Lumbar Spine

More than 90% of the population suffer from lower back pain. Let's do a little test, check the items that you have did for the past 2 months.

Stability

1. Sit up/Crunches (No image required)
2. Windmill
   
3. Abdominal Twist
   
4. Sit up/Crunches with twist (No image required)
5. Lying bent stretch
   
6. Any other kind of mid body exercises that have movement (most)

If you did at least 1 of the above, this is just 1 of the reason for your lower back pain.

As stated in my previous article, lumbar spine (lower back) requires stability, by creating movement, you are creating instability.

Posture

Try to see if you have a good posture. Stand up straight, look at your lower back. Is there a slight arch? If it's straight, you have a flat back posture. If there's a big arch, you have lordosis. Look at the picture below for a picture of the normal spine.

Most of us are have a normal spine from birth. The curve has increased/decreased over the year due to poor movement pattern or very low inactivity in life.

Example - desk bound job

Some of you may require long hours of sitting in your chair. With this physical inactivity, the followings may happen.

Shortening of hip flexor --> posterial tilt of pelvic spine
Inhibiting of glut muscle --> more dominant hamstring (faulty firing pattern of muscle)
And a lot more.

All these will have a chain of reactions that lead to worse posture and movement pattern of our body.

For a start,

• stop doing any of the exercises listed above.
• do not stay in your seat for too long, take a short break of standing up and walking around every 10-20 minutes.
• get the right curve for your spine
• start the right core training to your body for stability

If you have any question on how to get the right curve or how to do the right core training, do not hesitate to email me.

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