Low Back - Exercises and Loading

There are many different core exercises that one can do. Based on your history, some may be better for you to do than others. But some exercises regardless of history, may be creating a future problem without you even knowing it. I happen to have witnessed many lower and mid back injuries while I have been involved with the sport of tennis, and I have to admit that there were times that I implemented the wrong exercises in some of my clients training periods.

Mike Boyle is known as one of the best Strength and Conditioning Coaches in the world. I have watched all of his DVD’s and have loved them. In one of the first episodes, he went over a reading list that he thought important for trainers and coaches to read. One of the books was’ “Lower Back Disorders” by Dr. Stuart McGill.

This book changed the way I looked and trained my clients because it answered many of the questions I had concerning strengthening, prehabing, and rehabing, the lower back area. Although the book is a heavy read, one noteworthy quote from it shows that some extension and flexion exercises exhibit more “loading” on the lower back than others. “Loading” is how much compression occurs in the spinal area that is being trained.

McGill states, “Because exercise is a crucial element of rehabilitation for low back problems, it is crucial that you understand the loads you are imposing on your client’s back when you prescribe an exercise. Otherwise what was intended to by therapeutic may become an exacerbating factor for her back troubles.”

Do you have to have back problems to avoid exercises that involve huge amounts of loading to the lower back? No of course not. Just like tapping your thumb with a hammer, over time, it will become sensitive and begin to hurt. Mark Verstegen in his book Core Performance has a whole section devoted to “Prehab”; Exercises that keep you off the injury list.

Loads on the Low Back During Flexion Exercises

“The Goal is to challenge muscle at appropriate levels but in a way that spares the spine. Too many exercises are prescribed that exceed the tolerance of their compromised tissues. In fact, I believe that many commonly prescribed flexion exercises result in so much spine compression that the client will remain at risk.

For example the commonly prescribed sit up imposes approximately 3300 N (about 730 lbs) of compression to the spine. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (1981) has set the action limit for low back compression at 3300 N repetitive loading above this level is linked with higher injury rates, yet this is imposed on the spine with each repetition of the sit up.”

BAD FOR LOWER BACK

In short, traditional “Superman” pose, where you are prone and your stomach is on the ground is another exercise that McGill says’ “even worse is the commonly prescribed back extension task in clinics, in which the patient lies prone and extends the legs and outstretched arms; this again activates all four extensor sections but imposes up to 6000 N (over 1300 pounds) on a hyperextended spine. Not justifiable for any patient or client.”

MUCH BETTER FOR LOWER BACK!

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