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The two worst exercises ever introduced into the military were full sit-ups [ where the back leaves the floor ] and bunny-hops .

When you do a full sit-up, your spine bends forward. We call this flexion.This compresses the disks in your spine on the stomach side of your body. This can then cause the opposite side of the disk [ more towards your back ] to start to squeeze out towards the spinal nerves [ just like putting force on one side of a jam sandwich causes the jam to come out the opposite side ]. I’ll cover more of this on a posting on herniated disks, but if this continues, the disk will bulge and may eventually herniate. This is not something you want.

http://www.backache.md/images/analat3.gif


http://www.wkni.org/images/spinef3.gif


If you look at the previous picture, you can see the little knobbly bits on the left. They are called the spinous processes. If you stand up and bend forward from the waist, you can feel them sticking out as they run up and down your spine. The picture shows someone standing up viewed from their right hand side. A normal lower back [ lumbar curve ] as viewed should curve to the left of the picture as viewed from the right side of the person. Too much curve is bad too little curve is bad. I’ll show some tests later on to find out whether your curve is OK.

When you do a sit-up, that curve reverses itself and that’s when trouble can start.



The next problem is that your internal organs get compressed. They were not designed for that to happen.

If you have to do sit-ups, do crunches, where the lower back does not leave the floor.

The next horrible “exercise” was “bunny-hops”. I remember having to squat down, put a rifle behind my neck and hop up and down the gym floor. This puts massive compressive forces on the spine and knees. Very, very bad for the back.

Doing full sit-ups causes one more problem.

http://msjensen.cehd.umn.edu/WEBANATOMY ... orso_1.jpg


If you look at the previous picture, it shows the rectus abdominus muscles [ the “six-pack” ]. These attach to the breast bone area at the top and the pubic area at the bottom. When you strengthen a muscle, it contracts or shortens. When the rectus abdominus contracts, it pulls your body forward. This then causes the lower back muscles to tighten up in order to keep the spine erect.

Dave

I have bad back pain from sit ups. I get knocked out of training at least once a month for a week or two with a bad lower back

who am I best going to see? A physio? A cfhriopractor or an osteopath?

The aim is to fix the back permently and get back into training ( running, push ups/pull ups, Cycling, swimming )

Im never doing another sit ups again. Crunches all the way

Hi Steve
The problem with sit-ups is that they put the spine into what is called “flexion”. This causes the abdominal muscles to become tight and strong, but it also causes the muscles to contract [ this always happens when a muscle becomes stronger ]. This in turn “pulls”our bodies forward. The brain does not like this. It views anything that pulls our body forward as a “threat” to the spinal chord [ unless we are doing something “voluntary” such as bending to tie our laces ]. To keep the spine upright, it causes the lower back muscles to tighten up. Those muscles have nerves in them, and over time, can become painful. These tight muscles can cause other problems such as herniated disks etc.

It wouldn’t be so bad if every time we did a full sit-up [ which we shouldn’t do anyway ], we did a stretch of the abdominal muscles by laying on our back on Swiss Ball and relaxing. However , that is rarely done.

The “back arch” exercise is the one I am talking about.


http://www.jumpusa.com/swissexercises2.html

As a first step, I’d visit a physio. Ask him to assess you for tight abs. You may have other posture imbalances such as a forward tipped pelvis. I’ve put some notes on that in a posting called “The number one cause of back pain”.

One of the cheapest ways is to use a little workbook by a guy called Pete Egoscue. It’s a self help course and has helped many people. Pete’s an ex-Vietnam Marine Officer who devised the program himself.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Egoscue-Method- ... 200&sr=1-2

http://www.egoscue.com/

Pain free radio on his website is very good.

There’s a good lad from the UK called Matt Waters whom you can call who does Egoscue. He was in a bad way himself:

http://upwardspiral.co.uk/

There’s also an American Company called Lose The Back Pain


www.losethebackpain.com


who make a self-help package. They have a money back guarantee. Lots of people from the UK have use their system.

Feel free to PM me if you want. Please read the other [ serious ] postings I’ve put up. Will be putting up a posting soon on how to check yourself for common imbalance problems that can lead to back pain.

Dave

Cheers dave

My Girlfriend is harrasing me to see an osteopath, I want to see a physio.

Limited funds. have to make the right choice

Steve

Does your back feel stiff first thing in the morning, but then gradually gets better during the day ?

or

Does the pain come on after certain movements ?

Do you get any pain down the back of your leg ?

Is the pain a gradual ache or is it a sharp "ouch" pain ?

Any details will help.

Dave

Steve

Drop this guy a line [ Lou Gross ] by e-mail.

Lou's a real character. His website is the most confusing thing you have ever seen, but he knows backs and muscles like very few people do.

Just e-mail him with your details. He'll get back to you. Tell him I’m the Scottish guy he did the eight hour session on. Tell him I’m a friend of Paul M’s the ex-marine. He’ll know who I am.

If you have Skype, he gives an initial consultation free and will give you tons of info. Well worth taking advantage of. He’s been helping an old biddy in the UK called Grace get rid of her back pain by giving her stretches. Ask if she can talk to you in the UK.


lou@backfixbodywork.com

He used to work with the US olympic team years ago in Los Angeles.

Take a look on the miscellaneous photos section of this website. You'll see photos of a chap called Tony.

If you can get four photos front, back, left, right wearing shorts only, send them to him. I'll be putting a posting up soon on how to check yourself.

Why just shorts ?

The person checking your photos needs to see imbalances if any [ at several areas ]:

Shoulders

Nipples !! [ sounds strange, but shows pectoral imbalances etc ]

Hips [ need to see top of hips ]

Knees

Ankles

Feet [ straight or pointing ].

These procedures are being taught to some units of US Special Forces just now.

This gives a lot of information on whether you have forward head and shoulders, forward tilted pelvis etc. I'll cover all of that later.

Try to buy the Egoscue book, it explains all that stuff.

Also, stand relaxed, eyes forward. March on the spot for three or four steps. Let your feet land where they may. Do not look down at your feet. Have someone check the following:

1. Are both feet pointing straight ahead ?

2. If not, is one pointing more outwards than the other ?

If one is pointing more outwards, repeat a couple of times more to make sure you get the same results.

Lay flat down on a I'M A SCAMMER SPAMMER!!! floor. Relax. Have someone take their hand, palm down and see how far they can get it under your lower back. Repeat on the opposite side.

1. Did the hand go completely under or just part way ?

2. Did the hand go more under on one side than the other ?

All sounds strange, but there are good reasons for these tests. I’ll be posting info on this soon [ self-checks ].


Dave

Steve

Drop this guy a line [ Lou Gross ] by e-mail.

Lou's a real character. His website is the most confusing thing you have ever seen, but he knows backs and muscles like very few people do.

Just e-mail him with your details. He'll get back to you. Tell him I’m the Scottish guy he did the eight hour session on. Tell him I’m a friend of Paul M’s the ex-marine. He’ll know who I am.

If you have Skype, he gives an initial consultation free and will give you tons of info. Well worth taking advantage of. He’s been helping an old biddy in the UK called Grace get rid of her back pain by giving her stretches. Ask if she can talk to you in the UK.


lou@backfixbodywork.com

He used to work with the US olympic team years ago in Los Angeles.

Take a look on the miscellaneous photos section of this website. You'll see photos of a chap called Tony.

If you can get four photos front, back, left, right wearing shorts only, send them to him. I'll be putting a posting up soon on how to check yourself.

Why just shorts ?

The person checking your photos needs to see imbalances if any [ at several areas ]:

Shoulders

Nipples !! [ sounds strange, but shows pectoral imbalances etc ]

Hips [ need to see top of hips ]

Knees

Ankles

Feet [ straight or pointing ].

These procedures are being taught to some units of US Special Forces just now.

This gives a lot of information on whether you have forward head and shoulders, forward tilted pelvis etc. I'll cover all of that later.

Try to buy the Egoscue book, it explains all that stuff.

Also, stand relaxed, eyes forward. March on the spot for three or four steps. Let your feet land where they may. Do not look down at your feet. Have someone check the following:

1. Are both feet pointing straight ahead ?

2. If not, is one pointing more outwards than the other ?

If one is pointing more outwards, repeat a couple of times more to make sure you get the same results.

Lay flat down on a I'M A SCAMMER SPAMMER!!! floor. Relax. Have someone take their hand, palm down and see how far they can get it under your lower back. Repeat on the opposite side.

1. Did the hand go completely under or just part way ?

2. Did the hand go more under on one side than the other ?

All sounds strange, but there are good reasons for these tests. I’ll be posting info on this soon [ self-checks ].

This is highly exaggerated in the pictures, but these are some of the things you are looking for:

http://www.yourfitnesslibrary.com/images/postures.jpg




Dave

Steve

The ex-marine [ Paul ] I was talking about [ built like a tank ] went to see Lou a little while back. If you zoom down to the end of the post, you can see how he is doing.
You can skim through the rest of the posting….. on or two useful points. I’d take Lou up on that free offer.

http://pub47.bravenet.com/forum/4006344056/show/816674

Dave

Cheers for all the info Dave. yes that guys website is pretty confusing. As for your questions

Does your back feel stiff first thing in the morning, but then gradually gets better during the day ?

no its a persistant pain in the small of my back and in the groin that lasts for about 1 week after sit up session ( 5*10 reps )

Does the pain come on after certain movements ?

Sit ups and last week I was doing some core excersises, Planks, birdmen, bridge which seemed to agravate it. Walking with a heavy backpack does it too.

Do you get any pain down the back of your leg ?

Thankfully No

Is the pain a gradual ache or is it a sharp "ouch" pain ?

Its a general ache which moves around the small of my back and in my groin, sometimes a sharp "ouch" when I move suddenly. it can wake me up at night.

Swimming Helps

Any details will help.

Dave

Ill have a look at those other things later on. Got an appointment with the physio on friday