Back pain can be quite frustrating and uncomfortable. It can disrupt your daily life and activities. Plus, no one wants to be in pain! Roughly 80 percent of American adults experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. There are certain preventative measures that can be taken to hopefully avoid back pain, however, once you have this chronic issue, there are ways to improve it. Today we will discuss why personal trainers help resolve back issues. La Jolla Personal Training Trainer Fabien Uteau has a 4 week program to help improve your back pain.
Why do Personal Trainers help resolve back issues?
Personal Trainers will help you learn specific exercises that are pain relieving. They have the knowledge and understanding of how the body moves and which workouts will help you reach your goals. After a thorough assessment, trainers can identify what is causing the clients pain. Trainers work on avoiding the clients pain triggers to allow a desensitization of the pain pathway. Expert trainers like Fabien Uteau will help you learn the perfect routine for your specific body, needs and goals.
Here is a little tip from Fabien. To view the full program, please contact him here
Tip for Sciatica Nerve Issues
1. Stand next to a pole or wall, or something that you can hold.
2. Lift the leg in which you feel the pain.
3. Hip extension + knee flexion + neck flexion
4. Neck extension + hip flexion + knee extension + ankle flexion
5. Execute : 3 x 15- take a 30 second break in-between each exercise.
You may ask: why this exercise? It’s simply because you can repeat it everyday. It’s going to play on the sensitivity of your nerve. Fabien uses a technique of neurodynamic mobilization.
It’s important to know that you should not feel any pain, and if this is the case you must stop and work with a smaller range of motion.
*See photo samples of this exercise below
Why do 80% of Americans have back issues?
Back pain is one of the most common reasons that people visit the doctor. Some people are more likely to have back pain than others.
Here are some risk factors for back pain:
1. Age-People over the age of 30 have more back pain. The disks in your back wear away with age, and as they weaken, pain and stiffness can occur.
2. Weight- Obesity or those overweight are more likely to have back pain. Excess weight on your body puts pressure on your disks and joints.
3. Overall Health- Those who drink alcohol, smoke, or live a sedentary lifestyle are at a higher risk of having back pain. When your abdominal muscles are weak, they cannot support the spine. This leads to back pains and strains.
4. Your lifestyle & occupation- Jobs or activities that require heavy lifting and bending are more likely to cause a back injury. Maybe you are sitting too much at work, need to adjust your seat or change your cushion to help your back. Don’t forget to pay attention to your posture!
5. Stress- When you are stressed, your breathing patterns change and your muscles tense up. Prolonged tension in your back due to stress can cause back pain.
How to avoid back pain
One of the number one ways to prevent back pain, is by keeping your back muscles strong, flexible, and healthy. Make sure to do muscle strengthening exercises at least 2 days per week. Back exercises strengthen your core and your pelvis. Postural stretch, mobility spins for mobilization, yoga, and pilates are all great exercises to help.
Next is your posture- we cannot emphasize this enough! Standing and sitting up straight will make all the difference. Avoiding heavy lifting, and if you do need to lift, make sure to bend your knees and keep your back straight. Your leg muscles should be doing the lifting, not your back. Last but not least, get outdoors, be active and eat healthy! As we talked about earlier, being overweight can cause strain on your back. Very regular physical activity along with healthy eating will keep you in shape. If you are lacking motivation or simply don’t know where to start, booking a weekly session with a personal trainer will help you ensure that you get frequent physical activity.
Taking care of your body is very important. After all, this is the only one that you have! Let’s avoid back pain, or conquer it together. Contact Fabien Uteau at La Jolla Personal Training to get active and prevent or resolve your back pain today!