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Low Back Pain School – Lesson 4
Dr. Theresa went live on LinkedIn on Tuesday October 18, 2022 for Lesson 4 of Low Back School. This session focused on functional movement: squatting, hinging, and twisting. Check out some of her key points below and watch the video replay for the full depth coverage.
Key Takeaways from the Low Back School, Lesson 4
#1 Awareness is important for functional movement and low back health.
We have so much control over which muscles and joints we use to complete movements. Bending over to reach the floor can be accomplished using the low back, the upper back, the hips, or the knees. If you’re dealing with low back pain, being aware of which muscles you are using to bend can be helpful to temporarily off-load the low back. Dr. T demonstrates how to load the hips while squatting, which can shift the weight from the knees or the low back to the hips (for people with low back or knee pain).
#2 Find tension in your hips and hamstrings for hinge movements!
When you are lifting things from the floor, learning to use your hips and hamstrings to generate force can drastically improve how your low back feels, especially if you’re somebody who gets low back pain with bending or lifting. The stronger your hips are, the more easily you can lift things up, and the more often you practice loading your hips, the better your back will feel. Dr. T breaks down the best way to hinge, and you can start practicing it today!
#3 Twisting movements are important for our spine: How to do it right
Our spines were made to move, but some of us avoid twisting because we think it’s bad for our backs. However, we need to rotate to keep our backs healthy, and we can learn to do this in a way that feels better for the low back. Dr. T demonstrated how to use your hips and mid-back to create easier rotation for twisting movements (like a golf swing!). Awareness of which joints are rotating can also make a big difference in how much power you can create (longer golf drives!)
Try out all of these drills and get your reps in!