There are no Handrails in the game of Life!

Last time that I checked, there are no handrails in life. At no time is there any guarantee of balance, stability or control. You and your body must be able to provide the control necessary to avoid injury, this could be from falling, stumbling, poor muscle contraction etc.. So one would assume that exercising while SITTING on a stable surface is not such a good thing, it does not allow you to fire the muscles necessary to stimulate balance or stability, but that's what people still do. Last time I looked working twice as hard as you have to is not a good thing, but that's what people do, work more to get less. There is a way to do less, get more and decrease the chances of injury....what a concept!. Functional training is just that and it allows you to exercise like your body was meant to and actually achieve the results you want, all while limiting or reducing back pain.

Couch Potatoes unite

It's football season again, and for most that means hours sinking deeper and deeper into the couch. Has anyone ever equated how they feel monday morning to their activities ( or lack their of) over the weekend. Would a walk in the A.M. and some light stretching during the game be so bad (yes you must put down your beer to stretch). If you have bought the book you have realized that TV time is perfect for the foam roller, pain anyone?. Sarcasm asside, we all complain about how we feel monday but who is to blame. Simple exercises done randomly at home are easy to do and continue your advancement on the path toward freedom from back pain. Now get up and go for a walk.

Walk to ease the Pain

Did you know that the simple act of getting off your behind and going for a walk will significantly reduce back pain. Just walking at a comfortable pace while letting the arms swing normally will actually 'lubricate' the spine which decreases the friction between the disk-vertebrae-nerve. Walking also forces the muscles in your glutes, back and ab's to do their job and if they are doing their job they can not spasm and cause as much pain...what a concept, and so simple.!

Stop the Insanity

Please excuse my rant. It never ceases to amaze me, no matter how many times I go the gym or interview 'trainers' for a job, the amazing lack of understanding in the fitness industry. Almost constantly I see 'trainers' destroying their clients who have entrusted their bodies to them. These trainers, who mean well, just do not have the understanding of how the human body actually works. As I explained to a trainer yesterday, it is easy to provide someone with exercises, it is much harder to provide them with the appropriate exercises that that person actually needs, and for that matter exercises that will not hurt that person. PLEASE make sure that your trainer is Certified nationally( NSCA, NASM,) and take the time to be self informed enough to know if your trainer does not know. The information is out there, it is almost all online, just take the time to learn some of it, please. If not just buy my book and at least learn the basic exercises to strengthen the spine and pelvis....(shameless plug.)

You may be hurting your back trying to help it!

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Is it possible that performing the same old exercises is actually making you weaker or reinforcing your injury. have you ever stoped to think that if the exercises you have done for years, the ones you never saw any results with, may not be achieving their goals. With the advent of the computer, specifically computer EMG's (electro myelogram) we now have the ability to see and read how the muscles contract. Guess what we learned? many of the exercises we performed in the past were not the best for us. There is a better way and better exercises, we now have the ability to work less and get more out of it while not causing any injury to ourselves....muscular efficiency.

Just Move

While I was working on the ambulance this weekend (in between calls) I was catching up on my journals, you know, an idle mind..... I came across a study on back pain sufferers and their recovery from their injury, none had any surgical intervention. Of all the people surveyed, and it was a good amount of participants over a longer period of time, they all had one thing in common. They all continued to exercise, stretch and eat well. The study clearly showed that those that just stayed active (yard work, house work, walking etc.) all had almost no recurrence from their pain. I guess you can say they took responsibility for their pain.

Back Pain does not have to change you

It is unfortunate, but for the majority of chronic (greater than 3 months) back pain sufferers the pain alters them. Anyone that has been in severe unrelenting pain for long periods knows that it will change you. Anger, fatigue, depression, inactivity, inattention, presentteism.....are all symptoms brought on by the pain. why does this occur? the simple answer is chemicals. Pain causes the release of chemicals in the brain that make you feel bad, what is the answer?, GET MOVING. The research is clear, inactivity leads to depression, fatigue, weight gain and weakness. Pain causes you to not want to move which perpetuates the problem. As I said before, take responsibility for your pain, do not wear it as a badge. Of the thousands of people who beat back problems the all came to terms with their pain and took it on.