Personal training for lower back pain in singapore: why stretching isn’t enough

lower back pain - why it happens

There are tons of reasons why lower back pain might occur , but the main culprit is usually due to a weakness in a certain muscle group SOMEWHERE. What it is, we don’t know yet. However, with the advent of technology which has allowed for extensive research into human anatomy within the past few decades, it is clear that lower back pain is commonly due to weakness in the following muscles:

CORE MUSCLES : A weak core is unable to provide enough support for your spine, leading to lower back pain.
GLUTEAL MUSCLES : Weak glutes cause the lower back to overcompensate for movements like standing and lifting
HIP ABDUCTORS/ EXTENSORS : WEAK HIP ABDUCTORS (like the glute medius) fail to stabilise the pelvis, thus forcing lower back muscles to overcompensate and hence cause lower back pain.

Now you might ask yourself: What is the glute medius? Isn’t that grouped under “GLUTEAL MUSCLES” too?

The answer: Yes! But the glute medius is responsible for a different kind of movement called “ABDUCTION”

Abduction is simply when you raise your leg to the side , while the larger GLUTE MAX is responsible for hip extension: Which simply refers to whenever you drive forward (Think running , jumping, etc.)

the culprit for lower back pain (usually but not always)

Abduction - We RARELY do it in our day to day . Think about it, when’s the last time you even raised your leg to the side? The answer would be almost never (Unless you’re a Ballerina).

However, the glute medius is not always the cause for lower back problems, but it usually is.

For example : If you stand with your butt sticking out and a deep curve in your lower back, their Glute Max is likely lengthened and weak. The Glute Max is responsible for Posterior Pelvic Tilt (tucking the tailbone). Without it, the hip flexors pull the pelvis forward, jamming the facet joints in the lower back. In this case the main culprit is the glute max and not the glute medius.

WHY STRETCHING IS NOT YOUR ONLY FIX

Here’s the thing: Stretching isn’t the problem, it’s the fact that you only focus on stretching and not on strengthening the weak muscles which cause lower back pain.

Stretching might provide temporary relief for your lower back - but after sleeping or after a night’s out, you suddenly realise that your lower back still hurts.

While stretching is a good supplement, the real foundation that needs to be fixed is strengthening your weak muscles that support your lower back (Think Core, Gluteal muscles and Abductors) . Hence, the best course of action is to take a multi-pronged approach to fixing your lower back.

Here are some exercises you can do at the gym to target these muscles groups and fix lower back pain:

CORE: Palloff Press
GLUTEAL MUSCLES: Hip Thrusters
ABDUCTORS: Cable Glute Kickback (Kickback Angled at 45 degress)

Unsure how to begin? Here at The PIT, our trainers incorporate strength programming into your busy corporate lifestyle to fix lower back pain.

Come sign up now.