Is lifting heavy, not necessarily at the gym but on the job or around the house, the most common cause of chronic low back pain?
Instead of lifting with the legs, many people force their lower back to absorb forces that this area was not designed to take on.
Dr. Meghan Murphy, a neurosurgeon with the Mayo Clinic Health System, says that lifting something heavy the wrong way can trigger back pain — but it’s rarely the biggest cause of this leading visit to the doctor.
More often, back pain is linked to long periods of sitting, poor posture, excess weight and genetics.
These everyday factors tend to put more strain on the spine over time than does the occasional heavy lift.
As for lifting in the gym, the vast majority of people who conduct very heavy maneuvers have honed their skills in proper technique.
If you were to walk into a typical gym, you would have to be there a long while before you finally saw someone attempting to deadlift over 400 pounds or press a 175 pound barbell over their heads while standing.
This doesn’t mean that lighter lifts can’t strain the lower back; they most certainly can when the person is new to strength training or just hasn’t given much thought to correct form.
But most people with chronic low back pain aren’t buff bodied athletes.
If you’ve been making sure to always “lift with your legs” around the house and on the job, and making sure you use good form if you’re a gym-goer, this doesn’t mean you have a green light to brush off those other potential causes of ongoing back discomfort.
You can’t change your genetics, but you can improve your posture (don’t slouch while seated) and also make efforts to reduce sitting time.
If you’re overweight you can also make efforts to drop some pounds. The spine doesn’t like excess weight.
Simple Habits That Support Long Term Back Health
Some back issues are unavoidable due to injury, arthritis or genetics.
Still, a few everyday habits can make a big difference.
It can’t be said too much: A healthy weight reduces stress on the spine and joints.
The human spine was not designed to support a hundred, even 50, pounds of extra weight relative to height.
Strengthening core muscles helps support the back and take pressure off the spinal column.
Staying active keeps muscles flexible and strong, which is essential for long-term back health.
Ask yourself what you can do to increase your physical activity.
Below are some great core exercises that strengthen the low back.
Freepik/yanalya
Freepik
Shutterstock/fizkes
Shutterstock/Diego Cervo
Shutterstock/Motortion Films
Freepik
Freepik/nikitabuida
Dr. Murphy treats spinal and brain pathology. Her focuses include degenerative spine disease, and traumatic brain and spine injury.
