Low back pain impacts the lives of nearly 80 percent of Americans and they contribute to the more than 86 billion dollar annual price tag for low back pain. According to spinal biomechanics researcher Dr. Stuart McGill, the best cure is never being injured to begin with. The best way to accomplish the task is to ensure proper body mechanics.
Background
Back pain is a medical mystery, as the symptoms are widely variable and imaging studies like MRI and X-ray are largely ineffective in determining causes. A 1994 study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" of 98 pain-free spines revealed that 82 percent of subjects demonstrated visible damage. In 1998, Drs. James Porterfield and Carl DeRosa hypothesized that the issue was one of movement.
Movement of the Spine
The anatomy of the spine, according to DeRosa and Porterfield, can be divided into three distinct segments, each with an independent role. The low back, or lumbar spine, the most commonly injured segment, is designed in such a way that it requires a high degree of stability or the absence of movement to remain entirely healthy. The middle back, called the thoracic spine, has a great deal of freedom of motion in many directions. DeRosa asserts that if the thoracic spine loses mobility, the lumbar spine must move more and back pain is more likely to arise. The cervical spine, commonly called the neck, possesses both good mobility and a demand for stability.
The Ankle and the Spine
Though it seems counterintuitive that a joint far from the spine can have profound ramifications on the back, a 2009 study indicated that those who suffer from lack of ankle range of motion have impaired spinal stability mechanisms and are more likely to suffer from low back pain. Optimize the health of your ankles and back using the wall ankle mobilization drill. Stand with your toes 3 inches from a wall. Keep your heel in contact with the floor and gradually push your knee toward the wall just outside of your pinky toe. Perform up to 15 repetitions from this position and do two to three sets on each ankle.
Use Your Hips
Good movement from the hips is essential for preventing back injuries. Instead of bending from your back to lift, Dr. McGill suggests utilizing the hip hinge strategy. Place a broomstick along the length of your spine contacting the back of your head, between your shoulder blades and your tailbone. Reach behind you and slowly lower your torso toward the floor. When you are unable to maintain all three points of contact, return to the starting position and repeat up to nine more times. As you advance, you can hold weights in your hands to improve your strength.
Mechanics of Daily Living
Injuries to the back do not only occur during exercise or lifting of heavy objects, so you must be cognizant of your mechanics in all activities. Shoveling snow is often dangerous for some low back pain sufferers, but with the proper mechanics it can be done. Dr. McGill suggests that after scooping a shovel of snow, you should put your front elbow on your knee before standing to lessen the spinal load. Many have difficulty placing objects on high shelves, which can be resolved by improving the mobility of your shoulders so that you do not have to extend your back too far to reach above your head.
References
- "Low Back Disorders"; Stuart McGill, PhD; 2007
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People without Back Pain; Maureen Jensen, PhD; July 14, 1994
- "Mechanical Low Back Pain"; James Porterfield, PhD and Carl DeRosa, PhD; 1998
- "Medicine in Sport"; Impaired Trunk Stability in Subjects with Ankle Instability; Jim Marshal; 2009
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