Three moves for better spine health
Spinal instability can cause back pain, but the “Big Three” exercises can help. strong core can stabilize your spine to help keep your lower back healthy and pain-free. The muscles and ligaments surrounding your spine can weaken with age or from an injury, which can make movements like twisting, stretching, lifting, and bending difficult.
“The back often has to compensate for the lack of movement, which causes more stress and load on the muscles,” says Eric L’Italien, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Center.
People with back pain often fear exercise; This can strain their back and cause serious pain. “But a stable spine is also more flexible, so it can support a lot of natural movement,” L’Italien explains. “Healthy exercise can relieve pressure on the back and reduce the risk of pain and injury.”
Full engagement
Complete stability of the spine by measuring the entire core musculature. “This means you’re working all your muscles, from your stomach to your back, at the same time,” says L’Italien.
It can be used when doing jobs that require sudden strength and various movements, such as lifting, carrying food, placing it on the counter or on the floor.
“Spine stability means your entire body works together like a world-class symphony,” L’Italien said. “If something goes wrong, it affects the entire structure.”
How to you get a stable spine
L’Italien, Dr. Stuart McGill is a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo in Canada. These are curls, side planks and bird dog.
“These exercises work all the important muscles needed to develop the spine,” says L’Italien.
Here’s how to do the big Three. You must follow the pyramid sequence: Start with five repetitions (reps) of each of the three exercises. Then repeat each exercise 3 times and finish by doing each exercise once.
As you become ever more conscious, you can increase the number of repetitions at the beginning of each exercise but continue to follow a lower standard.
Do these exercises two to three days a week before your regular exercise. “After a while, you can do these exercises every day,” says L’Italien.
Lie on your back. Place one leg straight on the floor. Bend the knee of the other leg so that the foot is flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your back to support your thoracic spine.
As you exhale, lift your head, shoulders, and chest off the floor as if they were all connected. (Leave the floor far enough away that you can feel the tension in the muscles.) Do not turn your back, hold your chin, or tilt your head back.
Hold for 10 seconds and then slowly lower yourself down.
, then switch leg positions and repeat the sequence to complete the exercise.
Side plank
Lie on your side with your upper body on your hands, your forehead on the floor, and your elbows under your shoulders. Place your free hand on your hip. Move your feet back so that your knees are at a 90° angle.
Lift your hips off the ground in line with your body and hold for 10 seconds. Try to maintain a straight line from your head to your knees. Slowly lower your hips to the floor.
five times, then turn to the other side and repeat the sequence to complete the exercise.
Variation
Straighten your legs instead of bending them for the challenge.
Bird-dog
Get on your hands and knees and lie down on the floor.
Lift your right arm and extend it as far forward as possible, at the same time lift your right arm and extend it behind your body. Keep your arms and legs together on the floor. Make sure your hips are in line with your body and not turned to one side.
Hold for 10 seconds, then return to starting position.
Repeat five times, then switch to the other arm and leg and repeat the sequence to complete the exercise.