It’s fairly common to feel like you have soreness or weakness in your lower back, without a specific injury or problem that you’re aware of. Here are some steps that can help you resolve this problem.
Why is Your Back Sore/Weak?
Some back issues simply require a change in lifestyle, while others may need prolonged support. It’s important to understand which is which. It might be worth seeing a qualified professional about your pain.
It’s easy to assume that lower back pain can last forever, and that having back pain makes you fragile, but this often turns out to be incorrect. Pain is not always an indicator of severe damage; many of the back conditions we fear the most, like degenerative disc problems, are present in people that have never reported pain.
Your first step on the road to managing your weak or sore lower back is getting a better picture of what’s going on in the first place. If you can manage your misconceptions around back pain, you can manage your plan for recovery.
Movement Should Be a Part of the Answer
Back pain is often blamed on poor posture, but there is no perfect posture for you to spend 8+ hours of your day locked into. Motion is lotion.
This goes for any therapies too. Exclusively using passive treatments such as massage or manipulations will often not go far enough in addressing the problem, especially if you already have a low activity level.
Find movements and exercises that work for you, so that you can build your confidence up.
Build Back Strength Over Time
Building a strong back must have a multi-pronged approach. Here is a short list of training methods you should include to protect the back:
- Core training – no, not just sit-ups and planking. Core training is about understanding the relationship between upper back, lower back, and hips, and learning how to move (and resist movement) in these areas.
- Compound lifts – deadlifts, squats and a variety of other compound movements will help you transfer load through the spine.
- Bracing – effective lifting is not just about hitting the right positions, but breathing and setting up in the way that minimises strain.
- Rounding the back – yes, it’s every gym-goer’s biggest pet peeve, but in order to be free of the limitations around your back you need to restore ALL of it’s capabilities.
Note – the cause and symptoms of your pain will decide the rate at which you return to each of these training methods, which is why it’s important to work with an experienced professional.
Look for Other Causes of Lower Back Pain
You may have injured your back in a very specific way, such as sneezing or overdoing it in the garden, but it’s important to be aware that other issues may contribute to back pain, such as limited hip or shoulder mobility. This is where a professional may come in handy.
Avoid Information Overload
On the other hand, it can be tempting to turn into a bit of a Sherlock Holmes, and blame everything for your back pain. The drawback of this is that you can end up treading on eggshells, avoiding everything that could affect your back. This can stop you from starting the recovery process until you have fixed every tiny facet of your life that could cause a cranky back.
Respect your injury whilst also remembering you that you are probably not as fragile as you think.
If you liked this post: 7 Exercises for a Strong Back
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