient Management. Hagerstwon, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. Chapter 49. ISBN 1-4511-0265-8. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017
4. Casazza, BA (15 February 2012). "Diagnosis and treatment of acute low back pain". American Family Physician. 85 (4): 343–50. PMID 22335313.