Low Back Pain and Kettlebells - Lower Crossed Syndrome

Vladimir Janda was one of the most influential physical medicine physicians in the world in the late 20th century. A pioneer in the field of "low tech" rehabilitation, he honed his skills in communist Czechoslovakia. While western physicians were producing "human wreckage" (Waddell, G. 1992), with surgical techniques for the lumbar spine, Janda consistently produced outstanding results in rehabilitating the same types of cases using wobble boards, sticks, exercise balls, (maybe kettlebells) and most importantly his hands. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Czech Republic, Janda and his colleagues became more accessible. In the early nineties, a group of progressive thinking chiropractors and physical therapists began teaching Janda's techniques in the West, and changed the way most of us looked at physical medicine.

One of the more basic (but essential) Janda concepts, is the Lower Cross Syndrome. Lower Cross Syndrome is epidemic in western society because most people spend a large percentage of their time sitting. This can cause tightness and hyperactivity in the hip flexor group (iliopsoas etc.) Through a process known as reciprocal inhibition (defined as the contraction or activity of one muscle group inhibiting the contraction or activity of the antagonist muscle group), the hyperactive or tight hip flexor group can actually inhibit the hip extensor group, most importantly, the gluteus maximus. This imbalance then produces a secondary effect during walking. Since these people are unable to produce hip flexion with the gluteus maximus, they begin to substitute the low back extensors. They in turn become tight and hypertonic and through reciprocal inhibition inhibit the abdominal muscles. Thereby producing a "big gut, no butt" scenario (usually aided by poor diet and no exercise). Lifting and walking using primarily the low back extensors cause an increase in biomechanical stress in the lumbar spine producing chronic pain, osteoarthritic degeneration, and disc herniation.

A key challenge to anyone treating low back pain is how to correct this dysfunctional pattern. In my previous life (before kettlebells), I would use wobble boards, exercise balls and other "low tech" solutions. While effective, the exercises tended to be complicated for the patient and more than one exercise would often be necessary. When I started learning about kettlebells, I was excited at how such simple movements (the swing, clean, press and snatch) in addition to being amazing cardiovascular and strength conditioning exercises, actually corrected many of the movement pattern disorders I had been trained to identify. The most common of these is the Lower Cross Syndrome. What is amazing is that it seems as if the swing was specifically designed to correct this pattern. Proper swing technique involves lowering the kettlbell via lumbar spine neutral hip flexion and then producing power via lumbar spine neutral hip extension (aka the hip snap). This simultaneously stretches and relaxes the hip flexors, activates and strengthens the hip extensors (particularly the gluteus maximus), and teaches lumbar spine control. Additionally, the secondary part of the swing, abdominal contraction at the apex of the swing facilitates and strengthens the abdominals and relaxes and stretches the lumbar paraspinal musculature; a fantastic win/win scenario!!

In summary, performing or teaching the swing exercise not only gets you or a client/patient in shape, it also has a corrective effect on one of the most common dysfunctional lifestyle patterns of the western world!!

Low Back Pain And Sciatica - Functional Limitations

The problem with low back pain and sciatica, is that the lower back itself and surrounding area is so important with regards to any movement or activity you become involved in. It is not like when you have injured an arm or a leg, where you can rest the arm in a sling or use some crutches for your leg in order to allow healing to take place, with low back pain you are not afforded that luxury.

With regards to functional activities, the first thing which needs to be addressed is to divide them into two categories:

i) Those which cause or aggravate your low back pain or sciatica.

ii) Those which cause you no pain or do not increase your pain at all.

The chances are that there is a common factor linking the components of each of these two groups.

For example, let's say sitting down aggravates your low back pain yet keeping upright and a small amount of walking eases your pain. We are going to be thinking along the lines of flexion activities being the aggravating factor for your low back pain and extension type activities being the easing factor.

With this above example, first and foremost we need to modify or temporarily avoid the aggravating factor i.e. sitting down. Now I am not suggesting you do not sit down at all during the day, but rather you try and sit in a more upright chair, with say a rolled up towel for some support for your lower back. In addition to this, I would also recommend that you spend no longer than a maximum of 15-20 minutes sitting down without break i.e. getting up out of the chair.

Moving on to encouraging the easing factors, and once again using the above example, I would suggest you try to have a little walk a few times during the day. This can be anything from a few minutes to say 20 or 30 minutes, depending upon the severity of your pain. The important thing is your low back likes this activity and therefore it is important to provide it with it, as it will be providing you low back with the optimum conditions for it to heal itself.

NB. You can get too much of a good thing, therefore do not just walk for the sake of it. For example, if your low back pain eases after 5 minutes walking, but becomes aggravated after 10 minutes, feel free to walk for 5 minutes, but not too much longer (otherwise you will be simply interfering with the healing process again).

With regards to aggravating and easing factors, it is important to be as specific as possible. Therefore,using the example I have just given, walking for 5 minutes is an easing factor, yet walking for 10 minutes is an aggravating factor.

The main principle is little and often throughout the day. Tying in the above two, the logical thing to do with regards to sitting, is every 15 minutes or so stand yourself up and have a walk up and down the living room. By taking on board the above principle, it will result in less stress being placed across the structures responsible for your low back pain and therefore give your body a chance to heal itself. As healing takes place, the structures responsible for your pain will become stronger, and if they are stronger you will find you can begin to do more and more.

A positive cycle will now result, whereby encouraging the easing factors will promote more healing, which itself will result in your low back becoming stronger and therefore less easily aggravated. If it is less aggravated, it means more healing will take place and therefore you can become more active and your back will become stronger.... and so on.

Sound too simple?

Well there is no doubt I have simplified things a little just to highlight a point. However, it is not too difficult either as the underlying principle is the same. The all important aspect is firstly analysing your day-to-day activities and then dividing them into aggravating and easing ones. When you have established this, begin by temporarily avoiding/modifying the aggravating activities and encouraging the easing ones. As you do this, your low back pain or sciatica will begin to ease and you will be able to become more active.

At this stage, it will be important to consider addressing any muscle imbalances which are present (as it will almost be certain there are some). A simple but effective exercise programme to strengthen any weak muscles and stretch any tight ones will soon have you performing those functional activities you are finding difficult at the moment pain-free...

How Could My Digestive System Be Causing My Back Pain?

This article reveals one of the major hidden causes of back pain, particularly lower back pain. This problem is a common reason why pain keeps coming back, even after physical treatments such as physiotherapy, chiropractic and massage.

The underlying cause that I'm talking about is a little valve between the large and small intestine called the Ileocaecal Valve, or ICV. When this valve dysfunctions it causes a very important stabilizing muscle in the lower back called illiacus to become "switched off". This destabilizes the lumbar spine and causes the discs to be placed under strain.

When this happens we are very vulnerable to injury. It only takes the slightest twist, lift, strain or sudden movement in the wrong direction and we are in trouble. Often people with this problem even say "I didn't even do anything, my back just started hurting."
When those muscles are switched off it can also cause your back to feel very tired or fatigued after sitting for a long period.

The confusing thing is that you can have this problem with absolutely no digestive symptoms, although people with ICV problems often do experience bloating, gas, abdominal cramping and tenderness. There is also often tenderness over the area of the valve, which is located about half way between the belly button and the right hip.

One of the most classic signs of this condition is pain or stiffness first thing in the morning that goes away once you get moving, but is back again the next morning. The pain is most often in the lower back, but can affect anywhere that you have a problem- the neck is also a common area. If you wake up each morning with a stiff neck that seems to loosen up after a hot shower but comes back the next day then it's likely you have an ICV problem.

There are many factors that can cause ICV problems, such as allergies (especially food allergies and intolerances), gut parasites, stress, physical pressure, toxicity, nutritional deficiency and dysfunction of the kidneys, bladder or gall bladder.

If any of the above sounds like you, the first thing to try would be to get some probiotics- beneficial bacteria for the gut. Make sure these are kept in the fridge where you purchase them to ensure you get live bacteria. Often an anti-parasitic herb or homeopathic remedy is needed also- if you consult a chiropractor trained in Applied Kinesiology or Neuro Emotional Technique they will be able to test what you need.

It can also to helpful to massage gently but firmly over the area of the valve in a clockwise direction.
Doing what you can to decrease your stress levels is also helpful.

There are two basic ways that the ICV can dysfunction- it can fail to open properly, in which case waste material is retained for a long time before it is passed (even though you may be regular); or it fail to close properly, in which case the bowel contents can come back up into the digestive system.

Either way, this causes the body to become toxic. One of the body's responses to this is to retain fluid, which can cause other problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, and tingling or numbness in hands and feet. It can also cause headaches. However back pain is by far the most common symptom.

If you have recurring back pain, especially lower back pain, then it might be time to visit a chiropractor who specialises in Applied Kinesiology.

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

If you experienced the same fate as one of those unfortunate lower back pain sufferers, it is likely that you may have asked this question before. You may be able to recall some awkward twisting or straining actions which sparked off the pain, but perhaps the same movement has not injured your back in the past, and other people may be unharmed by similar activities. The chances are that your back was already in a condition where a relatively minor incident was sufficient to trigger the slightest back pain.

You are most likely to have back trouble between the ages of 30 and 50. Few people under the 18 and over 60 years of age are affected. The reason for this is not entirely clear but it is likely to be due to several different factors. For example, those in their 30s might be bringing up their small children, which may involve more lifting and carrying at home. For those at work, the middle years are usually the most productive, whether it be heavy manual work or a sedentary office job. In addition, many people at this age spend less time in sports or leisure activities which could maintain their general fitness and flexibility.

Poor posture accounts for a high proportion of back pain, especially lower back pain. Some bad postures that causes lower back pain, include leaning over a desk or working with your arms raised for a long time, lifting heavy weights while bending from your waist instead of at your knees or sitting in a chair of the wrong height.

Furthermore, another common issue that may cause lower back pain is the lack of physical exercise. The reason is simple. If you are fit, your muscles will be strong and flexible, and you will recover more quickly than an unfit person from any injury or illness. Your bones will also be stronger and if you remain fit as you grow older, your bones are likely to retain their strength for a longer period.

However, certain sports such as golf, bowling and baseball, which involve twisting and straining your back, can lead to a higher incidence of back pain. Thus, it is true that competitive sports can result in back pain or back injuries if the athletes over trained themselves. If you have had back problems and wish to take up a new sport, it is advisable to consult your doctor or physiotherapist who specializes in sports injuries for some professional recommendations on preventing back pain injuries.

What Actually Causes Lower Back Pain and How You Can Solve It

Did you know studies show that 80-90% of all Americans will suffer from back pain at some time in their life? Some will have pain that comes and goes. Others will experience pain that stays and becomes chronic. Many times, back pain that comes and goes gradually becomes chronic if it is not treated properly.

So, What Causes Back Pain?

The most common causes of lower back pain are:

• Misalignment (subluxation) of spinal bones


• Strains and sprains
  


• Degenerative disc disease and arthritis
  


• Bulging or herniated disc
  


• Facet syndrome
  


• Spinal Stenosis

As you can see from the list above, most back pain is mechanical in nature. This means, in most cases, it is caused by your spine not moving or working properly or from some structural defect that occurs. Back pain can also be caused from diseases and tumors, but this is the minority of cases.

How Do You Treat Back Pain?

Treatment for lower back pain varies depending on the cause. Obviously, the cure for a simple strain would be totally different than a sever disc herniation. Unfortunately, many physicians use a "one size fits all" approach to back pain. This is one of the reasons why back pain sufferers go from one back pain treatment to the next searching for the one true cure for lower back pain.
If you are suffering from lower back pain and are sick and tired of being in pain and missing out on life, then read on for more details on the cause of back pain and what can be done about it.

Understanding Why Weak Abdominals May Cause Back Pain

Most people with lower back pain are unable to correctly activate their abdominal muscles. This often leads to the person carrying a lot more tension and stress in their spine and spinal muscles rather than their abdominals. Continual incorrect neural activation of the abdominals will lead to lower back pain and muscular dysfunction.

Don't do crunches!

Abdominal crunches even on a fitball do not activate your deep abdominals that help protect your back. In fact doing sit ups and crunches can increase the dysfunction in associated muscles leading to an even weaker abdominal core.

Use your TVA

Transverse Abdominus (TVA) is the deepest abdominal muscle, this muscle wraps around your body, it is like having a built in weight belt. When you activate your Transverse abdominus it activates the spinal muscles transferring stress out of the spine and the back muscles into the abdominal region redcing the stress and pressure in your back.

There are no Lower abdominals

Many personal trainers and allied health professionals do not separate the lower and upper abdominal region when trainer or doing rehabilitation exercises. The abdominals are actviated by eight separate nerves, with a distinct difference between the nerves that innervating the abdominals muscle above and below the belly button (Goththwaite 1943). Therefore it is possible train the abdominal muscles from either end of its attachments (the ribs or the pelvis).

A person can have well condition upper abdominals yet have poorly conditioned weak lower abdominals. This is often displayed as poor tone with a pooch belly below the navel. This is extremely common in females after child birth, a caesarean or hysterectomy.

By incorrectly training your abdominals your lower abdominals, transverse abdominals and oblqiues will atrophy over time. This will leading to a weaker abdominal region that is not able to support your lower back.

For information on back pain and how to prevent back pain, go to http://www.lifestyleessentials.com.au

By Simon Fox

Your Pain Isn't Coming From Your Hip or Low Back - It's Coming From Your Sacroiliac Joint

It is not unusual to have a pain that seems to be vaguely found in the hip and lower back region. The pain is neither found in the hip area of the upper leg nor is it in the middle of the spine in the lower back. When asked to point to it most people will locate an area at the top of the buttock where is a bony bump. This is an area called sacroiliac joint (abbreviated S.I. Joint) and it is the source of many people's complaints. One study showed it to be the source of 23% of lower back pain.

The sacroiliac joint is actually a joint in the pelvis between the sacral bone and the iliac bone. There is one on each side of the pelvis. The S.I. joint acts as a "sliding or gliding" joint that moves with each step. It carries a lot of the weight of the upper body and is a common source of pain.

It can be hurt with a sudden trauma or more slowly due to poor posture or repetitive stress. Many times repetitive twisting movements involved in activities like vacuuming, sweeping, raking and snow shoveling can aggravate the sacroiliac joint. It is also commonly irritated in women during or following pregnancy due to added weight-bearing of the developing child.

When the S.I. joint is injured the surrounding muscles can go into spasm. Also nearby nerves can become sensitive and feel "pinched". Sometimes the pain can be felt in the lower back, buttocks, hip and upper leg or even all of these areas at the same time.

Sacroiliac joint problems may be intermittent but reoccurring. Sometimes the complaint can be constant with occasional episodes of stronger intense pain.

Proper diagnosis is important in effective treatment of this pelvic joint. Often doctors and therapists confuse problems of the S.I. joint as coming from the hip joint of the upper thigh or conditions of the lower back and spinal discs.

Many times patients are treated with prescription medicines such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroid injections, such as prednisone, but the improvement is minimal and temporary. At times, medications can actually be harmful to this pelvic joint and to organs such as the stomach, intestines and the kidneys. Therapies aimed at stretching and strengthening exercises alone are also usually ineffective.

In trying to correct the problem it is important to look at why the sacroiliac joint is causing complaints. Many times, the S.I. joint is out of alignment or moving improperly. If this is the case chiropractic treatment can be a safe and effective way to address the problem. Chiropractic manipulation or adjustments work to realign the pelvis and introduce proper movement into the malfunctioning joint. Following chiropractic adjustments exercises can then be given to stretch and strengthen the supporting structures. At-home therapies, such as using applications of cold packs, can be helpful to hasten the improvement of the problem. Education regarding proper posture and the correct way to perform physical activities is important to keep the condition from returning.

If you are having problems in that area around the hip and lower back consider that it may be coming from a sacroiliac joint problem and see a chiropractor for the proper diagnosis and treatment of the condition.