Prevent Lower Back Pain

The most common injury or problem experienced by many athletes as well as most sedentary people, pertains to the lower back. Every year studies show that over 85% of the population suffers or has suffered from back problems at least once during the year. When a low back problem happens to competing athletes it could mean the end of their season if not career.

From what I have been able to determine most gyms and teams offer programs or some exercises for strengthening the lower back. Many strength coaches believe that the back muscles are strengthened when the athlete does exercises such as the squat and deadlift.

But because we still have so many low back injuries, it can only be concluded that we are not doing the best exercises to strengthen the lower back. Since exercise technique also plays a role it can be concluded that the technique is not as good as it could be in relation to back problems.

Because many exercises involve the lower back, as for example, the squat, deadlift, good morning, power clean, hyperextension, overhead press, reverse plank, unsupported T-bar rows and Superman, it does not necessarily follow that they are most effective in strengthening the lower back.

One reason for this is that these exercises do not involve the lower back muscles in their primary action for which they are best suited. This action, in which they are totally involved, is spinal extension in which the spine is straightened from a fully bent over or flexed position.

Studies have shown that it is spinal flexion or extension that typically causes an injury. Because of this it is necessary to strengthen the muscles that are actively involved in these actions. Note that in spinal flexion the lower back erector spinae muscles contract eccentrically to control the movement. In spinal extension the lower back erector spinae muscles contract concentrically to straighten and even hyperextend the spine.

Another primary action of the erector spinae muscles is shoulder rotation to the rear. This is a movement that is generally misunderstood. When most people see rotation of the shoulders they believe is the abdominals that are at work. This is true only when rotation is to the front or forward, but not when rotation is to the rear as typically occurs in the preparatory actions in many sports.

When you do exercises such as the squat, deadlift, hyperextension, etc. the low back muscles contract isometrically to stabilize the spine. The lower back erector spinae muscles are not involved in a dynamic regime which is needed for full and complete strengthening of the muscles. This is especially important when if the sports movement is through a full range of motion of bending or twisting.

The only exercise that I have found that strengthens the lower back erector spinae muscles through a full range of motion is the back raise. This is an exercise that I made more popular because of this unique benefit. In the back raise exercise you start with the spine in a flexed position and then straighten and arch the back through the full range of motion for complete strengthening of the lower back muscles. This exercise is best performed on the Yessis Glute Ham Back Machine.

To strengthen the lower back muscles in their rotary function, it is necessary to do the back raise with a twist, also known as the reverse good morning. This exercise is also best done on the Yessis Glute Ham Back Machine.

For more information see Biomechanics and Kinesiology of Exercise.