It happens to most of us sooner or later. A trip to the gym ends in a stab of pain and the recognition that you’ve just messed up your back. The only question is ‘how bad the pain will be?’ followed quickly by ‘how long it will last?’ But while most of us blame whatever activity we were doing when we first felt that pain—whether we were lifting weights or running point—the foundation for your back injury was probably laid during those hours before you got to the gym when you were sitting at your desk or in your car.
A lot of chair time compresses the bones and muscles of your back. Too much sedentary time also robs your trunk and back of the strength they require to hold you upright and in proper alignment, says Mary Ann Wilmarth, Ph.D., and CEO of Back2Back Physical Therapy.
The result: guys think they hurt themselves working out, when it was really all the sitting that primed them for back pain and injury. Here are four moves that can save your back and four you should avoid, or at least approach with caution.
DON’T DO: SIT-UPS
With bad form, that is. Old school, hands-clasped-behind-your-head sit-ups can be bad news for your lower back, Wilmarth says. The problem starts when you use your hands to yank up on your head, which, according to Wilmarth, can put too much pressure on your neck and upper spine. In some cases, that “quick flexion” can lead to a herniated disc.
You want to use your abs and core to raise or lower your body throughout the movement, she says. And if your form starts to break down, take a break.
Do: Pilates
DO: PILATES
While most of us assume our bodies naturally understand how to move and support our spine and back during exercise, that’s not true, says Marie-Louise Bird, Ph.D., a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of British Columbia.
Along with strengthening your core, Pilates training establishes better lines of communication between your mind and your body, Bird explains. “It’s about teaching the muscles how to support the loads imposed on them by your body’s movement,” she says.
Along with preventing back injury, Pilates can also reduce low-back pain, according to a 2006 study in the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation thanks to the practice’s focus on core stability.
Don’t do: Heavy Overhead Lifts
DON’T DO: HEAVY OVERHEAD LIFTS
While you can get away with overhead lifting if your form is perfect, Wilmarth says even slight breakdowns in technique can lead to back injury.
“If you allow the low-back to arch, that puts too much compression on the vertebrae of your spine,” she says. That’s especially true if you’re grabbing heavy weights.
“You see a lot of vertebrae fractures with inexperienced lifters,” she adds.
Do: Planks
DO: PLANKS
While crunches drool, planks rule, Wilmarth says. “These better engage and strengthen your core, and also put more consistent, even tension on your abdominal muscles,” she says.
Since your core and abs support your back and spine, strengthening them helps prevent injury, she adds. Follow these pointers to make sure you’re planking the right way.
Don’t Do: Incline Leg Presses
DON’T DO: INCLINE LEG PRESSES
Wilmarth says the leg press machine that has you angled back—with your legs above your head—“puts your back in an awkward, flexed position.”
Compared to other leg machines, this one-ups your risk for a tear or some other back injury that you may only feel over time, not suddenly.
Do: Balance Exercises
DO: BALANCE EXERCISES
The term “proprioception” refers to your awareness of your body and the positions of its limbs.
If a cop has ever asked you to stand on one leg, or to close your eyes and touch your nose (hopefully not), the officer was testing your level of sobriety, but also the soundness of your proprioception.
Balancing exercises strengthen your proprioception, which can prevent falls and also help you avoid movements that lead to back injury, says Dr. Alan Reznik, M.D., a Connecticut-based orthopedic surgeon.
He recommends standing on one leg and raising your opposite knee to waist height. Do this for 10 seconds, then switch legs and repeat. That’s one round. Do 10 rounds a day.
Don’t Do: Incorrect Squats
DON’T DO: INCORRECT SQUATS
Squats are a great exercise for your lower body, but Wilmarth says too many men try to squat massive amounts of weight and end up hurting their backs in the process.
“The real problem is you can get away with bad technique when you’re young, and you think nothing bad will happen—until it happens,” she says. “Even if you haven’t been injured doing squats, that doesn’t mean you’re doing them right.”
She recommends starting over with body-weight squats, and perfecting your form before adding weight. Basically, re-teach yourself the exercise—the right way.
Do: Yoga
DO: YOGA
Similar to Pilates, yoga improves both core strength and flexibility in those parts of your trunk and torso that support your back and spine, Wilmarth says.
In particular, she says camel pose and child’s pose are two yoga moves that may help stretch and safeguard your back.
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