Back pain can arise from various causes, including diseases of internal organs that give pain to the back, degenerative illnesses, spine injuries and even tumors. Therefore, consulting a doctor and obtaining an accurate diagnosis are essential.
When experiencing back pain, the most dangerous exercises are typically ones with extension of the spine. For example, exercises like “cobra pose,” “boat pose,” and “lying twists” should be avoided. Additionally, hanging from a pull-up bar should be avoided too. Though these exercises are generally beneficial, they may be not suitable for you depending on the stage of the disease, individual characteristics, and they should be performed only after consulting a doctor.
If exercises are prescribed by a physical rehabilitation specialist, he will explain why they are maximally effective and safe. In cases involving athletic achievements and competition preparation, compromises are recommended:
- reduce the overall intensity of training;
- choose an appropriate range of motion;
- decrease resistance weight, etc.
It is important to understand that if an exercise causes or exacerbates pain, it could lead to injury. Often, back pain can be caused by neuralgia and overload of the musculoskeletal system. In such situation, you need to take medicines (Arthroblock forte, Nervz-G, Brufen-400) to reduce the inflammation and alleviate the pain and it is essential to clarify the technique of exercises in this condition. It’s very important to listen to your body and avoid activities that cause pain.
You can try bodyweight exercises. They comprehensively develop multifunctional human abilities. Benefits include reducing the risk of injury, the ability to train anywhere, excellent cardiovascular and respiratory exercise, muscle definition and muscle tone maintenance. It’s important to note that training with bodyweight alone will not be possible to raise bulk muscles. For those prioritizing spinal health over muscle growth, training with bodyweight is a safe option.
To avoid injury, you need to adhere to phasing. A common mistake among people starting their physical development is overestimating their abilities. Without prior regular sports experience, one should not start with activities like running 10 km, lifting 150 kg or pushing 100 kg on the first day of training. Even for those with experience, abrupt resumption of training should be avoided. Even if the workout is not strenuous and muscles do not ache, it does not mean it is inadequate. Always start with simple exercises and gradually progress to more complex ones. Following this principle significantly reduces the risk of injury.
It’s crucial to warm up muscles before each workout to prevent them from being strained and ensure exercises are performed correctly to avoid unnecessary strain on the joints.
The most prudent decision is to entrust the development of a training program to a physical therapist.
Each condition requires its own rehabilitation program. The task of a physical therapist is to safely restore a person to the maximum possible functional mobility. Physical therapists develop individual training programs and exercises for patients, taking into account past training experience, current physical condition, existing limitations, muscle strength, range of motion and much more.