Exercise is intended to enhance health, but it can sometimes lead to physical discomfort for various reasons. Lower back pain, in particular, often originates from incorrect posture during workouts.
Have you ever felt a sharp pain in your lower back while exercising? There can be several causes for lower back pain, but it is typically because of pressure on the discs between the vertebrae in the lower back.
As a result, movements like squats or deadlifts, which involve bending the lower back and lifting heavy weights directly, can easily cause lower back pain. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the lower back straight and maintain neutral spine alignment by exerting force on the abdomen.
Interestingly, lower back pain can still occur during shoulder, chest, or back exercises, which may not appear directly related to the lower back.
Exercises like the overhead press or shoulder press, also known as “shoulder exercises,” involve sitting on a chair and pushing weights upwards against gravity. During these movements, our torso remains stationary, and only the shoulders and arms are engaged to lift the weight. However, this can exert significant strain on the lower back.
The lumbar region of our body resembles a slightly curved stick bending forward. Therefore, when a large external resistance is applied from above, this lumbar region can further bend, causing the discs to be compressed and leading to pain.
Also, “chest exercises” like bench presses, which involve lying down or leaning on a bench, require a strong footing on the ground to lift the weight. In this case, the force pushing downward due to gravity and the support from the feet can meet, leading to hyperextension in the lower back and potential discomfort.
In the case of “back exercises” like lat pulldowns and seated rows, where the lower back is not used, hyperextension of the lower back is not caused by resistance but can occur due to excessive bending of the lower back itself.
The latissimus dorsi is a muscle located in our back and plays a key role in these exercises as it allows us to pull our arm down and bend our waist. However, beginners who are not familiar with their body’s range of motion can excessively bend their lower back to generate strong force in the latissimus dorsi, leading to lower back pain.
Therefore, if you have lower back pain while strength training, it is necessary to be aware that any exercise can exert pressure on your lower back and then perform the movement accordingly. Always apply force to the abdomen, maintain pressure, and ensure that the lower back does not deform. It’s crucial to perform movements with proper form, maintaining abdominal pressure, and ensuring that the lower back remains stable and doesn’t bend excessively.
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