Lower Back Prehab

Matthieu Hertilus · 06-02-2009, 09:41 AM

I find that my lower back aches tremendously even during warm-up drills (burgener warm up, Javorian complex, etc)). I do basic Dynamic Range of Motion movements and foam roll before starting yet my lower back still aches. Any suggestions on prehab drills/ stretches I should be doing or is this a bigger problem?

Steven Low · 06-02-2009, 09:52 AM

Is the problem muscular or spiny/bony?

If it's the former then get a deep tissue massage and/or stretch + foam roll

If it's the latter you might wanna see a doc or take it easy on the exercise...

Blair Lowe · 06-02-2009, 11:48 PM

How's your sleep position ( do you sleep on your side or stomach )? How much sitting?

Hang from a bar or rings and do sideways straddle swings and hip circles. Can help and loosen things up. Good for shoulders and neck too.

I've always been partial to doing seal stretches and yoga plow thingie in my warmup besides those side twisting things ( scorpion? ) or windshield wipers on back. A lot of this was caused by a lot of sitting in my car during a commute, I think.

Matthieu Hertilus · 06-03-2009, 07:30 AM

Thanks for the advice. I usually sleep on my side, and unfortunately I do a lot of sitting as I spend a lot of time writing and researching. At this point I'm being very careful about it by shifting all my focus to a stable core when I lift and including some iron crosses in my warm-up. Anyone have any thoughts on heat or ice therapy for the lower back?

Steven Low · 06-03-2009, 08:27 AM

Swelling or bony/ligament/tendon = ice
Muscle = heat

Emily Mattes · 06-03-2009, 10:49 AM

I had been having tightness and soreness issues in my lower back that rolling, heat, Icy Hot, and any amount of stretching wasn't helping. The onset came when I started hitting a heavy squat period in my programming AND spent a lot more time sitting in the car due to a move.

A friend of mine with the same issues told me to start stretching my glutes more, like ridiculously more--the first couple of days I did maybe twenty minutes a day of just glute stretching, holding each stretch for five minutes before switching. It has worked great. Perhaps try stretching out the glutes and hamstrings? His theory was inflexible glutes were pulling the lower back down and preventing a proper lumbar curve.