Are New Year Resolutions To Get In Shape Causing Low Back Pain?

Around this time of year everyone will very soon be thinking about their new year resolutions and getting back in shape and losing some of the excess holiday weight will be on the agenda. Packed out gyms this time of year with everyone focusing on working out intensively is a common theme. But for many this new fitness regimen, while well intentioned, is often executed in a way that can lead to trouble and result in the early departure from such regimens for a multitude of reasons. Here we’ll be focusing specifically on back pain or sciatica that can start to develop at this time, give you some tips on avoiding this as well as a little routine to help reduce the likelihood that a back injury takes hold and ruins your progress.

To watch the full video click here.

Step 1: Evaluate yourself before you start working out

This doesn’t need to be difficult, but just take some time to think. Are you someone who’s worked out diligently all year, with fitness part of your everyday life for years now? If so there’s a good chance you’re just continuing with more of the same, do check out some of the later steps for some extra tips to keep your back well.?

For many, however, the answer to the previous question is no, it’s not a part of your everyday life. You perhaps haven’t worked out in months, you might be heavier than when you last did, less fit obviously, and that little bit older too. If this is you, then read closely because we want to do our best to avoid common pitfalls!

Step 2: Workout types and classes?

The selection of what you do, especially if you are not a consistent fitness-enthusiast is important. Too many fall into the trap of intensive “body bootcamp” or “hiit” classes that are really focused on the sole goal of exhausting you as the primary metric of success. Such classes are victims of their own success. For the fitness enthusiasts with a good base of competence, these MUST be exhausting classes. As such the care and attention for the newer, less consistent and less experienced is simply not possible. Combined sometimes with leaping and bounding type movements, such as burpees, squat jumps and more, this can lead to a recipe for disaster if technical skill is absent.

These type of class workouts tend to be the area opted for by so many because it removes the need for you to “plan your workout” so it is completely understandable, however, without a good foundation in simple movements, these classes can be a real issue or source of unnecessary risk. Not least because the less experienced individual simply doesn’t need to be doing those sorts of things to get results in the early days!

Step 3: Focus on exercise selection that makes sense

Instead of opting for classes, simple workouts that include whole body movements that are done with control, combined with an amount of cardio can make for a great option to begin to build foundations that will last a lifetime. For example, for a simple whole body workout, the following could suffice:?

• Some form of press such as bench press or chest press
• Some form of pull such as a row or pull down machine
• Some sort of leg movement such as squat
• Some form of cardio, such as the elliptical for 20 minutes.

Performing a light warm up, followed by the above exercises for 3 to 5 sets of 10 reps would be a great place to begin. And before you perform a full workout, spend a little time making sure that your technique is being performed technically well, using video, and perhaps even some extra help from a trainer to check your form. Where the low back is concerned, we would often recommend using the “tape test” to help you ensure good spine control through the squatting motion.? There are a variety of “types of squat” that can be accessible to all no matter where you start. Such as:

• Assisted squat
• Bodyweight squat
• Banded squat
• Goblet squat with a dumbbell or kettlebell
• Low hold dumbbell or kettlebell squat
• Barbell squat

There is a full tutorial on the squat with various options available if you need a little more guidance, as well as videos on the above variations in the freely available exercise library too! You can also check out the tape test for squat technique tutorial for more help on this vital exercise.?

Step 4: Avoid leaping and bounding movements

If you have specific sporting requirements the incorporation of such movements can be great, however, for the newcomer to the gym, there is literally no benefit, only risk in movements such as the squat jumps, and burpees. These movements are used because they are exhausting but for the beginner, with no significant base of fitness, they’re wholly unnecessary. Instead they offer the opportunity to injure yourself.

Step 5: Care for your back at this time

Now whether you are someone who is a fitness enthusiast or not, the increase in output that comes from this time of year, will have the propensity to challenge your low back. For this, a small amount of “self care” can really go a long way. And so this small selection of 3 practices you can do to stave off low back pain will go a long way to help you continue your fitness practice well into this coming year.

There is a link to a full routine at the end of this section for you to follow in real time…

Practice 1: Bed decompression to unload your spine

This simple stretch lying across the bed is a great one that you can do a couple of times a day, to take pressure off the low back. You simply lie with your head hanging over the edge of the bed like in the image below, and use your upper arm to press into the side of the bed, creating a gentle and rhythmical pumping of the low back. This decompression can be held for 3 to 5 seconds per pump and be repeated for about 10 to 15 reps, relaxing into the stretch each time.

Practice 2: Towel decompression stretch to support a healthy alignment

The towel stretch is a fantastic stretch to support the natural alignment and lordosis of the lumbar spine. Something under constant assault from all the sitting we do every day. By simply lying over a rolled up towel, placed in the small of the back, you’re able to take pressure off the discs, and spine, reduce tension on the ligaments and muscles of the back, and relax. This is a great stretch that is fantastic for low back health and alignment that can be done for 20 seconds to 5 minutes after the bed decompression or as a standalone.

Practice 3: Contrast bathing to manage inflammation in the low back

For those of you who’ve had low back pain in the past or previous sciatica, such as that caused by disc bulges or herniations, the use of contrast bathing pre-emptively here can be a great option. Simply alternating a hot water bottle and ice pack, for 3-5 minutes each, over 20 minutes can really help reduce the likelihood that any minor strains get too out of control leaving you waking up the next morning with pain. Doing this, or at the very least 3-5 minutes of ice, on the lumbar spine can help tremendously.?

Bonus Practices: Stretching & massage guns!

Prior to these three practices, it’s always worthwhile for those who have the time, to do some simple massage gun work on the hips, and legs, as well as stretching to help keep the hips supple and combat the stiffness that can result from DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) that will almost certainly be a part of the early January workout consequences. Left unchecked, this stiffness that develops in the hips can be a factor in the slow onset of low back pain or sciatica.

If you’re not sure what should be done here, the live routine that you can follow to take care of your back is a great video to bookmark for future use. Additionally the self massage routine using a massage gun is another one to help you well into the new year!

Don’t forget if you do run into trouble in the new year, or you want to follow a program of exercises that will improve your back health and general health and wellbeing, while avoiding the pitfalls of the new year rush, then check out the membership to the back in shape program!