Pains of spine
Causes of back pain
- Our problems with the spine may occur from two reasons. The first reason stands for sudden events like car accidents, unfortunate fall or spine injuries caused by weight lifting of too big weights with bad technique. However, this problem concerns much fewer people than the other one associated with our work and lifestyle.
Today, back pain has become a civilization disease. Their severity is due to our lifestyle. The causes of problems with spine are both connected with our work and with the way we spend our free time.
Contemporary, numbers of people are exposed to take inappropriate upper body position while working which leads to deformations in natural curvature of the spine. This is the second cause of our problems with the spine. The occurrence of this phenomenon is very common and although the factors are of relatively small intensity, the long period of time we spend in inappropriate position causes severe damage to our back.
Such an example presenting a work with negative factors of small intensity but with long period of exposure is for instance:
- long time spend at work in front of a computer, especially with a monitor positioned to low;
( the center of the monitor should be located at the eye level). With the monitor positioned too low, we are forced to bow our heads and to move it a little forward, what deforms our cervical spine. Cervical spine deformations are the cause of excessive headaches and pains in the upper part of the back;
- Vibrations caused by machines and/or vehicles. The most exposed on this type of danger are mainly the operators of construction machinery and also drivers who spend a lot of time behind the wheel;
- work requiring standing and leaning for excessively long time;
Many of these negative factors that affect the health of our spine at work can be avoided, but it requires knowledge what these factors are and how to prevent them. As an example, relocating our monitor so that its center is lined up with our eye level will force us to take the proper position of our cervical spine. Immediately, the muscle tension in the upper back is reduced. Also, the pain of the upper part of the spine along with headaches are decreased or even disappear.
There are also negative factors interacting with small intensity, but in the long term which occur due to our way of life.
For instance:
- abdominal obesity, which deforms the natural curvature of lumbar part of the spine;
- prolonged sitting in an uncomfortable position e.g. while watching TV;
- in case of children and youth, when their muscles, joints and tendons cannot keep up with the rapid growth of their torso;
- in case of children and youth, wrong position of the torso while learning.
The deformation of the spine’s natural curvature increases the risk of back pain, sciatica, headaches. It is incomprehensible that people can spend several minutes or longer on brushing their teeth and the same treat their spine as something irrelevant to their health. And yet the pain of sciatica is incomparable with the pain of teeth. Tooth ache can be quickly eliminated while back pain can last very long, even several months and it cannot be that easily appeased… Even with very strong painkillers which are also negative to our health. It is impossible to restore the health of the spine as one can easily restore the health of one’s teeth.
Why do we neglect our own spine
- What is it with this negligence of our spines’ health? This situation happens because people do not have the particular knowledge concerning the consequences of this negligence. A common person has not enough movement and exercises for abdominal muscles and back muscles, together known as muscles of the trunk, are neglected even by the people who practice various sports, FITNESS or even bodybuilding.
This action is very irresponsible because strong abdominals and back muscles are crucial for our health at any age. Unfortunately, their tendency is to weaken with our age.
How to avoid or reduce back pain
- Fortunately, in recent years, many health experts highlights the necessity of physical exercises.
Physical exercises are one of the most important ways to expand our life span, improve health, reduce our pain and suffering from various diseases. We should exercise every part of our body, but the exercises for the health of our spine deserve special attention. Properly adjusted exercises will improve flexibility, increase strength and even reduce back pain. Knowing the best exercises improving the health of our spine is necessary to form the best possible training plan for a healthy spine. Properly adjusted physical exercises not only will help us build strong abdominals and back muscles, allowing us to prevent spine diseases but also help to treat most kinds of back pain. Systematic abdominal and back muscles trainings is the best prevention for the health of our spine. Not only to avoid the slow and systematic deformations of our spine caused by negative factors associated with our work and not so hygienic, concerning our spine, lifestyle but also to protect us from unfortunate events like car accidents. If we build a strong muscle corset, it will function as an armor protecting our spine.
Abdominal and back muscles training should be included in our daily hygiene and care for our good health.
Abdominals and back muscles: Their role and responsibilities
- The bones of the spine are like a frame of the back. This frame is connected with a complex system of muscles and ligaments that increase the durability and stability of the spine, arms and legs. Abdominal muscles and back muscles are essential elements of this muscle network to keep the body in vertical position and allow for movement. When these torso muscles are in bad condition, they no longer fulfill their function for the spine and the risk of back pain or back injury is more probable.
The objectives of exercise on back and abdominal muscles
- Exercise on abdominal and back muscles should be focused on muscles grouped in three categories:
- extensor muscles (back and buttocks). These muscles are used to straighten the back and buttocks.
- flexer muscles (abdominals and ilio-lumbar muscles). These muscles are used for the deflection and support of the spine. Flexer muscles also control the arch of lumbar spine.
- oblique muscles (lateral muscles). These muscles are used to stabilize the spine in the upright position. Abdominal oblique muscles take part in the rotation of the spine, help to keep the proper posture and curvature of the spine.
Some of these muscles are used in mundane actions of daily life. For example buttocks are used every time you walk or climb. To sum up, abdominal and back muscles are responsible for many important functions and they require conscious approach in their strengthening so that they could keep their role and function properly. If we neglect the condition of these muscles, they will disappear causing problems with back pain.
Benefits from abdominal and back muscles training
- Muscles that are too weak or too tight do not provide the sufficient support for the spine. The lack of adequate support leads to abnormal posture and, as a consequence, may cause problems with the bone tissue of the spine, thus creating a highly increased risk of pain or injury of the back.
Physical exercises that increase the strength of abdominals and back muscles are the best possible remedy preventing these problems because of :
• Reduced probability of spinal injury occurrence like sciatica, which is connected with enormous and long-lasting pain.
• They help in reducing the severity of back pain.
• Efficient protection from spinal injuries occurred in unfortunate and sudden events.
• In some cases, where a spinal injury has already happen, helping to avoid difficult back surgery.
• Facilitated recovery from spinal injuries or after back surgeries.
• Improved body posture.
Abdominal and back training guidelines
- While beginning your training on abdominal and back muscles:
• Do NOT start training for the first time while enduring a severe back pain without consulting your doctor or spine specialist.
• Do NOT stop or postpone your training because of pain or injury. Just decrease the intensity of the exercise.
• Try to implement abdominal and back muscles exercises into your daily routine.
• Perform exercises that strengthen your abdominals and back symmetrically.
• Perform your abdominal and back muscles exercises at least 4 times per week.
• Be patient! Building up tangible and visible effects can last 6 or more weeks.
• Consult a physiotherapist or physical exercise specialist what exercises on abdominals and back muscles you should perform. It is essential to learn the proper technique and know the best suitable weights you may use while your training. It is very important, especially when you start to do these exercises for the first time.