Lower back pain is the world's leading cause of disability Photo / 123rf
OPINION
If you have ever experienced lower back pain, you are in great company. As many as 80 per cent of us will experience some form of lower back pain in our life.
Lower back pain is the world's leading cause of disability, and billions are spent treating it annually. Yet, due to an increase and demand for "desk workers" – those that spend most of their workday sitting - these numbers continue to climb.
For the most part, as children and teens we did not have to worry much about the issue of chronic, lower back pain because the natural "elastic properties" of muscles and tendons is still healthy and flexible at that age. Eventually, ageing catches up with us and our muscles begin losing some of their suppleness and natural flexibility. This negatively affects our range of movement and causes stiffness in both muscles and joints.
Just as ageing naturally diminishes muscle strength and must be consciously attended to, our joints and flexibility require the same type of loving attention and care. We must pay special attention to nurturing these "elastic properties".
Flexibility is defined as:
"The quality of bending easily without breaking and the ability to be modified and willingness to change or compromise."
Bend without breaking says it all.
Flexibility offers real-life benefits. It allows us unrestricted, painless range of motion – improving posture, mobility, and muscle coordination. It reduces muscle soreness due to activity and helps us avoid future muscle or joint injuries.
According to physiology pro, Austin Martinez, "Flexibility explains the current state of muscles when it comes to their elastic properties and how they change over time."
Fortunately, we can take steps that aid healing, reduce, and eliminate lower back pain, and help us avoid future setbacks.
The first obvious step to be free of lower back pain is to build our core muscles through proper exercise. The importance of muscle strength is always highlighted – and it should be because it is vital to our strength and everyday mobility, but without its partner flexibility allowing a full range of motion, our strength is limited in its effects and what can be accomplished. Flexibility is a key player for strength to do its job correctly.
And that's where stretching comes in. The best way to assure that our muscles and tendons stay flexible and our joints move smoothly are by employing consistent strengthening and stretching exercises.
A proper strength training programme will improve flexibility and range of motion if you get technique, proper form, and the utilisation of a full range of motion with each exercise.
No matter your age or athletic ability, strength training exercise is the key to flexibility, mobility, lower injury risk and improved performance in everyday tasks and activities. Anyone, at any age or fitness level, can and should strength train.
Strengthening exercise with its perfect built-in stretches increases muscle length and the length of our muscles is an important part of being flexible because longer muscles are more resistant to injuries or tears.
It's about increasing both the strength and flexibility and the quality and quantity of our joints, muscles, and tendons. It is a gradual process that takes patience. Stiffness did not happen to our muscles and joints overnight, and neither will our flexibility magical occur by over-doing it in a few stretching sessions.
Benefits of flexibility on the body:
• Less muscle fatigue and tightness
• Improved range of motion
• Better posture, balance, and healthier state of mind
• Reduced stress and mental relaxation
• Maintenance of healthy cartilage
• Decreased risk of injury and less pain
• Improved physical performance
The less active we are, the less flexible our joints. Loss of flexibility leads to awkward, unhealthy changes in posture and normal muscle function. When muscles lose suppleness and become stiff, joints and tendons suffer and the door to injuries and tears opens wide.
No matter our age, both strengthening and stretching needs to be part of our everyday activities. Leaning over to lift our kids or grandkids without pain, independently walking up the stairs or even getting off the couch are the simple joys of life that should be a given for everyone. However, these simple acts become challenging with age as our muscles begin to atrophy and our joints stiffen if we are not paying them the attention they deserve.
Lower back pain is a lifestyle disability that can be (for most) avoided by dedicating approximately 30 minutes three times weekly towards a proper strengthening/flexibility programme that will keep joints healthy, and muscles loose, stretchy, and less restricted, allowing a full range of motion.
According to Michael Alter, an expert in the field of flexibility and the author of "Science of Flexibility", the main reason we become less flexible as we get older is because damaging changes take place in our connective tissues. Dehydration is a problem for our bodies as we age - "stretching stimulates the production or retention of lubricants between the connective tissue fibres, thus preventing the formation of adhesions".
We all want to feel great, be pain-free and live a longer and healthier life. If you work on your strength and flexibility, you won't go wrong.
It protects your muscle mass, aids in bone health, keeps excess body fat from accumulating, decreases risk of injury, boosts energy levels and improves mood, and you will enjoy better coordination, balance, and posture and reduce joint pain.
With your enhanced strength and flexibility, you will create predictable physical improvements. You will experience more fluidity and ease in all your movements. You will sit up straighter, feel lighter and walk taller.
Your strength, power and endurance will skyrocket. If you experience chronic pain it will magically disappear, and your general health will be enhanced. You will feel more energetic, more resilient, and vigorous and will be mystified by your emerging physical prowess and feel like you could leap tall buildings in a single bound.
• Carolyn Hansen is co-owner Anytime Fitness