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Seven out of 10 women will experience back pain before they’re 50. Here’s how to safeguard one of your most important assets
Your back is one of the most complex, efficient and wonderful parts of your body. It is made up of 24 separate vertebrae, supported by tendons, ligaments and muscles, ranging in size from the huge latissimus dorsi, that stretches from your shoulders all the way down your back, to the tiny teres, minor muscles that pull your upper arms towards your shoulder blades. Your back is extremely flexible and supple, but it’s also understandable that a part of your body with so many moving parts can prove to be such a trouble zone.
If you want to prevent or ease existing back pain, exercise is the answer. And it’s not the high impact kind, but regular, moderate exercise that will help you develop a strong, healthy back. When you’re fit and active, your back and abdominal muscles grow strong and are better able to support your spine, tendons and ligaments. Even if you’ve never experienced severe back pain, exercise can help prevent the sudden cramps and spasms that many of us experience. Sudden movements can cause these contractions to happen, but they can also occur spontaneously when muscles are straining to support our body upright. The stronger your muscles are, the less likely they’ll be to contract in this way as we go about our daily activities.
Cardiovascular exercises, such as walking, cycling, swimming and weight training, help strengthen back muscles,’ says Reebok Master Trainer Steve Barrett. ‘But the key to preventing back pain in the long term is to work on developing your core muscles.’
According to Barrett, core muscles are responsible for supporting your whole torso. ‘They’re a network of inner-linked muscles located deep in the centre of your trunk,’ he says. They’re beneath the abdominal and back muscles, and visible just under your skin. ‘Because most of us don’t actually use our core muscles, they become ‘switched off’ so we’re not aware of them and they stop doing their job,’ says Barrett. ‘But through exercises that stimulate your core muscles, you can ‘switch them on', he adds. Your whole torso will be stronger and you’ll be less likely to experience back pain.
How to develop your core muscles
First, you’ll need a stability ball and a pair of light 2-3kg hand weights. Stability balls are great for working your core muscles because these are the muscles you use to sit up straight on the ball. You can buy a stability ball (from £29), and a video (£15.99) from the Chek Institute, an American company in London that specialises in core training. To find out more, call 0208 874 6942 or log on to www.chekinstitute.com. Hand weights are available at most sports shops.
The back workout below should take 15 to 20 minutes, and you should do it two to three times a week. These exercises target your core muscles, abdominals and lats, all of which are important for back strength.
Warm up
‘If you’re adding these exercises to the end of a regular workout, you don’t need to warm up,’ says Barrett. ‘If not, warm up by walking briskly or jogging for five to 10 minutes.’
The moves
- Sitting up
Difficulty rating: easy
This is a great exercise for beginners. Start by sitting on the stability ball and try to remain sitting up straight, with your shoulders relaxed and hands by your side for five minutes. This is harder than you might think, so when you start getting tired, imagine what is happening deep in your torso, and contract your core muscles to keep your back straight.
- Lateral raises
Difficulty rating: fairly easy
Sit on the ball as you did in the previous exercise, holding the hand weights down by your sides. Then, lift both arms straight out to the side, with your palms facing the floor, bringing your hands up to shoulder level. Repeat 20 times.
- Back raises
Difficulty rating: moderate
Lie across the ball on your stomach so that your hips rest just beneath and to the side of the top of the ball. Rest your feet on the floor. You can either place your hands on the ball for support or, if you’re feeling strong, put your hands on either side of your head. Lift and lower your upper body, keeping your lower body still. Repeat 20 times.
- Sit-ups
Difficulty rating: hard
Lie across the ball on your back so the middle of your back rests on the top of the ball. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your back shouldn’t be arched. Do sit-ups as normal. To make this move easier, cross your hands over your chest, and to make it harder, place your hands on either side of your head. ‘Sit-ups on a stability ball work far deeper into your core than normal sit-ups, because you have to support your body against the ball’s movement as well as curl your body upward,’ says Barrett. Repeat 20 times.
- Press ups
Difficulty rating: hard
From an all-fours position, place your feet up on the ball so that you’re facing the floor, your shins are resting across the top of the ball and your hands are flat on the floor. Bend your arms and do as many press-ups as you can manage. ‘The important thing here is not working out your arms, but concentrating on keeping your abdominals strong and not letting your back slouch, even if you can only do one or two full press-ups,’ he says.
Stretches
These should be done after your workout, or when your back feels tight and achy, to help release tension and stress built up in the muscles.
Floor twists
Lie on your back and bring both knees up to your chest. Place both arms outstretched on the floor at shoulder level, palms facing the floor. Keeping both knees lifted, gently move them over to the right so that your right thigh is touching the floor. Look to your left side and try to keep your left shoulder from lifting off the floor. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Child pose
From an all-fours position on the floor, bring your bottom back and nestle it down on top of your heels. Stretch your arms out in front of you along the floor, and try to keep your elbows pressed into the floor and your chest close to your thighs. Let your forehead touch the ground, relax and hold for 20 seconds.
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