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Despite your age, at some point in time, you’re more than likely going to experience back pain; in fact, four out of five adults in Canada will encounter some form of back pain in their lifetime; and perhaps you’re experiencing it right now. 📷People often describe back pain as a radiating pain at the spine, stiffness in their back, weakness in their legs or feet. Typically back pain is mechanical in nature, meaning that it can be corrected through proper conditioning.
The following are a few correctable factors that can lead to back pain:
Repetitive movements (muscular pattern overload)
Awkward positions and movements, such as habitually poor posture
Side dominance
Lack of joint stability
Lack of joint mobility
Imbalanced strength-training programs
Likewise, there are non-correctable factors that can also lead to back pain, such as:
Congenital conditions, such as scoliosis
Some pathologies, such as rheumatoid arthritis
Structural deviations
Certain types of trauma, such as surgery, injury or amputation
The fact of the matter is that many individuals lead a sedentary lifestyle and spend most of their days in seated positions. I know I do, as I work forty hours a week sitting in front of a computer, plus any time I spend sitting at home, such as writing these articles. Suffice it to say, I know when I've been sitting too long or haven’t moved around enough, as I start to feel stiff, lethargic, and achy.
...In fact, my back could probably use a good stretch right now...
📷
Moreover, a lack of exercise, pregnancy, and carrying excess body weight can lead to postural deviations such as lordosis which is associated with lower back pain.
Further, posture plays a major role when it comes to overall back health, as well as efficient movement throughout the kinetic chain: any deviation from proper posture can indicate some form of muscular imbalance, muscle-endurance issues and potentially imbalance at the joints. Unfortunately for most, a sedentary lifestyle, being inactive, and performing repetitive movements (to name a few), can leave you susceptible to back pain and other discomforts.
It is important to note that your core muscles play a major role in maintaining good posture.
The main difference between those who don’t experience back pain and those that do are their core muscles ability to stabilize the spine.
One of the main core muscles is the transverse abdominis (TVA), which I will be focusing on for the remainder of this article, as lower-back pain is typically associated with a weakened TVA.
Understanding the Transverse Abdominis
Your TVA is is a major stabilizer of your lumbar spine and core musculature (your lower back). Therefore, by strengthening your TVA you're not only stabilizing your lower back but creating a solid foundation from which more distal segments (hips, legs, arms) of your body can operate. Thus, if you are experiencing lower back pain it would be best to focus on exercises that emphasize strengthening your transverse abdominis and core musculature overall.
When activated, your core muscles work reflexively, including the transverse abdominis. The TVA draws the abdominal wall inward and upward, supporting the internal organs by compressing them to push upward and increasing intraabdominal pressure. This creates a lift pressure against the diaphragm which has attachments on the lumbar vertebrae, pulling them upward and increasing traction between them.
Think of the TVA as a corset of sorts, wrapped around your internal organs to create intraabdominal pressure to support the lumbar spine.
Ultimately, proper activation of your TVA creates a solid base that stabilizes your spine against loading forces, thereby, reducing joint and disc compression in the lumbar discs.
Activating the Transverse Abdominis
Centering, A.K.A. Hollowing, A.K.A. Drawing In
Three different terms that refer to the same function!
Centering is an activation exercise designed to isolate the transverse abdominis. Draw your abdomen inward and towards your spine; or simply put, draw your belly button back towards your spine (allowing your abdomen to be as small as possible) and hold for several seconds. Repeat this several times.
Another exercise that you can do is the Quadruped Drawing-In (Centering) With Extremity Movement.
Bracing
While centering is a great activation technique of the transverse abdominis, bracing engages the entire core musculature and allows you to create a more rigid and wider base of support for spinal stabilization. Bracing is an important technique to practice, especially when carrying external loads or picking something up off of the ground.
In terms of your base of support, stand with your feet close together and then with your feet wider apart; notice how you have greater stability/balance when you stand with them further apart. Co-contract your core by drawing in your abdomen to stabilize your spine and stand with a wider base of support before picking something up off the ground.
TVA Strengthening Exercises:
Below I have listed a few core strengthening exercises for your reference. By clicking on each exercise, a new window will open detailing how to safely perform each exercise. Note that you do not require equipment for any of these.
To conclude, it is best to speak with a professional in regards to your back pain, as they can perform a postural assessment and determine any muscle or joint imbalances that you may have. Doing so, will ensure that you are provided with the best course of treatment for your specific pain in the long-term.
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