June 12, 2023
by Tony Tran

How to help lower back pain, causes and solutions.

Back pain is something almost all of us have to deal with at some point, and for some of us, the condition can be chronic and oppressive. Around 80% of people in the U.S. will experience back pain in their lifetime according the WebMD, and with quarantine and lockdowns on the rise again, agitating conditions such as sitting and sedentary behavior are leading more people to look for answers.

The purpose of this blog will to be to dig into the main causes of back pain and various solutions such as stretches which may help to alleviate the symptoms. Because the main causes of back pain can be serious conditions, you should always consult your doctor about treatment for back pain before going forward with it. As personal trainers, we do not specialize in treating or diagnosing back pain and the underlying issues that cause it. When Personal trainers can give non-medical advice and exercises to loosen tight muscles and strengthen weak muscles to assist in creating better body alignment.

The Main Conditions that Causes Back Pain

Mayo Clinic identifies muscle or ligament pain, bulging or ruptured discs, arthritis, and osteoporosis as common conditions linked to back pain. When A 2017 Statista study reveals patients perceive stress, inadequate exercise, physical work, obesity, spinal disc herniation, sedentary work lifestyle and accidents as causes of their back pain. It’s advised to consult a doctor if you are experiencing back pain, but conservative solutions like corrective exercises and stretching can help manage some conditions.

At Tony Tran Fitness our personal trainers can assess you to help you work around your issues and attempt to alleviate them as well. When Finding exercises that work for you and trying to fix your mechanical issues are part of the core principles that make up our personal training methodology. We will bring up our anatomy app so we can communicate visually what we believe the issue to be, and how to fix it. We will design workouts for you to do outside of the gym on our app so that you can make progress all the time. On top of those solutions, we offer recovery services for you which may loosen your painful muscles and improve your mobility. Click here for our recovery services.

Sciatica Pain Relief

Sciatica is a condition in which an individual experiences radiating pain, or referred pain, from the lower back and buttocks down the leg and even into the foot.However It is caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve which exists in buttocks/hip area.

This compression can be the result of variety of things including, a herniated disc or bulging disc, bone spur, or spinal stenosis. Piriformis syndrome, which is caused by compression of your sciatic nerve from your piriformis muscle (located in the buttocks) can also cause sciatic pain and radiating pain. Therefore Piriformis syndrome is associated with a malfunction of muscles in your buttocks, and improper gluteal muscle function can actually lead to back pain, as weakness in the glutes can cause lower back compensation.

When we sit in chair for 6-8 hours a day, our butt’s muscles weaken and our hip flexors tighten, leading to malfunction. When the problem is a function of the muscles, strengthening and stretching exercises can help rehab the body to perform correctly. However If the problem arises from a disc injury, mobility improvement and core stabilization/strengthening are usually the preferred route. However is difficult to find immediate pain relief for sciatica pain without understanding what the specific issue is, which is why you should always consult with your doctor.

Stretches for Lower Back Pain, And Stretches for Lower Back Pain and Hip Pain

If you believe you have a herniated or bulging disc, some of these stretches may not be appropriate for you, as with any fitness program always consult with your physician before starting something you are new to.

The Effect of Extended Sitting

The Orthopedic Institute of Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky says that slouching, sitting with a rounded back, and leaning to one side while sitting can put stress on specific parts of your back if done for extended periods of time. They also recommend getting a standing desk, something that we highly encourage at Tony Tran Fitness. The Department of Health & Human Services, State Government of Victoria, Australia website discusses how your legs and gluteal muscles will weaken and waste from sitting for extended periods of time which furthers your chance of injury when performing work.

Additionally, sitting causes more stress on your lower back than standing or laying. What is the solution for somebody working from home or from an office? Therefore Using proper posture or switching to a standing desk can provide relief.