Popular Exercises That Can Cause Back Pain
By Sara Butler
Your chiropractor loves it when you come in for your adjustment and tell them about your exercise routine! Physical fitness is one of the keys to your overall health and wellness and it supports the health of your spine too. There are some exercises that are all the rage right now that can lead you to a back injury. Here are some of the most popular exercises that can hurt your back!
The Superman
When you’re working out it can make you feel just like a superhero, but don’t actually assume this superhero position. The Superman is often done to build back strength, but it hyperextends your spine. Common conditions that cause back pain, such as spondylolysis, have been found to be associated with the overuse of your back extender muscles – the very muscles used in this exercise.
So, instead of the trying to emulate this superhero with a not-so-super exercise move, try to do a proper plank to strengthen your muscles without overextending the spine. No one says you can't run around in a cape, though.
Push-Ups
Push-ups seem very straightforward, but they make it very easy to injure your back if not done correctly. If you don’t have the strength to hold your hips in their proper place during this exercise and you allow them to sag, you increase the chance of injuring your back. The same goes for rounding your upper back as you perform a push-up. These are common form flaws when people attempt push-ups, so while doing them you need to take care to fall into these form traps.
To help ensure you do this exercise correctly, take your time. Pause at the top and the bottom of the push-up and try to focus on your form as you build strength. This will ensure you’re doing it right to both decrease your chance of injury and reap all the benefits!
Lunges
It doesn’t matter what type of lunge you might be attempting, the concern is the same for lateral, reverse or forward lunges. If you allow your upper back to become rounded and your lower back to overarch, then you can hurt your back. You also don’t want to allow your knees to collapse in since that will place more stress on your lower back and hips.
You have to remember that the goal of a lunge is to target your lower body, so use your abdominal muscles to help control the movement and keep your spine in line. Also, make sure you really focus on keeping your hips and knees in line with your middle toes in order to keep your back safe.
If you have questions about the proper form for exercise or worry that exercises you are attempting are damaging your back, discuss it with your chiropractor during your next visit to The Joint Chiropractic.
