lower back pain

Dear coaches,

TLDR: can I do exercises where a "hollow" position is recommended with a neutral spine instead (eg. pull-ups)

I have 1 year of calisthenics experience before starting with gymnastic bodies. In that time I have had lower back pain which has steadily got worse. I was hoping that gymnastic bodies structured approach would help, but it has continued to get worse. It is particularly bad during any movement that involves the lower back eg. jefferson curls, stiff legged windmills, hip rotations.

I recently read one of Stuart McGill's book about back pain. He is a professor in the area of lower back pain.

After looking at the situation it seems likely my pain is related to a spinal disc which bulges in spinal flexion.

FOr the last week I have stopped exercising except when performing exercises recommended by McGill. He prescribes training the core by exercises that resist movement with the spine in a neutral position (McGill curl-up, side planks and bird dogs). He recommends avoiding any spinal flexion.

It seems that many gymnastic exercises involve some degree of spinal flexion eg. bent leg hollow body hold.

Do I have to give up or can I adapt the exercises and do them with a neutral spine, even though a "hollow" position is the recommended form?

Many thanks

Guy Stephens

On 6/5/2020 at 2:31 PM, DR GUY J STEPHENS said:

Dear coaches,

TLDR: can I do exercises where a "hollow" position is recommended with a neutral spine instead (eg. pull-ups)

I have 1 year of calisthenics experience before starting with gymnastic bodies. In that time I have had lower back pain which has steadily got worse. I was hoping that gymnastic bodies structured approach would help, but it has continued to get worse. It is particularly bad during any movement that involves the lower back eg. jefferson curls, stiff legged windmills, hip rotations.

I recently read one of Stuart McGill's book about back pain. He is a professor in the area of lower back pain.

After looking at the situation it seems likely my pain is related to a spinal disc which bulges in spinal flexion.

FOr the last week I have stopped exercising except when performing exercises recommended by McGill. He prescribes training the core by exercises that resist movement with the spine in a neutral position (McGill curl-up, side planks and bird dogs). He recommends avoiding any spinal flexion.

It seems that many gymnastic exercises involve some degree of spinal flexion eg. bent leg hollow body hold.

Do I have to give up or can I adapt the exercises and do them with a neutral spine, even though a "hollow" position is the recommended form?

Many thanks

Guy Stephens

 

 

 

hi Guy, personally and professionally speaking, it is time to have a physiotherapist check. At time moment I do not have the instruments to help you. Lower back pain can be critical so instead of searching a solution autonomously is better having directly a professional suggestion.

My experience with physiotherapist in the past has been very disappointing. They seem interested in short-term symptom relief alone. I have never received advice on my posture for instance. 

My back has been a lot better since I limited spinal flexion.

I realise you cannot really give any specific advice. I will start out with some rows and push ups and see how it goes I suppose

I understand your point, finding a good PT is not easy. my personal PT gives always me a strategy to heal and avoid it again. i do not understand this discrepancy in the PT world.

On 6/7/2020 at 12:30 PM, Alessandro Mainente said:

I understand your point, finding a good PT is not easy. my personal PT gives always me a strategy to heal and avoid it again. i do not understand this discrepancy in the PT world.

 

I can only tell you my experience with the Patients world: 99% of low back pain patients WANT a short term solution!

This is half way understandeable for people with no sport background...

But even the normal sportsmen just want their body to function again to be able to do _______ (insert anything like running, biking, skiing, tennis, golf etc) because they are not willing to LEARN coordination between lumbar spine/pelvis/hips, where almost all low back pain arises from.

My nicest patient last year walked in on crutches with a MRI-confirmed disc hernia: we started with passive lumbar extension exercises, followed by static core tesion positions like short plank, then went on to progressively extending his range of motion, and working on hip mobility. I was able to convince him to join Gymnasticbodies when he reached Level 1 after a few weeks and went on with coaching lessons every 2-3 weeks. After 2 month he was able to start bouldering again... and he does bouldering on a very high level!

CANDY for a passionate Physio