Improving Back Strength with Stronger Muscles
By Debra Rodzinak
If it were not for our muscles, we could not stand, move, or even sit upright! In order to maintain proper posture, mobility, and balance, the body must have strong muscle strength. The muscles are the “wires” that hold the body together. If one part of the body is weak, it will affect the way the rest of the body functions.
How Do Weak Muscles Cause Back Problems?
Your spine is surrounded by muscles on each side. If these muscles are strong and equally balanced, the body will be straight and strong. It is a known fact that most people lack this balance and strength due to a lack of exercise and spine misalignment.
Sitting all day long at a computer screen, driving a car, or sitting on the sofa weaken our muscles. Muscles must be constantly challenged or they become weak and tight. If muscles that surround the spine are never challenged with stretching or exercise, poor posture occurs and this ultimately causes the spine to become misaligned.
Do Weak Muscles Cause Other Problems?
Newton’s third law of physics states, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This is especially true in the human body. Reciprocal inhibition in the body means that when muscles in one area of the body move, there are opposing muscles in the body that move in the opposite direction. If only one set of muscles is moving, the opposite set of muscles are never or rarely moving. This leads to muscle atrophy (weakening).
For example, if a person sits at a desk all day long, the upper back and chest muscles are being used constantly. If these muscles are being used, the body is then relaxing the muscles in the middle back. Over an extended period of time, if the middle back muscles are never challenged, they become weak and do not work as intended. Poor posture, pain, and muscle spasms can occur.
How Can I Fix Weak Muscle Problems?
One of the best ways to fix a problem with weakened muscles is to perform specific exercises that strengthen the weakened muscles. An additional correction is to complete routine chiropractic adjustments and manual therapy. Once the middle back muscles are strengthened, poor posture and tightness in the back will simply disappear.
If you are experiencing back pain due to weak back muscles, come in for a chiropractic evaluation at The Joint. Don’t worry about an appointment or insurance worries, just drop in. Let our doctors at The Joint help you with your back pain today!