A few weeks ago we delved into all the things surrounding the prevalence, history, and unacceptable recurrence rate of low back pain in our world. Great information to know, but now what do we do about it? How can we build a back that is not only more mobile but also more resilient, adaptable, and capable of handling the demands of daily life?
At Sustain Physical Therapy and Performance, we believe that the key to overcoming low back pain is learning how to build capacity and adaptability. Once your discomfort is managed, we can start the fun part of PT.
Your body thrives when it can tolerate a variety of loads, movements, and stresses, which makes it crucial to train your back through a range of motions and in different ways. Whether you’re dealing with an acute injury or managing chronic pain, physical therapy can play a pivotal role in guiding you toward this goal.
Your body thrives when it can tolerate a variety of loads, movements, and stresses, which makes it crucial to train your back through a range of motions and in different ways. Whether you’re dealing with an acute injury or managing chronic pain, physical therapy can play a pivotal role in guiding you toward this goal.
As discussed in the last blog, there is the natural history of any condition, i.e., our body’s inherent resilience that leads to the resolution of pain and injury despite any intervention we do.
BUT, intervening with physical therapy and targeted exercise often allows for symptom modification in the meantime, targets the recurrent nature of low back pain, and can serve as a complement in pushing natural history in the right direction. It’s not just about managing the pain, but about creating a more adaptable and stronger back that can better handle future challenges.
Check out these 3 exercises to strengthen your back—all of which can be done with bodyweight, a barbell, dumbbell, or kettlebell:
1. JEFFERSON CURLS WITH ROTATION
Adding a bit of a twist to a classic. If rounding your back and bending forward is tolerable (and not a super aggravator of your pain), this is a great move to train the back muscles that often get ignored. It also puts us in ranges of motion and movement patterns that allow our muscles to be fully lengthened.
With the added rotation, we get to bias one side. Honestly, life doesn’t happen in perfect straight lines like a robot, so this prepares our tissues for lots of different movements (which hopefully means less throwing your back out!).
2-3 sets here of 3 in the middle, 3 on the left, and 3 on the right. Then, work your way up to doing 5 in the middle, left, and right. You can rest in between middle/left/right if needed!
2. DEADLIFT VARIATIONS: TRADITIONAL, SANDBAG, AND ASYMMETRICAL
The deadlift is our usual go to for loading your back and of course mimics picking up things from the ground. If you’re new to the deadlift, line your elbows up right outside your knees, think about pushing your hips back, picking up the weight, and standing up. Other tweaks can be done with your PT in session at Sustain Physical Therapy and Performance, where we specialize in physical therapy in Boston for active adults with low back pain.
Traditional
If you’re a deadlift pro and doing these with a barbell already, great!
If you’re new to deadlifting, also great! Try to hit them 1-2x per week—one day focused on going HEAVY for LESS reps (intensity focus) and another day focused on LIGHT/MODERATE for MORE reps (endurance focus). And yes, a little back pump is normal here: your back is made up of muscles, and just like your biceps get a burn and some next-day soreness after a killer arm workout, so too does your back after deadlifts.
- Heavy intensity-focused days: 3-5 sets of 2-5 reps.
- Lighter endurance-focused days: 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps (or whatever helps your back feel the “pump” at the end of a set).
Sandbag Deadlifts
Doing deadlifts with odd objects like a sandbag mimics the natural ways you move throughout the day (trying to carry 8 bags of groceries at a time, picking up your toddler or grandchild, etc.). These can be started slow and controlled, then progressed in all sorts of ways: sandbag to shoulder, sandbag throw over the shoulder—the options are endless!
Suitcase Deadlifts or Assymetrical Deadlifts
Doing deadlifts asymmetrically is a great way to train for the odd objects we may encounter in daily life (people may stare out of curiosity—you’re probably inspiring them).
You can do this in two ways. In one variation you just hold a kettlebell in one side as you hinge. In another more challenging variation, simply put a plate on one end of the barbell and no plate on the other end. Start WAY lighter than you think and know that these will feel funny at first but challenge stability and movement patterns beautifully.
You can do this in two ways. In one variation you just hold a kettlebell in one side as you hinge. In another more challenging variation, simply put a plate on one end of the barbell and no plate on the other end. Start WAY lighter than you think and know that these will feel funny at first but challenge stability and movement patterns beautifully.
Another way to simulate this asymmetry would be uneven farmer’s carries: grab two different dumbbell weights (or a dumbbell in one hand and no dumbbell in the other) and take a few laps with them.
3. KETTLEBELL TEAPOTS
Teapots are valuable because they train our back in a plane we often don’t load, again bringing our muscles through an elongated position and strengthening ranges we don’t normally see in the gym. It’s also SUPER potent—you may be sore the next day.
For lighter weights, start with 2-4 sets of 6-10 reps.
At Sustain Physical Therapy and Performance, we work with clients to build capacity and adaptability in their backs through a variety of exercises, targeting the specific needs of those dealing with low back pain. Our approach to physical therapy in Boston emphasizes movement-based solutions to help you get back to the activities you love. Reach out to contact@sustainptperformance.com to talk with one of our therapists about how we can help you build a stronger, more resilient back!
