Lower back pain occurs with most individuals at some point in their life. I see clients and gym-goers with this issue on a regular basis. There are number of variables that I try to integrate into my training programs including correcting muscle imbalances/deficiencies, improve core strength and develop proper flexibility in all 3 planes of motion to combat this problem. Many times individuals experiencing lower back pain have a weak core (specifically anterior core) and dysfunction of their glutes. However, I want to focus on another variable that affects lower back pain – lack of range of motion at specific areas of the body. The lower back (lumbar spine) is not designed to have excessive range of motion during activities. If an individual lacks range of motion in their hips and thoracic spine, then excessive stress could be placed on the lumbar spine. We need range of motion (in all 3 planes) to come from the hips and thoracic spine to help prevent lower back pain and dysfunction.
Strategies to protect the lower back
Make sure you are incorporating movements that require the hip to function in the sagital plane (hip extension – squats/deadlifts), frontal plane (adduction/abduction – lateral lunges/kettlebell windmill), and transverse plane (internal/external rotation – chops/transverse rotational lunges).
Develop thoracic spine extension (sagital plane) – try using a foam roller on the upper back to work on proper range of motion. Check out this clip for an example. To target the frontal and transverse plane I use dumbbell shoulder presses at different angles (lateral and rotational).
Integration is always better than isolation, so practice these exercises to develop all 3 planes of motion in the hip and thoracic spine at the same time. Click here.
Train Hard-Train Smart
www.asap-pt.com
When you take a look at the hamstring muscles it easy see that muscles work on all 3 planes motion. The three planes of motion are sagital (forward/backward), frontal (side to side), and transverse (rotational). You can clearly see how the hamstring raps around the leg inserting into the tibia and fibula. The hamstrings are not just muscles that work to flex the knee in the sagital plane, as most individuals believe (including trainers, PTs, and strength coaches). Instead, they work to control the lower half of the body during movements in all three planes of motion. They play a huge role in decelerating the body when moving and changing direction – which takes place in all planes of motion. Also, the hamstrings work to help assist the glutes during hip extension.
