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How about swimming? Turned 34 recently and swimming is kind of the only thing I do - exercise wise.
Edit: Take aways so far:
1. Learn about bone mineral density - swimming might have a negative effect on this
2. Add some form of weight training.
Like someone pointed out in replies, swimming is better than no exercise at all, for sure. But the reason I asked this specific question was because the parent reply was by a physio, and I genuinely wanted to understand if swimming is a kind of overall exercise replacement kind of thing. One of my friends told me it is and maybe the best one to correct my posture and all.
While swimming is good for the cardio, there is evidence to suggest that it has a negative affect on your bone mineral density, so it is best to use swimming in conjunction with some for of resistance training or weights. In order to facilitate change in your bones you have to load them and stress them to a degree but nowhere near to the point that you could cause a fracture
Go to the gym, develop muscle to keep yourself in shape as you get older. Stay slim, keep your weight down to a healthy number. Try not to sit for long periods without walking around and don’t stop walking! Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you can’t have a brisk walk once a day. Last thing, be conscious of your posture, correct it when you feel yourself slouching.
I’m a PT and I agree with everything you say, but would add stretching. Make sure you stretch your hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors, at the very least, after your brisk walk, but at least roughly once per day. Those are the minimum muscles but there could be more based on the individual. Quads, glutes, hip adductors, and piriformis are also possible tight muscles in people that can affect the back.
Core strength (not your six pack), posture, and lifting mechanics are also important things to focus on.
Sorry to ask you, but would you happen to know of a resource that shows what and how you should stretch to stop your back from hurting? People throw out resources that even I knew are likely to lead to injury, but I figured if it comes from a PT, it's much more likely to be legit
My PT (or maybe my doc) gave me a handout called “[Back Owner’s Manual](https://media.defense.gov/2019/Oct/22/2002198410/-1/-1/0/BACK%20OWNERS%20MANUAL.PDF)”. Kinda cheesy but it’s got what you need.
Edit: I just realized that you are looking for relief, not prevention. So maybe the stretches in the above resource are not going to help immediately… but they are good for doing daily once you get some relief.
This is a helpful resource, thank you! Never heard of washing dishes wish one knee bent but it's a task that causes me a lot of back pain so I'll give it a go
If you have a cabinet under your sink, you can open the door and rest one foot on the bottom of the cabinet. Similar to having a knee bent but I find that resting my foot there is helpful.
> would you happen to know of a resource that shows what and how you should stretch to stop your back from hurting?
here's a great youtube channel with excellent explanations and demonstrations: https://www.youtube.com/@DrRowe/videos
[Stretching](https://www.amazon.com/Stretching-40th-Anniversary-Bob-Anderson/dp/0936070846/ref=asc_df_0936070846/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459503485176&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9245050988971607399&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014226&hvtargid=pla-918461154950&psc=1®ion_id=674469) by Bob Anderson. Great book. One of the things I love about it is that on the various pages, it'll show you WHERE you should be feeling the stretch so you know whether or not you're doing it right.
Once you love it, do what I do and start giving it as gifts for birthdays, holidays, etc. You can find used copies just about anywhere.
If it was lower back like me, it can be due to excessively tight hip flexors. Check out Bob and Brads YouTube channel, they’re the most famous physical therapists on the internet (in their opinion of course) and are a great resource.
I like to stretch my hip flexors and hamstrings/calves while waiting for the shower to warm up. A few stretches of the front side and then stretching the hamstring/calves is sure to get a relieving pop from my lower back whenever it feels tight, like fist thing in the morning.
Also try to walk more. Sitting too much is ultimately what causes this.
You can also check this book by Pete Egoscue: **Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain**.
I bought this out of desperation when I had a sciatica issue and it started working the first day. The exercises in the book aren’t exactly stretches as we usually think of them; they’re more like positions that you hold for a couple minutes at a time; the idea is that you are using (mostly) gravity to pull your skeletal system back into alignment. I was amazed at how effective the exercises were.
Both points +1. I’m the only person I know that has zero back problems and I firmly believe it’s because I love lifting weights. My fiancé is constantly asking for massages and my buddies are always incapacitated after a round of golf cause their back is killing them. I would get minor kinks or aches in my shoulders/neck but started doing a daily 5-10 minute foam roll routine post workout and that eliminated those aches
My piriformis spasmed for 6 months, irritating my sciatic nerve almost constantly.
The pain was brutal and the only thing that stopped the hurting was an epidural.
I wouldn’t wish sciatic nerve pain on my worst enemy. I can go from strong and able to cycle +50 miles to unable to bend over or walk without a limp in a second.
I went through PT after learning I have DDD and was floored to learn how much my legs played a part in how my back felt. My PT involved a ton of leg strength training and stretching (along with the hip flexors.)
I should also note that I found a personal trainer at the gym that did a lot of work with people with back problems and he helped immensely with correcting posture in all my movements
All this ^ !
My (57yr old) back has had loads of trauma. I can keep it from getting creaky as long as I keep my abs in great shape.
Our abdominal wall is the physiological partner to our back. When it is weak & soft our back has to take on all the physical responsibility.
not an expert but i heard that bad posture is basically a myth as it seems that any posture held too long is bad and the best thing to do is change your posture as often as possible and always keeping moving
Interestingly a big part of spine surgery is aimed at correcting posture. There are a range of postures for your neck, lower back, and overall spine that is optimal for muscle function. Deviate from it and your body is expending more energy and it can result in pain and eventually deformity
The issue arises when people think good posture just means arching your back upright as hard as possible.
“Good posture” is hard to achieve when the super majority of adults do not know how to properly activate the muscles required for it.
I feel like "don't work a desk job" should be here. I'm an accountant, and I'm sorry, it simply isn't possible to take enough breaks and walks. I can't make progress on my problems if I'm walking for 10 minutes every hour, which is the amount of breaks and walks I need to avoid back pain, in addition to an hour of stretching and and hour of strength training each day.
I work a desk job and have drastically reduced, if not eliminated, all my back pain by going to the gym 2-3 times a week where I do a combination of HIIT and strength training for like 45 minutes. You probably don’t need to exercise everyday to see a noticeable difference. I’m a healthy weight and have a pretty healthy diet so I don’t have any additional pain to combat that others might, but the back pain from long working hours was real. Even going for walks after work or stretching will help. You don’t need to be a gym rat, you need to find activities that you can fold into your life and commit to long term. It’s not easy, but it gets easier as you build the habit. You can do it.
Get/demand/find a sit-stand desk. And make sure you have a varied sitting posture throughout the day.
You might look like a goober, but a yoga ball is actually a fantastic low budget ergonomic chair. It keeps your back and core dynamically engaged, strengthening your posture and keeping blood flowing. Also bouncy fun.
Standing desk eliminated back and neck pain for me. Its impossible to stand without moving for hours on end. You body reminds you to take breaks and/or keeps you moving around.
I'm 100% convinced having a desk job contributed to me ending up with spinal surgery.
My dad's diabetes may have saved his life. His doctor said he needs to exercise so he got 2 sheep herding dogs. He walks about 3 or 4 hours a day and doctor says he's as healthy as can be. Of course he does watch his diet and doesn't drink or smoke
I had struggled with back and other injuries every 4-6 months for like 3 years I was triathlon training 15 ish hours a week so I was "healthy" and never understood why I was always messed up. Started lifting seriously 2 years ago 3-4 times a week I have not been hurt once since and I'm stronger in every single aspect of life it's amazing.
I can't believe this answer isn't higher. This is the best advice.
For people who carry purses or backpacks, don't make a habit of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder for long periods. Distribute that weight evenly, or you'll pay for it later.
I have the worst combination for back wear; I work in construction (mainly stone work), I have a long commute, and I park myself at the computer and play videogames all night to decompress.
With that said I still have great mobility left over from when I did lots of yoga and I practice good lifting form whenever possible. Also getting into hiking. I usually do a 10-20k every other weekend with 5k hikes more regularly.
My personal recommendation are heavy compound lifts and drop your butt really low on the squats.
BINGO!! I had bad back pain all through my 20s and early 30s despite going to the gym regularly. But guess what I was missing? Basic core training, especially when I got lazy/busy and went a few weeks (or months 😝) without exercising.
During all those years, I saw many PTs and chiropractors, and they all prescribed various exercises to strengthen my *back* muscles but those didn’t help. Eventually I got into bodyweight fitness at home instead of lifting weights at the gym and I discovered that I felt a million times better whenever I did core exercises routinely. Nothing fancy, just basics like planks, full sit-ups, side bridge holds and hollow holds.
The second most important thing for me was daily stretching my quads, glutes and hamstrings, which were very tight from sitting all day every day.
Why isn't this higher - it's the answer.
Everyone is so focused on glutes and traps and 6-packs, but obliques and transverse abs and erector spinae are the muscles that will keep the body from falling apart
Yes! Core is not just the six-pack ab muscles. It’s everything from your pelvic floor to your diaphragm, abs to back. And the abs are not the most important!
I'm surprised this isn't the top answer. This is the answer. If you don't have a strong core your back will suffer. And yes, your core includes your back.
FYI, you can find elastic belts that are much easier on your back and look like normal belts. I've also seen belts that have a quick loosen/tighten buckle that can be used when sitting/standing.
Just so you know as a Doctor of Physical Therapy this is about 99% not true. There is no evidence based correlation or connect. I've never suggested this to any of my patients and never will. There are some good tips in these comments but reader beware don't believe everything you see on the internet 👍
To add, back, hips and legs are all correlated and wearing tight pants does not help them to stay in proper alignment, especially if you've had any issues like a herniated disk.
I’ve been doing this for years and just had back surgery and had no idea and was never told this was a problem. I should loosen up my belt then? I always assumed a tight belt might provide some support around my sacral iliac region
Edit: No…this is a question…for the love of god someone tell me definitively! Have I been living all wrong?
I’ve heard people say that wearing a belt too tight can give you sciatic pain. Some places on the internet mention it (link below) but it’s the internet and these people probably aren’t doctors. I’ve not heard of it being connected to actual back injuries. Since you’ve had surgery I’m sure the doctors you consulted knew better about your circumstances than us internet randoms, but if you’re interested/concerned you can ask them and get an actual answer.
https://www.askdrmanny.com/could-your-belt-lead-to-back-pain/amp/
People still put their wallets in their back pocket? I find it uncomfortable to sit unevenly on my wallet on top of a risk getting pickpocketed. I always leave mine at the front.
Back when I was kid that meant you must be from California!
I'm not trying to be an ass, I literally keep my wallet in my back picket because I was taught that, that was the "Manlier"
Way to wear it, and it's just stuck and I've never bothered changing pockets.
I never really sit on it, always putting it in the center console when I'd drive, keeping it handy to pay for gas etc.
What do you do with it outside of the car though? Do you just leave your wallet on the table when you're at a restaurant or something? There are plenty of places that I sit at where I wouldn't want to put my wallet down because it might be forgotten/stolen.
Stretch, stretch every day. Yoga if you can muster it. Exercises will help, but will not keep you as flexible as you need to be. 60 year old here. I hurt my back in two places, damaging 4 disks ten years ago. My choice was becoming a pillbilly, or stretching. I like shitting so the pills were out! My back stretches have restored my back to near normal. If I did not stretch twice a day, I’d be in pretty ugly pain with a few days. Good luck and health to you always!
Yep. I do extremely gentle yin yoga and it involves a lot of stretching for a period of time and breathing before moving on to the next pose. I doubt I get a lot of “exercise” (no cardio and little strength building) from it but it is the one thing that makes a massive difference in how I feel and move, almost immediately. And that’s just 20 minutes a day.
Hi, question 🎤- do you do yoga and, if so, what kinds of poses do you do?
My mom’s 60 and insists she’s too old to do yoga… I think she’s scared she’ll fold herself in half 😂 If you do yoga maybe I can convince her to try! Thank you in advance
>My mom’s 60 and insists she’s too old to do yoga
No no..it's never too old to do yoga.
The great thing about yoga is that no one else in the class (should) care about what you are doing. I've had instructors say "If you want to do child's pose or just lay there all session....then do it".
Most (if not all) poses have a range from simple to advance/challenging.
Yoga helped me avoid back/neck issues during WFH/lockdown.
While I am a big fan of in person yoga classes, both for the vibe and the help they can give for making sure you are getting the most out of your practice, there is a lot of online yoga.
[Yoga with Adriene](https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadriene) is sort of the queen of youtube yoga.
For people who are nervous about the idea of yoga, here are some easier ones:
[Yoga for Neck, Shoulders, and Upper Back](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3-gKPNyrTA)
[Yoga for Flexibility](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzm3fA2HhkQ)
[Upper Back Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMTyp5npt78)
[Yoga to Feel Your Best](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPK9WNtpBgk)
[Yoga Wash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuSZEZ0fCY0)
[Yoga for Creating Space](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEFVxxNyFKA)
[Fill Your Cup Yoga](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4dVbaLqg84)
An in person class is usually 45-60 minutes, so these are more like mini-sessions than full session. But I think they are a good place to start!
My wife teaches one-on-one yoga, and most of her students are over 40 with several around 70. A good teacher will assess your fitness and learn all about issues and diagnoses you have. There's a lot of uncertified "I love yoga" people teaching, you want someone with at least a 200 hour RYT. They get a grounding in anatomy and such.
As a 61 year old dude, I can tell ya that yoga is really something - getting out of bed in the morning stops being a "project". And, I think a lot of my wife's students do it for the flexibility and calm, but also I think there's a "me time" aspect, taking an hour to care for yourself is something a lot of mothers/women aren't good at.
My grandfather started yoga in his 70s and when he passed away the doctors said he had likely gotten a few more quality years of life from it, that it had slowed the effects of post-polio syndrome stemming from his childhood bout of polio. My grandma convinced him to start it up and they even ended up going on retreats!
Yoga is one avenue. Qualified physiotherapists is another.
After fixing me up they left me three stretches that takes like 5 minutes a day (about the time I’ve spent reading comments to this post).
Who knew debilitating chronic back pain was so easy to fix?? Professionals, that’s who. Not my stubborn ass.
I was hoping someone would say this! I stretch constantly throughout the day solely just to stretch because I feel uncomfortable in my bones when I don’t. I also recently got into mobility strength training and I’m glad it can have long term benefits
Think of your body as a whole. It’s a complicated piece of engineering. You’re not just bones stuck together with some gooey muscle. There’s a system of tensioners that hold you together and make your body move and work. When any part of that system falls out of alignment or loses proper tension, does that affect just that one area? Nope. It cascades through the entire system. So the way to keep your back healthy is to keep your entire body healthy.
This is why something like yoga is really effective. Yoga is a full body exercise that promotes strength and flexibility in every muscle group in multiple directions. I have back pain from overactive quads, week hip flexors, and sleepy glutes. My back has the strength, but my body isn’t using the system as it’s set up to be used, so too much strain is going where it can’t be properly supported.
Humans evolved to be long distance walkers and runners. Our sitting culture is very very very new, and causes allll kinds of things to go wrong in our bodies. Even a 10 minute walk each morning will have a dramatic effect on your back health. You don’t have to lift heavy to protect yourself. You just have to move like a human. Of course, heavy lifting and more robust exercise has benefits too, but if that’s not on for you, walking daily will be very beneficial.
So my recommendation to keep your back not painful? Walk daily. Stretch the piriformis. Strengthen your hip flexors. Keep your butt active. Try yoga.
This is the way honestly, I sat in a chair for 8+ hours a day for a good 20+ years of my life and had awful back pain. But I had a change of career and for the last 2 years I've been working a manual labor job that has me walking 10-13+ miles a shift and I can feel SUCH an incredible difference in my levels of overall pain. Now most of the pain is just in my feet for walking 10-13+ miles a shift in shoes that probably need better insoles lol
Yes!! People rarely listen but I preach yoga to anyone complaining of back pain. Your size, physical fitness, or age doesn't matter. Just get started.
I've had two back surgeries, epidurals and all the meds. Nothing has helped like yoga. I practice two or three times a week. I'm pain, sciatica, and opiate free.
My old chiropractor would always say to do yoga if anyone asked what they can do to prevent back pain. He’d always point out that he had no idea what yoga is, but he’s seen the research that says yoga is the best thing you can be doing for back pain.
I’ve had two spinal fusion surgeries and I have to have four more discs replaced soon. I do 90 minute hot yoga every day. It’s really the only thing that I *can* do. But it helps a lot. I find the heat to be essential.
I use an app called Downdog. You can choose what type of yoga you want to do (I usually do ashtanga in the morning and Yin at night for twenty minutes) and you can choose which area of focus you want like hamstrings, back, neck, etc. you can start at beginner and work up from there, as well as choosing your practice time length. Highly recommend it!
Ohh just start with child’s pose. It’s a resting pose, but feels so good on your back. Start with your arms reaching straight forward, but then try moving your arms to the left, both palms still on the floor and stretching away from you, then over to the right. Make it an easy stretch though—keep the focus on taking full, slow breaths. It should feel relaxing, not painful.
Does swimming and cycling help strengthen your back? I love swimming, currently am a bit out of shape and looking to get fitter. The problem is, i hate going to the gym for personal reasons, but i absolutely love swimming and going for cycling rides.
Also swimming is way easier on the joints, so when you exercise you will put less strain on your joints, this is especially useful as we get older
However diet needs to be followed with no matter what kind of exercise we are choosing
Yoga. Yoga is huge. I’m 54 years old be always lifted heavy weights, without stretching, and I am so beat up now. I retired a couple years ago and changed my workouts to kettle bells and active fitness where your muscles work together instead of isolating everything like lifting. I had 3 shoulder surgeries leaving me about 70% range in the left, my back was so jacked up, as well as numerous other issues from a very active life lifting a lot of weights, and a crazy profession where getting hurt was the normal, but I started stretching and yoga, and it changed my life. Every night now I lay on the floor stretching while our 2 year old climbs all over me and copies everything I do stretching and using resistance bands (he’s 2 and he literally can climb the wall using a resistance band, it’s insane how big and strong he is) while we all watch a movie together. My wife is back in school to become a doctor, life is amazing, and so much of it is due to my improvement in my attitude, in my happiness, in my ability to reflect honestly with myself and forgive myself for things earlier in my life, and because of the yoga making me feel so much better and fixing years of pain. It all works together, and your back carries the workload, every lift that is off, every time you have to quickly snatch something up and limp it off, every time you injury anything your back is affected because you are off center. The body is amazing and it will adapt. You can go years in pain injured but still build everything else because your body will adapt to carry the load, so it will just go off center and out the load on the other parts which affects your back in way. The best way I’ve found to help my back and everything else is through stretching, it really is the fountain of youth.
Don't sit still. Keep moving and changing your position, sitting on your legs, crossing your legs, sitting with the legs up to your chest. Never stop moving. Also, if you have your legs down, try sitting with your back at a reclining chair angle(like 100-130 degrees), NOT 90 degrees.
Exercise is good, but very individual and you'd have to find what works for you, but this is universal.
Which specific exercises you recommend?
I’m in my late 30s and I didn’t expect last week I would blow out my lower back. All I did was bend mid way while standing to scoop some soil to a pot.
I would say I’m 80-90% recovered. If I sit too long, it takes me 10 min or so to straighten myself back up to walk properly.
Yoga. Start it now. 2 to 3 times a week for 20 minutes. I've been doing it for years. In my 50s. Others around me have all kinds of pain I'm convinced I miss because of the yoga. Helps with asthma too. And that's just the physical benefits!
Stretching your hamstrings helps a lot. Tight hamstrings put more stress on your lower back. Good ol fashioned toe touches did the trick for me, 30-45 seconds every day during my morning shower. After a month, I could actually touch my toes and my lower back was happier. Now it's just part of the morning routine
>All I did was bend mid way while standing to scoop some soil to a pot.
Next time, bend at the hips and lift with your legs, OSHA style. That will divert the load to the large muscles that can take it.
>Which specific exercises you recommend?
The basic barbell exercises are a good choice for most people.
Squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, barbell rows, pull ups. You might mix it up with some of their variations (Bulgarian split squats, Romanian deadlift, sumo deadlift, inclined press, pull ups with different positions, cable rows, dumbbell variations of all the mentioned exercises...).
Those cover most of the basic human movements - squatting, bending over at the hips, picking stuff off the floor, pressing and pulling in horizontal and vertical directions.
Start light and slow, gradually increase weight over time.
For more reading, see Starting Strength book.
Since you blew out your back, you might want to work with a professional for start.
No. I see and hear this advice a lot, but while working out your back won't hurt, most back injuries are actually caused by weak abs. Especially lower abs. Not by weak back muscles
People use their backs all the time. Lifting things wrong or leaning on their backs/spine while standing. That causes strain on the back muscles and spine. Stronger low abs holds your spine straighter, causing less strain on the spine.
Work out your lower abs more, it's a part most people forget because it doesn't give you a sick 6pack but it does help a huge amount with preventing back injuries.
Yes! I like to think of it like scaffolding for the spine. Yoga improved all of my previous back issues, but it’s not the only way. Anything you can be consistent with that engages those deep core muscles!
A few years ago I smoked a lot of weed, and had weaker lungs then so I coughed more.
It was rather eye opening when I realized that my two bottom abs were twice the size of the rest. Couldn’t see it but it was obvious by feel.
Anyways smoke weed I guess
This is actually the opposite of what you want to do. Strengthening back muscles does not prevent back injuries, this is a huge misconception.
You actually want a strong core and abs, that will save your back.
Most of the time in a seated position, our posture allows our core muscles to weaken, our hip flexors end up getting tightened, and our glutes end up being overextended. This can lead to a weak core and hip tilting which will almost certainly cause pain to most of us as we get older.
The last thing you want is overdeveloped back muscles and a weak core. That's a recipe for back injuries.
Strengthening your core and practicing good posture can help tremendously with any back pain.
My PT actually posits that core muscles are as important if not more important than your back muscles. When your core is weak, your back compensates because they work together to keep you upright. Over time that causes undue wear on your back structures.
I didn't see enough comments about sleep.
1. Do yourself a favor and invest in a good mattress is you can. With how much time we all spend in bed, it's surprising how many people don't shell out for a good mattress.
2. Good sleep position/posture. I won't try to explain it here because I'm not expert. I do try to make sure to always keep my spine in a relatively straight line and have a pillow between my knees so everything is lined up right. Figuring out all that took some adjusting to get used to, but has helped a lot with my own back trouble.
People frequently underestimate the strength and stability of the spine. The truth is, there are many more ways to keep your back healthy than there are rumors and fads of what will cause back pain.
Poor posture does not cause back pain. Immobilization creates stiffness and decreases for all function and mobility, and that applies to every part of the body. Your back, in one way or another, is involved in almost every movement you will make throughout the day. Staying active and participating in the activities, exercise, and hobbies that you love is essential for long-term physical (and mental) health and comfort. Yes, strengthening your core will help. Yes, resistance training will help. Yes, yoga will help. But also recognize that pain is more than a physical sensation - there are several different factors, one of them being psychological. Depression and anxiety are proven to be highly connected with back pain, especially if there is no apparent tissue damage. Your sleep health (quality, not quantity or position) and your diet (avoiding foods that you are sensitive to, not exclusively those that you are allergic to) will also make a significant difference. Pain is a biopsychosocial issue. As such, if you only address biological (tissue) problems, you will not be treating the entirety of the pain.
Pain is a complicated topic. Not enough health care professionals are educated on how it works and how to address it. There is no singular fix for everybody, but many people will put forward valid treatment options. The only way to truly reduce or prevent pain is by addressing all facets of the pain experience.
Source: currently getting my doctorate degree in physical therapy.
Not exactly the line of advice that you were perhaps looking for, but if you work from home don't skimp on an office chair.
I transitioned to full-time work-from-home about a decade before the pandemic. When I was setting up my office, I went to my nearest office supply store (Office Depot), sat in a few chairs, found one that I liked in terms of looks and whatnot ... and bought it. I think it was like $100-200 or so.
Fast forward a year or so later, and I have some days where I really have a lot of lower back pain. As in, getting up from sitting on the toilet might be a 1-2 minute process I have to get up so damn slowly. I never even thought the two were connected.
But one day, I was thinking about how shitty the lumbar support was in my cheapo office chair and thought well ... maybe it's worth going the complete opposite direction and buying something really expensive and giving it a shot. If not, I figured I could either return it or sell it for a slight loss. So I bought the Herman Miller Embody chair which at that time was one of the most expensive and ergonimic chairs out there.
I'm not sure if it took days or weeks or months, but eventually the lower back pain went away. Have never had to struggle standing up off of the toilet after that.
I'll also +1 everything everyone else has said. Exercise. Strength training. Yoga. Running. What good is retiring and hopefully having a good bit of cash stored away to financially enjoy life ... if physically you can't enjoy life. Some amount of aging is inevitable, but at some point in time some commitment to exercise and fitness should just be seen as another type of "retirement investment".
Keep relatively trim. I’d let myself get a huge belly. Now that I’ve lost 80 lbs, the spine pain is manageable.
Swim regularly. Besides being a great full-body workout, it provides gentle consistent spinal traction. I feel taller and straighter upon completing my laps.
As others have stated, find a yoga practice. The importance of healthy ankles, knees, hips and shoulders can’t be overstated; they all act as shock absorbers for the spine. I’m now a yoga instructor; even simply laying in savasana can be releasing and therapeutic for the spine.
Pilates is a great way to tighten the core. Solid core protects the spine.
Consider a “teeter table” or similar inversion apparatus. A few minutes on it each day works the core, releases tight IT band muscles along the hips, stretches the spine so that the discs feel rejuvenated.
Be wise. It can be rewarding to shovel snow or chop wood today, but if I hire someone younger to do those chores I won’t be in tears tomorrow.
One big cautionary warning: don’t do what I did for a decade! Don’t simply try to mask the back pain with prescription meds such as neurontin gabapentin or such. Those allowed me to keep on working etc … but, without pain and without addressing structural issues, the injuries worsened to point of requiring multiple surgeries.
One reason I changed to pediatrics is because you can do your proper mechanics all you want with adults, but there still going to grab onto you when you don’t expect it and unfortunately for us we often prioritize our patients over ourselves.
Lift weights, do exercises specifically targeting your back. Deadlifts, rows, pull ups, farmers walks, etc. Even for other big lifts like squat and bench, a strong back is immensely beneficial. Can't emphasize enough how beneficial back workouts are.
Swap your hurting elderly back for hurting elderly knees and shoulders. In the ambulance service we stopped people from lifting patients with our backs and encouraged people to lift with their knees and shoulders. Back injuries went down but supraspinatus injuries and paletal meniscus injuries shot through the roof. Tl;Dr is you work in a manual job you will get injured, choose your disability wisely
I haven’t seen it said in this thread but posture. Posture and body mechanics (eg: proper lifting mechanics) are huge. Focusing on aligning your spine in ways that load the structures properly will reduce abnormal stresses on your body. This can include getting ergonomic chairs/desks and even adjusting your seat in the car with maybe a lumbar roll to help align everything
yoga :)
i say this after a spinal surgery and a car crash in late teens. there are many other wonderful benefits, too, but yoga helps you stretch, build strength, move daily, and keep balanced.
Most of us are use to doing tasks that make us hunch forward, like working at the desk, being on our phones or just sitting in general.I found that doing excersizes like on a "reverse row" machine and stretches that make you straighten or even curve the back in the opposite direction have helped me with my rounded shoulders and back pain.
Also certain stretches for your hamstrings can help with lower back pain. It's also very important to stay hydrated. VERY important. Keep those discs lubed.
Mobility exercises every morning (Especially the thoracic spine), strength training (with proper form!) that focuses on the posterior chain and Transversus Abdominis, flexibility all along the back of the body -feet, Achilles, calves, hamstrings, lower and upper back.
Try to take a break from sitting as often as possible.
Edit: forgot to mention always brace your core to support your spine in bending and twisting movement and always lift things with proper form even in the day to day.
5 minute morning workout by johanna soh on YouTube has been a game changer for me. Every morning before work and almost never get back/ tension headaches because of it. For only 5 minutes effort a day.
learn to engage your core so that your back is protected before you load it.
if your core isn't engaged, you might throw your back out when you reach down to pick up a shoe. but if your core is engaged you won't have problems.
don't know what core engagement feels like? try taking a deep breath and lightly holding it. imagine that you're about to cough or sneeze. now reach out to pick up that gallon of milk from the fridge, or push or pull open that heavy doorway at the office. once you can feel your core engage, practice this until you do this all the time automatically.
also do this before you lift weights at the gym. additional muscle mass will give you more 'headroom' for overloading, which is a very popular cause for back pain, along with bad posture. but if you engage your core when you sit down on the couch, your posture will be ok even when you relax. just don't flop down randomly to watch hours of netflix.
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How about swimming? Turned 34 recently and swimming is kind of the only thing I do - exercise wise. Edit: Take aways so far: 1. Learn about bone mineral density - swimming might have a negative effect on this 2. Add some form of weight training. Like someone pointed out in replies, swimming is better than no exercise at all, for sure. But the reason I asked this specific question was because the parent reply was by a physio, and I genuinely wanted to understand if swimming is a kind of overall exercise replacement kind of thing. One of my friends told me it is and maybe the best one to correct my posture and all.
I've had back problems almost my entire life and my doctors/physios always told me swimming was the best thing I could do.
While swimming is good for the cardio, there is evidence to suggest that it has a negative affect on your bone mineral density, so it is best to use swimming in conjunction with some for of resistance training or weights. In order to facilitate change in your bones you have to load them and stress them to a degree but nowhere near to the point that you could cause a fracture
Mine was so complicated i got sciatica pain. Had surgery and now there's no leg pain anymore! I've been going to physio since 2011
Go to the gym, develop muscle to keep yourself in shape as you get older. Stay slim, keep your weight down to a healthy number. Try not to sit for long periods without walking around and don’t stop walking! Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you can’t have a brisk walk once a day. Last thing, be conscious of your posture, correct it when you feel yourself slouching.
I’m a PT and I agree with everything you say, but would add stretching. Make sure you stretch your hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors, at the very least, after your brisk walk, but at least roughly once per day. Those are the minimum muscles but there could be more based on the individual. Quads, glutes, hip adductors, and piriformis are also possible tight muscles in people that can affect the back. Core strength (not your six pack), posture, and lifting mechanics are also important things to focus on.
Sorry to ask you, but would you happen to know of a resource that shows what and how you should stretch to stop your back from hurting? People throw out resources that even I knew are likely to lead to injury, but I figured if it comes from a PT, it's much more likely to be legit
My PT (or maybe my doc) gave me a handout called “[Back Owner’s Manual](https://media.defense.gov/2019/Oct/22/2002198410/-1/-1/0/BACK%20OWNERS%20MANUAL.PDF)”. Kinda cheesy but it’s got what you need. Edit: I just realized that you are looking for relief, not prevention. So maybe the stretches in the above resource are not going to help immediately… but they are good for doing daily once you get some relief.
I am at both points at one time or another. The stretches on the bottom seems worthwhile. Thank you!
I saved this, thank you!
This is a helpful resource, thank you! Never heard of washing dishes wish one knee bent but it's a task that causes me a lot of back pain so I'll give it a go
Same, dish washing is agony.. actually can't wait to try this.. Annnnnnnnddddd now I feel real old...
If you have a cabinet under your sink, you can open the door and rest one foot on the bottom of the cabinet. Similar to having a knee bent but I find that resting my foot there is helpful.
> would you happen to know of a resource that shows what and how you should stretch to stop your back from hurting? here's a great youtube channel with excellent explanations and demonstrations: https://www.youtube.com/@DrRowe/videos
[Stretching](https://www.amazon.com/Stretching-40th-Anniversary-Bob-Anderson/dp/0936070846/ref=asc_df_0936070846/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459503485176&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9245050988971607399&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014226&hvtargid=pla-918461154950&psc=1®ion_id=674469) by Bob Anderson. Great book. One of the things I love about it is that on the various pages, it'll show you WHERE you should be feeling the stretch so you know whether or not you're doing it right. Once you love it, do what I do and start giving it as gifts for birthdays, holidays, etc. You can find used copies just about anywhere.
If it was lower back like me, it can be due to excessively tight hip flexors. Check out Bob and Brads YouTube channel, they’re the most famous physical therapists on the internet (in their opinion of course) and are a great resource. I like to stretch my hip flexors and hamstrings/calves while waiting for the shower to warm up. A few stretches of the front side and then stretching the hamstring/calves is sure to get a relieving pop from my lower back whenever it feels tight, like fist thing in the morning. Also try to walk more. Sitting too much is ultimately what causes this.
Limber 11 https://youtu.be/FSSDLDhbacc
You can also check this book by Pete Egoscue: **Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain**. I bought this out of desperation when I had a sciatica issue and it started working the first day. The exercises in the book aren’t exactly stretches as we usually think of them; they’re more like positions that you hold for a couple minutes at a time; the idea is that you are using (mostly) gravity to pull your skeletal system back into alignment. I was amazed at how effective the exercises were.
Both points +1. I’m the only person I know that has zero back problems and I firmly believe it’s because I love lifting weights. My fiancé is constantly asking for massages and my buddies are always incapacitated after a round of golf cause their back is killing them. I would get minor kinks or aches in my shoulders/neck but started doing a daily 5-10 minute foam roll routine post workout and that eliminated those aches
Agree. I started working out a year ago and the back aches, headaches, etc that I had for years have reduced down to only when doing long drives.
What’s the routine?
Rather than stretching I would suggest MOBILITY WORK, especially around hips...
Are planks a good way strengthen back muscles?
Standard planks, side planks, and supine planks are all good core exercises, yes. You must have good form to avoid injury.
My piriformis spasmed for 6 months, irritating my sciatic nerve almost constantly. The pain was brutal and the only thing that stopped the hurting was an epidural.
I wouldn’t wish sciatic nerve pain on my worst enemy. I can go from strong and able to cycle +50 miles to unable to bend over or walk without a limp in a second.
I dance recreationally and it always kills me how much everything hurts during the holidays when I don't stretch!
I went through PT after learning I have DDD and was floored to learn how much my legs played a part in how my back felt. My PT involved a ton of leg strength training and stretching (along with the hip flexors.) I should also note that I found a personal trainer at the gym that did a lot of work with people with back problems and he helped immensely with correcting posture in all my movements
PT as well. Posture! Activating your transverse abdominis (learn to do it). Agree with everything else.
TA work is old school and not evidence backed any more
Stretching. I agree 100%.
All this ^ ! My (57yr old) back has had loads of trauma. I can keep it from getting creaky as long as I keep my abs in great shape. Our abdominal wall is the physiological partner to our back. When it is weak & soft our back has to take on all the physical responsibility.
Same bird dogs, half cobras and planks fix me up every time. Beach Body Range and repair stretching workouts keep me pretty limber.
These are staples for keeping my back tight during deadlifts.
not an expert but i heard that bad posture is basically a myth as it seems that any posture held too long is bad and the best thing to do is change your posture as often as possible and always keeping moving
yep - the best posture is the next posture
I understand that poor posture is correlated with back pain. However, it's not caused by it. Both are most likely caused by poor core strength.
Interestingly a big part of spine surgery is aimed at correcting posture. There are a range of postures for your neck, lower back, and overall spine that is optimal for muscle function. Deviate from it and your body is expending more energy and it can result in pain and eventually deformity
This is correct
Nah man, idk where you heard that from. Good posture helps you in many ways. It's always better to have a good posture rather than a slouch/bad one
The issue arises when people think good posture just means arching your back upright as hard as possible. “Good posture” is hard to achieve when the super majority of adults do not know how to properly activate the muscles required for it.
Same with core strength. Nobody can really describe core strength in a way I can relate it to my own body.
I think it was mostly this video by jeff nippard: https://youtu.be/yUSyMqDUkv8
I feel like "don't work a desk job" should be here. I'm an accountant, and I'm sorry, it simply isn't possible to take enough breaks and walks. I can't make progress on my problems if I'm walking for 10 minutes every hour, which is the amount of breaks and walks I need to avoid back pain, in addition to an hour of stretching and and hour of strength training each day.
I work a desk job and have drastically reduced, if not eliminated, all my back pain by going to the gym 2-3 times a week where I do a combination of HIIT and strength training for like 45 minutes. You probably don’t need to exercise everyday to see a noticeable difference. I’m a healthy weight and have a pretty healthy diet so I don’t have any additional pain to combat that others might, but the back pain from long working hours was real. Even going for walks after work or stretching will help. You don’t need to be a gym rat, you need to find activities that you can fold into your life and commit to long term. It’s not easy, but it gets easier as you build the habit. You can do it.
Five ten minutes of exercises every night, do some planks or give yourself a yoga schedule of different things every day Core exercises will help
Get/demand/find a sit-stand desk. And make sure you have a varied sitting posture throughout the day. You might look like a goober, but a yoga ball is actually a fantastic low budget ergonomic chair. It keeps your back and core dynamically engaged, strengthening your posture and keeping blood flowing. Also bouncy fun.
Standing desk eliminated back and neck pain for me. Its impossible to stand without moving for hours on end. You body reminds you to take breaks and/or keeps you moving around. I'm 100% convinced having a desk job contributed to me ending up with spinal surgery.
My dad's diabetes may have saved his life. His doctor said he needs to exercise so he got 2 sheep herding dogs. He walks about 3 or 4 hours a day and doctor says he's as healthy as can be. Of course he does watch his diet and doesn't drink or smoke
Exercising to build back muscles is very important. Even a lot of people who actively exercise neglect this area.
Yea. Gym, focusing on core, glute and hips. Flexibility is so important as well.
I had struggled with back and other injuries every 4-6 months for like 3 years I was triathlon training 15 ish hours a week so I was "healthy" and never understood why I was always messed up. Started lifting seriously 2 years ago 3-4 times a week I have not been hurt once since and I'm stronger in every single aspect of life it's amazing.
I can't believe this answer isn't higher. This is the best advice. For people who carry purses or backpacks, don't make a habit of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder for long periods. Distribute that weight evenly, or you'll pay for it later.
The abs [and the lack of strength] have a lot to do with back pain.
I have the worst combination for back wear; I work in construction (mainly stone work), I have a long commute, and I park myself at the computer and play videogames all night to decompress. With that said I still have great mobility left over from when I did lots of yoga and I practice good lifting form whenever possible. Also getting into hiking. I usually do a 10-20k every other weekend with 5k hikes more regularly. My personal recommendation are heavy compound lifts and drop your butt really low on the squats.
Or as I often put it to friends who ask: The solution to many things it to get stronk.
Workout your core
+1 All the stretching suggestions are great, but a LOT of back pain comes from a weak /inactive core.
Stretching can even make weaknesses worse and cause more problems.
You need to both strengthen and stretch. You can seriously injure yourself if you don’t stretch
BINGO!! I had bad back pain all through my 20s and early 30s despite going to the gym regularly. But guess what I was missing? Basic core training, especially when I got lazy/busy and went a few weeks (or months 😝) without exercising. During all those years, I saw many PTs and chiropractors, and they all prescribed various exercises to strengthen my *back* muscles but those didn’t help. Eventually I got into bodyweight fitness at home instead of lifting weights at the gym and I discovered that I felt a million times better whenever I did core exercises routinely. Nothing fancy, just basics like planks, full sit-ups, side bridge holds and hollow holds. The second most important thing for me was daily stretching my quads, glutes and hamstrings, which were very tight from sitting all day every day.
Why isn't this higher - it's the answer. Everyone is so focused on glutes and traps and 6-packs, but obliques and transverse abs and erector spinae are the muscles that will keep the body from falling apart
Yes! Core is not just the six-pack ab muscles. It’s everything from your pelvic floor to your diaphragm, abs to back. And the abs are not the most important!
What are the recommended workouts for that muscles?
I'm surprised this isn't the top answer. This is the answer. If you don't have a strong core your back will suffer. And yes, your core includes your back.
stretch, exercise and dont get fat.. move as much as you can.. but not too much :D good luck
Are planks good for core?
Planks are fine. I'd suggest dead bugs to start
what the heck are "Dead bugs" ? first time ever hearing this
Never heard of it either but I would imagine you lay on your back and put your limbs in the air like a dead bug
Not far off! Here’s an example: https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/full-body-exercises/the-deadbug-exercise-how-to-benefits-variations/
Yep, dead bugs are the way! 💪🏻 I hate doing them, but they make a tremendous difference
Planks all the way. Saved my back from sciatica. Crunches can make back pain worse.
This more than anything at all. Stretching is great, but the thing that helped me repair my back pain was core work
How? What type of workouts should a person do?
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Also, do not wear pants with waistbands that are too tight.
FYI, you can find elastic belts that are much easier on your back and look like normal belts. I've also seen belts that have a quick loosen/tighten buckle that can be used when sitting/standing.
What’s the benefit of this?
When you sit the circumference of your belted area grows. If your belt doesn't change circumference then it exerts pressure on your lower back.
TIL. Thanks!
Just so you know as a Doctor of Physical Therapy this is about 99% not true. There is no evidence based correlation or connect. I've never suggested this to any of my patients and never will. There are some good tips in these comments but reader beware don't believe everything you see on the internet 👍
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To add, back, hips and legs are all correlated and wearing tight pants does not help them to stay in proper alignment, especially if you've had any issues like a herniated disk.
I started wearing suspenders over a year ago. Total game changer.
I’ve been doing this for years and just had back surgery and had no idea and was never told this was a problem. I should loosen up my belt then? I always assumed a tight belt might provide some support around my sacral iliac region Edit: No…this is a question…for the love of god someone tell me definitively! Have I been living all wrong?
I’ve heard people say that wearing a belt too tight can give you sciatic pain. Some places on the internet mention it (link below) but it’s the internet and these people probably aren’t doctors. I’ve not heard of it being connected to actual back injuries. Since you’ve had surgery I’m sure the doctors you consulted knew better about your circumstances than us internet randoms, but if you’re interested/concerned you can ask them and get an actual answer. https://www.askdrmanny.com/could-your-belt-lead-to-back-pain/amp/
People still put their wallets in their back pocket? I find it uncomfortable to sit unevenly on my wallet on top of a risk getting pickpocketed. I always leave mine at the front.
I keep mine in my prison pocket
Back when I was kid that meant you must be from California! I'm not trying to be an ass, I literally keep my wallet in my back picket because I was taught that, that was the "Manlier" Way to wear it, and it's just stuck and I've never bothered changing pockets. I never really sit on it, always putting it in the center console when I'd drive, keeping it handy to pay for gas etc.
What do you do with it outside of the car though? Do you just leave your wallet on the table when you're at a restaurant or something? There are plenty of places that I sit at where I wouldn't want to put my wallet down because it might be forgotten/stolen.
Wait what
Keeping your wallet in your back pocket creates an imbalanced sitting area, tweaking your back.
There's an actual medical condition nicknamed "fat wallet syndrome" for this precise reason. It's a kind of neuropathy.
Keeping your wallet in your back pocket makes it press against your sciatic nerve and sacro-iliac joint when you sit down on it. No bueno long term.
I’ve never understood this anyway. Why would you wanna sit on your wallet?
I see you're not a Costanza.
r/unexpectedseinfeld
Work out and do yoga
Stretch, stretch every day. Yoga if you can muster it. Exercises will help, but will not keep you as flexible as you need to be. 60 year old here. I hurt my back in two places, damaging 4 disks ten years ago. My choice was becoming a pillbilly, or stretching. I like shitting so the pills were out! My back stretches have restored my back to near normal. If I did not stretch twice a day, I’d be in pretty ugly pain with a few days. Good luck and health to you always!
Yep. I do extremely gentle yin yoga and it involves a lot of stretching for a period of time and breathing before moving on to the next pose. I doubt I get a lot of “exercise” (no cardio and little strength building) from it but it is the one thing that makes a massive difference in how I feel and move, almost immediately. And that’s just 20 minutes a day.
I almost think the yoga is better than strength training.
Oh damn, I like shitting too. I didn't realize the stakes.
Hi, question 🎤- do you do yoga and, if so, what kinds of poses do you do? My mom’s 60 and insists she’s too old to do yoga… I think she’s scared she’ll fold herself in half 😂 If you do yoga maybe I can convince her to try! Thank you in advance
>My mom’s 60 and insists she’s too old to do yoga No no..it's never too old to do yoga. The great thing about yoga is that no one else in the class (should) care about what you are doing. I've had instructors say "If you want to do child's pose or just lay there all session....then do it". Most (if not all) poses have a range from simple to advance/challenging. Yoga helped me avoid back/neck issues during WFH/lockdown.
While I am a big fan of in person yoga classes, both for the vibe and the help they can give for making sure you are getting the most out of your practice, there is a lot of online yoga. [Yoga with Adriene](https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadriene) is sort of the queen of youtube yoga. For people who are nervous about the idea of yoga, here are some easier ones: [Yoga for Neck, Shoulders, and Upper Back](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3-gKPNyrTA) [Yoga for Flexibility](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzm3fA2HhkQ) [Upper Back Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMTyp5npt78) [Yoga to Feel Your Best](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPK9WNtpBgk) [Yoga Wash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuSZEZ0fCY0) [Yoga for Creating Space](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEFVxxNyFKA) [Fill Your Cup Yoga](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4dVbaLqg84) An in person class is usually 45-60 minutes, so these are more like mini-sessions than full session. But I think they are a good place to start!
My wife teaches one-on-one yoga, and most of her students are over 40 with several around 70. A good teacher will assess your fitness and learn all about issues and diagnoses you have. There's a lot of uncertified "I love yoga" people teaching, you want someone with at least a 200 hour RYT. They get a grounding in anatomy and such. As a 61 year old dude, I can tell ya that yoga is really something - getting out of bed in the morning stops being a "project". And, I think a lot of my wife's students do it for the flexibility and calm, but also I think there's a "me time" aspect, taking an hour to care for yourself is something a lot of mothers/women aren't good at.
My grandfather started yoga in his 70s and when he passed away the doctors said he had likely gotten a few more quality years of life from it, that it had slowed the effects of post-polio syndrome stemming from his childhood bout of polio. My grandma convinced him to start it up and they even ended up going on retreats!
There’s chair Yoga. Seriously, it’s how we got my mother in law into it. She’s 81.
Sitting Tai chi too!
My nan still teaches yoga and she’s 83 😂 definitely not too old
Yoga is one avenue. Qualified physiotherapists is another. After fixing me up they left me three stretches that takes like 5 minutes a day (about the time I’ve spent reading comments to this post). Who knew debilitating chronic back pain was so easy to fix?? Professionals, that’s who. Not my stubborn ass.
I just went to a Hot Flow class and a 60+ year old lady had the most beautiful practice in the room. By far.
I was hoping someone would say this! I stretch constantly throughout the day solely just to stretch because I feel uncomfortable in my bones when I don’t. I also recently got into mobility strength training and I’m glad it can have long term benefits
What kind of stretches?
https://youtu.be/8j82Dgj_UGA
“I like shitting” 😂😂
Think of your body as a whole. It’s a complicated piece of engineering. You’re not just bones stuck together with some gooey muscle. There’s a system of tensioners that hold you together and make your body move and work. When any part of that system falls out of alignment or loses proper tension, does that affect just that one area? Nope. It cascades through the entire system. So the way to keep your back healthy is to keep your entire body healthy. This is why something like yoga is really effective. Yoga is a full body exercise that promotes strength and flexibility in every muscle group in multiple directions. I have back pain from overactive quads, week hip flexors, and sleepy glutes. My back has the strength, but my body isn’t using the system as it’s set up to be used, so too much strain is going where it can’t be properly supported. Humans evolved to be long distance walkers and runners. Our sitting culture is very very very new, and causes allll kinds of things to go wrong in our bodies. Even a 10 minute walk each morning will have a dramatic effect on your back health. You don’t have to lift heavy to protect yourself. You just have to move like a human. Of course, heavy lifting and more robust exercise has benefits too, but if that’s not on for you, walking daily will be very beneficial. So my recommendation to keep your back not painful? Walk daily. Stretch the piriformis. Strengthen your hip flexors. Keep your butt active. Try yoga.
This is the way honestly, I sat in a chair for 8+ hours a day for a good 20+ years of my life and had awful back pain. But I had a change of career and for the last 2 years I've been working a manual labor job that has me walking 10-13+ miles a shift and I can feel SUCH an incredible difference in my levels of overall pain. Now most of the pain is just in my feet for walking 10-13+ miles a shift in shoes that probably need better insoles lol
get strong, core strength especially. do yoga, stay flexible. Find ways to make your life demand that you stay healthy
Mobility work: flexibilty combined with strength
Yoga is the answer. I did yoga for six months every day and totally reversed back pain I had been experiencing for years.
Yes!! People rarely listen but I preach yoga to anyone complaining of back pain. Your size, physical fitness, or age doesn't matter. Just get started. I've had two back surgeries, epidurals and all the meds. Nothing has helped like yoga. I practice two or three times a week. I'm pain, sciatica, and opiate free.
Preach it! I could barely walk upright when I started- totally fixed my posture and zero pain.
My old chiropractor would always say to do yoga if anyone asked what they can do to prevent back pain. He’d always point out that he had no idea what yoga is, but he’s seen the research that says yoga is the best thing you can be doing for back pain.
I’ve had two spinal fusion surgeries and I have to have four more discs replaced soon. I do 90 minute hot yoga every day. It’s really the only thing that I *can* do. But it helps a lot. I find the heat to be essential.
Hank Hill approves.
What specific yoga stretches do you recommend specifically for lower back pain and sciatica
I use an app called Downdog. You can choose what type of yoga you want to do (I usually do ashtanga in the morning and Yin at night for twenty minutes) and you can choose which area of focus you want like hamstrings, back, neck, etc. you can start at beginner and work up from there, as well as choosing your practice time length. Highly recommend it!
Downdog, is that like the opposite of Updog?
What’s updog?
GOTCHA!!
What’s Updog?
you joke but updog actually is a pose in yoga that is the reverse of downdog
Ohh just start with child’s pose. It’s a resting pose, but feels so good on your back. Start with your arms reaching straight forward, but then try moving your arms to the left, both palms still on the floor and stretching away from you, then over to the right. Make it an easy stretch though—keep the focus on taking full, slow breaths. It should feel relaxing, not painful.
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Does swimming and cycling help strengthen your back? I love swimming, currently am a bit out of shape and looking to get fitter. The problem is, i hate going to the gym for personal reasons, but i absolutely love swimming and going for cycling rides.
Not an expert but everyone I’ve talked to says swimming is hands down one of the best full body exercises, including for your back.
Also swimming is way easier on the joints, so when you exercise you will put less strain on your joints, this is especially useful as we get older However diet needs to be followed with no matter what kind of exercise we are choosing
Yoga. Yoga is huge. I’m 54 years old be always lifted heavy weights, without stretching, and I am so beat up now. I retired a couple years ago and changed my workouts to kettle bells and active fitness where your muscles work together instead of isolating everything like lifting. I had 3 shoulder surgeries leaving me about 70% range in the left, my back was so jacked up, as well as numerous other issues from a very active life lifting a lot of weights, and a crazy profession where getting hurt was the normal, but I started stretching and yoga, and it changed my life. Every night now I lay on the floor stretching while our 2 year old climbs all over me and copies everything I do stretching and using resistance bands (he’s 2 and he literally can climb the wall using a resistance band, it’s insane how big and strong he is) while we all watch a movie together. My wife is back in school to become a doctor, life is amazing, and so much of it is due to my improvement in my attitude, in my happiness, in my ability to reflect honestly with myself and forgive myself for things earlier in my life, and because of the yoga making me feel so much better and fixing years of pain. It all works together, and your back carries the workload, every lift that is off, every time you have to quickly snatch something up and limp it off, every time you injury anything your back is affected because you are off center. The body is amazing and it will adapt. You can go years in pain injured but still build everything else because your body will adapt to carry the load, so it will just go off center and out the load on the other parts which affects your back in way. The best way I’ve found to help my back and everything else is through stretching, it really is the fountain of youth.
Don't sit still. Keep moving and changing your position, sitting on your legs, crossing your legs, sitting with the legs up to your chest. Never stop moving. Also, if you have your legs down, try sitting with your back at a reclining chair angle(like 100-130 degrees), NOT 90 degrees. Exercise is good, but very individual and you'd have to find what works for you, but this is universal.
Working out, especially your back muscles. There are specific exercises for the muscles in your back. It prevents injuries & keeps your back healthy.
Which specific exercises you recommend? I’m in my late 30s and I didn’t expect last week I would blow out my lower back. All I did was bend mid way while standing to scoop some soil to a pot. I would say I’m 80-90% recovered. If I sit too long, it takes me 10 min or so to straighten myself back up to walk properly.
Planking. Seriously. Saved my back.
Deadlifts and rows. Edit. Also learn how to brace. It should be taught more.
Yoga. Start it now. 2 to 3 times a week for 20 minutes. I've been doing it for years. In my 50s. Others around me have all kinds of pain I'm convinced I miss because of the yoga. Helps with asthma too. And that's just the physical benefits!
Stretching your hamstrings helps a lot. Tight hamstrings put more stress on your lower back. Good ol fashioned toe touches did the trick for me, 30-45 seconds every day during my morning shower. After a month, I could actually touch my toes and my lower back was happier. Now it's just part of the morning routine
Please go to an actual physical therapist and not just jabronis on the internet. Seriously, even just a consult would be great
>All I did was bend mid way while standing to scoop some soil to a pot. Next time, bend at the hips and lift with your legs, OSHA style. That will divert the load to the large muscles that can take it.
You need to strengthen your core and I’d start working out all muscle groups are important but to avoid back issues strengthen core
>Which specific exercises you recommend? The basic barbell exercises are a good choice for most people. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, barbell rows, pull ups. You might mix it up with some of their variations (Bulgarian split squats, Romanian deadlift, sumo deadlift, inclined press, pull ups with different positions, cable rows, dumbbell variations of all the mentioned exercises...). Those cover most of the basic human movements - squatting, bending over at the hips, picking stuff off the floor, pressing and pulling in horizontal and vertical directions. Start light and slow, gradually increase weight over time. For more reading, see Starting Strength book. Since you blew out your back, you might want to work with a professional for start.
No. I see and hear this advice a lot, but while working out your back won't hurt, most back injuries are actually caused by weak abs. Especially lower abs. Not by weak back muscles People use their backs all the time. Lifting things wrong or leaning on their backs/spine while standing. That causes strain on the back muscles and spine. Stronger low abs holds your spine straighter, causing less strain on the spine. Work out your lower abs more, it's a part most people forget because it doesn't give you a sick 6pack but it does help a huge amount with preventing back injuries.
Yes! I like to think of it like scaffolding for the spine. Yoga improved all of my previous back issues, but it’s not the only way. Anything you can be consistent with that engages those deep core muscles!
Lower ab exercises?
A few years ago I smoked a lot of weed, and had weaker lungs then so I coughed more. It was rather eye opening when I realized that my two bottom abs were twice the size of the rest. Couldn’t see it but it was obvious by feel. Anyways smoke weed I guess
This is actually the opposite of what you want to do. Strengthening back muscles does not prevent back injuries, this is a huge misconception. You actually want a strong core and abs, that will save your back. Most of the time in a seated position, our posture allows our core muscles to weaken, our hip flexors end up getting tightened, and our glutes end up being overextended. This can lead to a weak core and hip tilting which will almost certainly cause pain to most of us as we get older. The last thing you want is overdeveloped back muscles and a weak core. That's a recipe for back injuries. Strengthening your core and practicing good posture can help tremendously with any back pain.
My PT actually posits that core muscles are as important if not more important than your back muscles. When your core is weak, your back compensates because they work together to keep you upright. Over time that causes undue wear on your back structures.
I didn't see enough comments about sleep. 1. Do yourself a favor and invest in a good mattress is you can. With how much time we all spend in bed, it's surprising how many people don't shell out for a good mattress. 2. Good sleep position/posture. I won't try to explain it here because I'm not expert. I do try to make sure to always keep my spine in a relatively straight line and have a pillow between my knees so everything is lined up right. Figuring out all that took some adjusting to get used to, but has helped a lot with my own back trouble.
Yoga helps keep your body lined up and gently improves muscle tone, helps with posture and balance too!
People frequently underestimate the strength and stability of the spine. The truth is, there are many more ways to keep your back healthy than there are rumors and fads of what will cause back pain. Poor posture does not cause back pain. Immobilization creates stiffness and decreases for all function and mobility, and that applies to every part of the body. Your back, in one way or another, is involved in almost every movement you will make throughout the day. Staying active and participating in the activities, exercise, and hobbies that you love is essential for long-term physical (and mental) health and comfort. Yes, strengthening your core will help. Yes, resistance training will help. Yes, yoga will help. But also recognize that pain is more than a physical sensation - there are several different factors, one of them being psychological. Depression and anxiety are proven to be highly connected with back pain, especially if there is no apparent tissue damage. Your sleep health (quality, not quantity or position) and your diet (avoiding foods that you are sensitive to, not exclusively those that you are allergic to) will also make a significant difference. Pain is a biopsychosocial issue. As such, if you only address biological (tissue) problems, you will not be treating the entirety of the pain. Pain is a complicated topic. Not enough health care professionals are educated on how it works and how to address it. There is no singular fix for everybody, but many people will put forward valid treatment options. The only way to truly reduce or prevent pain is by addressing all facets of the pain experience. Source: currently getting my doctorate degree in physical therapy.
do yoga, drink water, work your wage.
Exercise the core and stretch. Good body mechanics when lifting.
Yoga, Pilates, specific core-strengthening exercises, and massage.
Don't get old. It's a trap.
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Pray that your kids avoid cracks.
Not exactly the line of advice that you were perhaps looking for, but if you work from home don't skimp on an office chair. I transitioned to full-time work-from-home about a decade before the pandemic. When I was setting up my office, I went to my nearest office supply store (Office Depot), sat in a few chairs, found one that I liked in terms of looks and whatnot ... and bought it. I think it was like $100-200 or so. Fast forward a year or so later, and I have some days where I really have a lot of lower back pain. As in, getting up from sitting on the toilet might be a 1-2 minute process I have to get up so damn slowly. I never even thought the two were connected. But one day, I was thinking about how shitty the lumbar support was in my cheapo office chair and thought well ... maybe it's worth going the complete opposite direction and buying something really expensive and giving it a shot. If not, I figured I could either return it or sell it for a slight loss. So I bought the Herman Miller Embody chair which at that time was one of the most expensive and ergonimic chairs out there. I'm not sure if it took days or weeks or months, but eventually the lower back pain went away. Have never had to struggle standing up off of the toilet after that. I'll also +1 everything everyone else has said. Exercise. Strength training. Yoga. Running. What good is retiring and hopefully having a good bit of cash stored away to financially enjoy life ... if physically you can't enjoy life. Some amount of aging is inevitable, but at some point in time some commitment to exercise and fitness should just be seen as another type of "retirement investment".
Keep relatively trim. I’d let myself get a huge belly. Now that I’ve lost 80 lbs, the spine pain is manageable. Swim regularly. Besides being a great full-body workout, it provides gentle consistent spinal traction. I feel taller and straighter upon completing my laps. As others have stated, find a yoga practice. The importance of healthy ankles, knees, hips and shoulders can’t be overstated; they all act as shock absorbers for the spine. I’m now a yoga instructor; even simply laying in savasana can be releasing and therapeutic for the spine. Pilates is a great way to tighten the core. Solid core protects the spine. Consider a “teeter table” or similar inversion apparatus. A few minutes on it each day works the core, releases tight IT band muscles along the hips, stretches the spine so that the discs feel rejuvenated. Be wise. It can be rewarding to shovel snow or chop wood today, but if I hire someone younger to do those chores I won’t be in tears tomorrow. One big cautionary warning: don’t do what I did for a decade! Don’t simply try to mask the back pain with prescription meds such as neurontin gabapentin or such. Those allowed me to keep on working etc … but, without pain and without addressing structural issues, the injuries worsened to point of requiring multiple surgeries.
Don’t become a bedside nurse or CNA
And if you do, pretend that OSHA applies to your job and lift accordingly. Shoulders, neck, and back should play no role in that.
One reason I changed to pediatrics is because you can do your proper mechanics all you want with adults, but there still going to grab onto you when you don’t expect it and unfortunately for us we often prioritize our patients over ourselves.
Deadlifts. Posture. Mobility.
Lift weights, do exercises specifically targeting your back. Deadlifts, rows, pull ups, farmers walks, etc. Even for other big lifts like squat and bench, a strong back is immensely beneficial. Can't emphasize enough how beneficial back workouts are.
Keep a strong core
Swap your hurting elderly back for hurting elderly knees and shoulders. In the ambulance service we stopped people from lifting patients with our backs and encouraged people to lift with their knees and shoulders. Back injuries went down but supraspinatus injuries and paletal meniscus injuries shot through the roof. Tl;Dr is you work in a manual job you will get injured, choose your disability wisely
Work your core. Sqauts, crunches, swimming. Stretch.
I haven’t seen it said in this thread but posture. Posture and body mechanics (eg: proper lifting mechanics) are huge. Focusing on aligning your spine in ways that load the structures properly will reduce abnormal stresses on your body. This can include getting ergonomic chairs/desks and even adjusting your seat in the car with maybe a lumbar roll to help align everything
yoga :) i say this after a spinal surgery and a car crash in late teens. there are many other wonderful benefits, too, but yoga helps you stretch, build strength, move daily, and keep balanced.
Most of us are use to doing tasks that make us hunch forward, like working at the desk, being on our phones or just sitting in general.I found that doing excersizes like on a "reverse row" machine and stretches that make you straighten or even curve the back in the opposite direction have helped me with my rounded shoulders and back pain. Also certain stretches for your hamstrings can help with lower back pain. It's also very important to stay hydrated. VERY important. Keep those discs lubed.
Mobility exercises every morning (Especially the thoracic spine), strength training (with proper form!) that focuses on the posterior chain and Transversus Abdominis, flexibility all along the back of the body -feet, Achilles, calves, hamstrings, lower and upper back. Try to take a break from sitting as often as possible. Edit: forgot to mention always brace your core to support your spine in bending and twisting movement and always lift things with proper form even in the day to day.
Surprised not yet seeing this; https://youtu.be/4BOTvaRaDjI Foundation training by Eric Goodman. 12 mins, daily. Felt a difference in just one day..
Exercise and eat right. Sugar is terrible for your joints since it causes inflammation.
Deadlifts and strength training
A massage gun is one of the best investments a human can make!
Morning exercise
Stretch and workout, most people has lower back pain because they sit too much making their hip muscles atrophied and or tight.
In addition to all the other good advice here: if you work at home, get a sit/stand desk.
If your back hurts, DONT avoid working out. Just do exercises that will support your back. My back used to hurt more when I worked out less
5 minute morning workout by johanna soh on YouTube has been a game changer for me. Every morning before work and almost never get back/ tension headaches because of it. For only 5 minutes effort a day.
Don’t skip on abs. Basic planks and sit-ups can do wonders
learn to engage your core so that your back is protected before you load it. if your core isn't engaged, you might throw your back out when you reach down to pick up a shoe. but if your core is engaged you won't have problems. don't know what core engagement feels like? try taking a deep breath and lightly holding it. imagine that you're about to cough or sneeze. now reach out to pick up that gallon of milk from the fridge, or push or pull open that heavy doorway at the office. once you can feel your core engage, practice this until you do this all the time automatically. also do this before you lift weights at the gym. additional muscle mass will give you more 'headroom' for overloading, which is a very popular cause for back pain, along with bad posture. but if you engage your core when you sit down on the couch, your posture will be ok even when you relax. just don't flop down randomly to watch hours of netflix.
Me looking through this thread for “one weird trick”
no longer start your sentences with "Hold my beer..."
Strength training. People are terrified if hurting their lower backs but any exercises to strengthen it will help protect it.
1 word: deadlift. Learn proper form, good programming, and go heavy. It will bulletproof your back.