- All of the muscles of the torso work together to keep the spine stable. If one group is overly tight, the opposing group becomes over-stretched to compensate. An over-stretched muscle sends the same pain signals as an overly tight one. In the case of the back, the abdominal and pectoral muscles become over-tight, from poor posture, and pull on the back muscles. Stretching the back muscles alone may briefly relieve the pain, then make it worse. Incorporate exercises that stretch the abs and chest as well as the back.
- When doing resistance exercises, we tend to focus on the abs, and the ever-elusive six-pack, and forget about our backs. This results in muscle imbalances which can lead to back pain. We also tend to avoid back exercises for fear of straining the back and exacerbating existing back pain. Keep your torso balanced by doing resistance exercises that open the shoulders and extend the back.
- Stretch carefully, and focus on back-bends to open up the chest and abs. Try face-down, stretches, like the cobra where you keep your pelvis on the floor and push up on your elbows or hands. Keep your shoulders neutral, engage your abs and avoid tucking your chin. Stretch only as far as is comfortable, avoid hyper-extending your back and stop if you feel pain. Alternate between forward bends and back bends and hold each pose for at least 20 seconds.
- Engage your abs to protect your lower back and alternate between the front and back of your body. Maintain proper form at all times -- feet flat, at no more than hip width, and knees soft. Keep your head centered and your spine neutral. When doing bending exercises, like bent rows, hinge forward at the hips and keep your torso parallel to the floor. Avoid motions that have you bending at the waist and twisting. If you feel pain, stop and gently stretch. Do two sets of 15 reps, to start. If you are unable to do 15, clean repetitions -- a rep done in proper form without assistance -- lower the resistance.
