Back pain is becoming a common problem due to sitting too much, incorrect posture and lack of exercise. Although exercise is encouraged, incorrect exercise can make the pain worse. According to Dr. Arun Bhanot, Director of Spinal Surgery Department, Birla CK Hospital (Gurugram, India), people with back pain can still do gym safely if they adhere to basic principles.
Why should you be careful when exercising if you have back pain?
The spine plays a role in supporting the entire body and is very sensitive to wrong movements. Weightlifting, wrong posture or excessive rotation can put pressure on the disc, muscles and nerves, increasing the risk of disc hernia or muscle spasms.
Things to do when going to the gym if you have back pain
Prioritize thorough warm-up: Starting helps muscles and joints to be ready to move. You should spend 5-10 minutes on light cardio exercises such as slow walking or cycling, followed by active stretching exercises.
Strengthen core muscles: Healthy core muscles help stabilize the spine and reduce pressure on the lower back. Light exercises such as plank, bird dog or dead bug are recommended.
Controlled exercise: Slow movement, correct technique is safer than heavy weightlifting or jerking. When you have back pain, the quality of the movement is more important than the number of times or weight level.
Stretch after the workout: Finish with gentle stretches for hamstrings, buttock muscles, hip flex muscles and lower back to help reduce stiffness and limit pain after workouts.
Things you shouldn't do when doing gym if you have back pain
Avoid strong impact and twisting exercises: Heavy deadlifts, high-intensity abs, squats or strong body rotation movements can harm the spine if not professionally guided.
Do not imitate others: Each person has a different spinal condition. Practicing with friends or videos online can increase the risk of injury.
Do not ignore warning signs: Nausea, numbness, tingling or pain spreading down to the legs are signs that need to stop exercising immediately and go to the doctor instead of trying to endure.
Notes
Getting started properly, exercising controlledly and listening to the body is the key to helping people with back pain maintain safe movement. According to Dr. Bhanot, exercise is not only feasible but also necessary, as long as the exercise is designed to suit the physical condition and spinal condition.
