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Home Β» Main Meals Β» Common Causes Of Low Back Pain & How To Fix It

Common Causes Of Low Back Pain & How To Fix It

05/08/2017 by fitasamamabear

Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.  See full disclaimer
Pinterest image with text: black and white photo pf a woman in a sports bra from behind holding her low back
Pinterest image with text: black and white photo pf a woman in a sports bra from behind holding her low back
Pinterest image with text: two images, the first of a woman holding her low back and the other two of exercises to relieve back pain

Lower back pain is becoming all too common as well as frustrating. Though there are potentially many causes, there are also many ways to relieve lower back pain. So, stop accepting the issue and instead, learn about the common causes of low back pain, how to fix lower back pain, and exercises and stretches you can do to help relieve it.

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Pinterest image with text: multiple images, the top of a woman holding her low back and the other images of exercises to relieve back pain this …

As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach, one of the biggest problems I've heard from my mom clients is that their back hurts. Back pain is literally one of the most common reasons for doctor visits. According to statistics Canada, 5/10 people suffer from low back pain.

Thankfully, outside of serious medical conditions (herniated discs, osteoarthritis etc) most causes of back pain are common and can be fixed- with a little work.

As moms, it's even more common to grumble about our backs given that we lift, twist, and bend all day. Add the changes in our bodies from pregnancy and it's almost expected.

However, we can learn how to fix lower back pain if we just put in the effort. And believe me, it'll take some effort.

 

Acute Relief Versus Actually Fixing Low Back Pain

Before we get into the common causes of low back pain, let's look at the whole approach.

The good news is that you can learn how to fix low back pain! There are a lot of exercises and stretches you can use to help relieve the tension. The bad news is that there's no one exercise or stretch for low back pain.

Meaning, your back (and your body) work as part of a machine. You need to tweak a few parts to get it moving optimally.

While a specific stretch or some Tylenol will help with acute back pain (in the moment), you need to really look at the root causes of low back pain and fix those if you want the symptoms to disappear.

Don't shortcut the process. Focus on the entire issue instead of taking an easy (and totally temporary) way out to back pain relief.

Common Causes Of Low Back Pain

Now, as I mentioned, there's a lot of causes of low back pain. My advice is always to chat to your doctor first to make sure there's not a bigger issue (herniated discs etc) before jumping into any exercise routine for low back pain.

If there's not a huge issue and your doctor just tells you to take Tylenol when it hurts, then, there are some very probable causes of your back pain:

  • Poor posture
  • Inactive glutes
  • Daily habits
  • Stuck glutes

In my experience, these are the most common causes of low back pain. Unfortunately, they're not independent of each other. You need to look at all of them to fix lower back pain.

Poor Posture

This is one of the most overlooked causes of chronic back pain especially in moms and pregnant ladies. Beginning during pregnancy, our center of gravity shifts to accommodate a growing baby. This shift makes our posture (which was probably not great initially) even worse. It causes our shoulders to round and low back to sway.

back pain and poor posture

Though we don't stand like this all the time, when we're not carrying our babes we tend to stand with a wicked back arch. We thrust our chests forward while sticking out our bum. This ties into pelvic alignment (and the issues that come with anterior pelvic tilt). 

Basically, we need to be in the middle of these two postures but struggle to get there.

 Inactive Glutes

Strong glutes help with a variety of body aspects but one of those is posture. Glutes are part of the posterior chain but also the pelvic floor.. The glutes help pull the pelvis into the place it's supposed to be, support the low back and generally help hold us up (learn more about why everyone should train glutes).

Unfortunately, inactive glutes means that instead of the glutes supporting us, all the pressure from our upper body is placed onto our low back- not where it should be.

Learning to fire up the glutes (all of them, not just the big ones!) is often one of the best things you can do to relieve back pain. Here are my favorite at home glute exercises to get started.

If you really want to step it up, learn more about your bum muscles in my blog post: Glute Training 101: Everything You Need To Know.

Daily Habits

Our daily habits do us no favors when it comes to causes of low back pain! If we're a mom, we're always picking up, twisting, carrying. If we're a mom who works, many of us lead more sedentary lives and sit too much.

We're looking at postural issues from inactivity and sitting (we sit while we work, eat, drive, relax). Thus, our chest muscles become chronically tight, and our upper backs unable to do their job. The posterior chain becomes underdeveloped and all of it adds up and leads to back pain.

Or we do things in poor form.

Many of us pick up and squat with poor form because we've never practiced the right form. Carrying kids, as in the picture above, or picking them up off the floor improperly are big causes of low back pain.

Glutes That Don't Move

This is an area most commonly forgotten when it comes to how to fix low back pain. Your glutes should support you but they should also move. Poor mobility and flexibility in the hips makes it so the glutes are unable to do their job.

Postpartum specialist, Madison Cleckler, and I chat about this a lot in our podcast about alleviating postpartum back pain. 

Get the hips to move so that they can do their job and support your lo back.

How To Fix Low Back Pain

Alright, if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed- it's okay! With the exception of medical conditions, back pain is pretty preventable if you put in the time and effort. It just seems like a lot to take in.

However, remember I mentioned it's a whole-body thing? There is no one stretch or one exercise that will immediately relieve lower back pain. You need to put in the consistent work to fix low back pain long term.

So, where do you start? Here is the area to focus on:

  • Strengthening the glutes and hamstrings
  • Getting the glutes to move (hip mobility)
  • Strengthening the upper back muscles (pull you out of those rounded shoulders)
  • Learning to hip hinge
  • Strengthening the core, particularly the anterior core to help hold you up (part of this is done by learning to reconnect our movement and core muscles with this diastsis recti workout)

Exercises & Stretches For Low Back Pain

Looking at the list above, I'm assuming you want some specific exercises and stretches for low back pain! There's a lot of ways to go about this: you can work these exercises into a training program you already have or you can create a "low back-friendly" routine around them.

Below are specific movements to focus on to help fix lower back pain:

  • Here are the best at home glute exercises
  • Start performing exercises like banded rows, pull aparts, and face pulls to strengthen the upper back. Note: you can perform the face pulls by wrapping the band around your feet too,
  • Learn how to hip hinge and drill it in. Literally. Practice daily.
  • Work hip mobility into your weeks. Here is a follow-along, hip mobility routine

 

Want To Reduce Your Pain? How To Get STRONG Glutes

If you’re looking to get strong, reduce back pain, and carry kids easier check out my Stronger Glutes For Busy Moms E-book. This 25-page E-book provides you with everything you need to strengthen your glutes at home.

You’ll learn about the fundamentals of glute training (how to contract the glutes, which exercises the glutes respond to), and as well as have access to my progressive glute training programs to strengthen your glutes.

In this e-book you’ll be taken through:
Β·         The exact no equipment glute workouts to do over a four week period
Β·        Glute workouts that require resistance bands to take your toning to the next level
Β·        My favorite glute finishers (booty burners) to use after you’ve completed the glute training programs
Β·        5-weeks worth of full-body, progressive workout programs to continue using after you’ve finished the initial programs

The difference between these glute workouts and sporadic, glute exercises you stumble upon is that these training programs are progressive. Meaning, they build on one another!

Women in pink shirt standing in front of workout equipment and text about toning your glutes
You’ll learn:
Β·        Which exercises best target glutes (and how to perform them with added video demos!)
Β·        How often, and when you should train glutes each week
Β·        Which workouts to do when
Β·        How to take your glute training further

Take the guesswork out of your glute training and follow a plan. Learn the best practices to implement when it comes to strengthening glutes and reap the benefits of less back pain and the ability to carry kids easier.

Because being strong isn’t optional when you’re a mom. Grab the Stronger Glutes E-book today.

(when you click on the button a new window will open that will take you to securely process payment)

 

Weekly Training Program To Fix Lower Back Pain

When it comes to what you should do weekly to relieve low back pain, here is how I would break it down with my clients. Keep in mind that this is very generic many clients should have specific plans appropriate to their own abilities and problems.

Monday: Upper body at-home workout with an emphasis on back + post-workout chest stretches

Tuesday: 15-Minute Glute Workout

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: 15-Minute Glute Workout

Friday: Upper body at-home workout with an emphasis on back + post-workout chest stretches

Saturday: Hip mobility routine

Don't forget to pin these helpful tips on How To Fix Back Pain!

Featured image with text: three images, the first of a woman holding her low back and the other two of exercises to relieve back pain

As moms, we're moving all day long. But rarely are we moving correctly. Instead of using our muscles and proper mechanics, we rely on our joints, tendons, and ligaments.

This is a recipe for disaster and, as you know all too well, a general cause of low back pain. Instead, work on building strength, improving posture, and becoming proficient in basic movements and your back pain will be far less.

Shelby aka Mama Bear

fitasamamabear

Meet Shelby – a Certified Strength Coach who has spent the last 10 years teaching women how to show up for their goals.

Her website, Fitasamamabear.com is a crucial resource for busy moms who need help making fitness and healthy living practical.

Learn how an everyday smoker and fast food junkie turned into a super fit mom of 3. If you want to send Shelby a message, visit her contact page.

See author's posts

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. KARA

    May 08, 2017 at 3:23 pm

    I definitely have the poor posture problem πŸ™ , thank You for Your tips πŸ™‚ !

    Reply
  2. Liz

    May 08, 2017 at 3:31 pm

    Thanks so much for this post. I often have back pain, so I'm going to try some of your exercises. Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      May 09, 2017 at 12:47 am

      No problem! Good luck and if you need further help or have questions just shout!

      Reply
  3. Toni

    May 09, 2017 at 5:03 pm

    Thanks for this!

    I do have issues with back pain at times, but I think it's because I do a lot of sitting. I've found that certain yoga poses do help, and I found that when I did my daily walks (I really need to get back that...) the pain issues went away.

    But I eased up on these things so surprise, surprise their back. I've never seen these tips before, so I'll definitely be putting them to use ASAP!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      May 09, 2017 at 11:52 pm

      Sitting- while obviously necessary- just cripples us in terms of back pain. It shifts our posture, disables ur muscles and we do it so so much. Movement n general is great to ease back pain as it gets the blood flowing and reduces muscle and joint stiffness. But targeting posture is definitely a benefit. Good luck giving it all a try and let me know how it goes/if you need help!

      Reply
  4. Samantha Lee

    May 09, 2017 at 5:11 pm

    I have had chronic neck/shoulder/back pain for the past almost 7 years! I've tried exercise, physical therapy, and focusing on my posture. I'm sure how I sleep and my posture really aggravate the pain, but I'm also concerned the problem may be stemming in my neck. My mom had a similar issue for two years and had an MRI done - she had inflammation in her neck, which was causing the rest of the issues. After an injection, her pain was gone! I'm thinking I might need to get an MRI done myself because it has NOT been fun living with this pain.

    http://www.wonderlandsam.com

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      May 09, 2017 at 11:51 pm

      Ah, so sorry t hear about the chronic pain Samantha. It's honestly so unmotivating when it doesn't ease up. Have you tried seeing an osteopath? Sometimes I find they work wonders because they look at the whole body approach. At the very least it would be a good stepping stone before an MRI if possible! I find with a lot of back pain/chronic pain it's not always ONE thing that causes it (unfortunately) so maybe it would help. Good luck!

      Reply
  5. Pooja Sharma

    May 09, 2017 at 5:19 pm

    OMG! I do have the poor posture problems. I am gonna try your tips from tomorrow

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      May 09, 2017 at 11:49 pm

      You are most definitely not alone in the posture department! Good luck and let me know if you need any more help/tips!

      Reply
  6. Hena Jose

    May 09, 2017 at 5:32 pm

    Thankyou for this post. I too suffer from back pain, especially after delivery.

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      May 09, 2017 at 11:48 pm

      I think we all had some malfunctions after delivery πŸ™ hopefully this helps!

      Reply
  7. GiGi

    May 10, 2017 at 9:33 pm

    I have been using a stand up desk for 5 years and it has improved my back pain times 100000000!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, I swear by stand up desks!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      May 10, 2017 at 11:36 pm

      That's awesome! I think because it allows you to actually engage/use your muscles it makes such a huge difference. Nicely done!

      Reply
  8. Emmi

    May 11, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    My posture has definitely gotten worse as I've gotten older, so I've been looking for ways that I can improve it. I love that your solutions are exercises that I can do regularly at home! I'm also thinking about using a standing desk for part of the day or sitting with a pillow between my upper back and the chair so I have to sit up straight to keep it in place!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      May 11, 2017 at 5:13 pm

      Glad you enjoyed the post! Our muscles atrophy as we age so unless we're maintaining them posture is affected (womp womp) and while the gym/resistance is awesome there are definitely some at home solutions! I've heard really great things about standing desks also though have no personal experience with them - good luck!

      Reply
  9. Jenna Yoder

    June 11, 2017 at 7:22 pm

    Great tips! I love that you touched on glutes! They aren't the fist muscle we think of in relation to our backs. However, I have found that the more I strengthen them, the stronger my back feels! Thanks for that great reminder! Love the blog!

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      June 12, 2017 at 12:06 am

      I love this! So happy you're a glute lover πŸ˜€ They make such a difference to our posture, strength and back pain that everyone should have some sort of glute exercise in their programs. Thanks for the compliment too!

      Reply
  10. Margaret Jones

    June 30, 2017 at 5:31 am

    You shared really amazing exercises. I often had back spasm and by doing your suggested exercies, I get relief from pain for a short time. I am looking for a permanent result to get relief from back spasm.
    Back spasms

    Reply
    • fitasamamabear

      July 01, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      Glad the exercises helped Margaret! Have you diagnosed why you get the back spasms? Always target the cause before the symptoms if possible but perhaps strengthening the ligaments around the back and postural muscles would help πŸ™‚

      Reply

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