Low Back Exercises ON-THE-GO

Low Back Exercises ON-THE-GO  (Part 1)

Low back pain (LBP) is a common ailment that can be caused by a variety of factors, including bending, lifting, pulling, pushing, and twisting. However, other factors such as sleep can also contribute to LBP. This includes sleeping in a crooked or faulty position, such as falling asleep on a couch, in a chair, or while riding in a car, as well as lack of sleep. So how much sleep is needed to feel restored and avoid low back pain?

It has been shown that lack of sleep or chronic sleep loss can lead to serious diseases such as heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes. Sleepiness can also result in disasters such as the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, the oil spill from the Exxon Valdez, and the 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl. With sleep deprivation, our reaction time is slowed down, making driving safety a major issue. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that fatigue causes more than 100,000 crashes per year with 1,500 annual crash-related deaths in the United States alone. This problem is greatest in people under 25 years old. Job-related injuries are also reportedly more frequent in workers complaining of daytime sleepiness - which also results in more sick days.

It is well documented that sleep plays a crucial role in thinking and learning. Lack of sleep impairs concentration, attention, alertness, reasoning, and general cognitive function. In essence, it makes it more difficult to learn efficiently. Additionally, getting into a deep sleep cycle plays a critical role in “consolidating memories” in the brain. If you don’t get to a deep sleep stage (about 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep), it’s more difficult to remember what you’ve learned.

In conclusion, it is important to prioritize getting enough quality sleep to avoid low back pain and other serious health issues. By doing so we can improve our overall health and well-being.

When it comes to exercises for LBP that can be done from a sitting position without drawing too much attention to oneself and repeated every one to two hours with the objective of avoiding LBP from gradually getting out of control (stopping the “vicious cycle” so LBP stays “self-managed”), there are several options¹:

1. Sitting bend overs: Slowly bend forward from a seated position and attempt to reach the floor. Spread the knees as needed to allow for a full range of motion. Hold for 3-10 seconds or until it feels “loose.” Do the opposite—sit and arch your low back as far back as is comfortable. Repeat frequently for short hold-times—make it “fit” your time limitations/schedule!

2. Sitting hip/back stretch: Cross your legs. Raise the knee to the opposite shoulder. Arch the lower back until you feel an increase stretch in your buttocks. Twist your trunk to the side the knee is raised. Move your knee up/down and around to “feel” for the tightest “knots” and “work” them loose. Modify by bending forward and repeat on the opposite side.

3. Sitting trunk rotations: Slowly twist your shoulders and trunk to one side while keeping your knees straight. Reach back and pull for additional stretch if comfortable. Hold for 3-10 seconds or until it feels “loose.” Repeat on the opposite side.

Remember not to do any exercise that creates sharp pain and stay within reasonable pain boundaries¹. DO these multiple times a day when you feel tight, stiff or sore (take 10-30 sec every hour rather than 15 min twice a day)¹.