You don’t have a bad back, you have weak abdominals and never learnt how to breathe and brace, oh and you probably move poorly too.
When you pick something up from the floor you need to do so in a hinge pattern which is a swivel of the hip engaging the low ab’s, utilising the hamstrings to then open the hip and the abs to stabilise and protect your back. However, most people pick things from the floor in a squat pattern which by default loads the erectors/ low back which they are not designed for. This over the course of time leads to a bulging disc which in itself is not problematic as the majority of people have a disc bulge and are unaware, however, continued stress through these poor movement patterns leads to herniation and worse.
The solution is to learn how to breathe and brace engaging the core muscles.
Bracing is an important skill. It’s one that needs constant practice. And it’s one that when absent leaves you at major risk for injury.
Solid bracing is a 360-degree action that includes a variety of muscles to be stiff in coordination with each other.
So remember, you don’t have a back problem, you have a movement problem and through improved movement patterns and learning how to engage the right muscles you have to prevent and get out of back pain.
