Improper bending, as demonstrated here, wears out discs and causes pain. Fortunately, most back pain is easily corrected with proper form.
Did you know that the average non-sedentary (but not particularly active) person bends somewhere between 200 – 400 times per day? Think about it. Every time we unload the dishwasher, pick up something off the floor or tie our shoes, we’re bending. (And if you’re one of those active, high-energy types like me, you’re bending about 500 times a day.)
If we’re bending improperly, which means bending forward from the waist, we’re wearing out our discs every single day of our lives. What eventually happens is that a disc finally “goes” with nothing more than a sneeze or cough. But the pain wasn’t caused by that one event – it was brewing all along.
By turning harmful forward bending into healthy squatting, we get to strengthen our leg, glute and core muscles every day, all day. It’s free exercise – no gym membership required.
This is what I learned from Dr. Jolie Bookspan, MEd, Ph.D. FAWM, a noted research scientist whose patients get exceptional results following her teachings via her books, free website, and personal consultations (for those of us lucky enough to get appointments with her). She is the author of two books that changed my life and I think everyone should own: Fix Your Own Pain Without Drugs or Surgery and Health & Fitness in Plain English.
A few years ago I had recurring back, neck and shoulder pain. I’d been to several physical therapists and chiropractors who, despite their best efforts, hadn’t been able to get me out of pain. In my search for relief, I came across Dr. Bookspan’s blog, The Fitness Fixer. I learned that I was actually causing my own pain by how I sat, stood, and bent over in my everyday life. I bought her books, changed my unhealthy ways, and got out of pain.
Whether you currently have pain, want to prevent it, or help somebody who suffers, I encourage you to start out by reading Dr. Bookspan’s article, How Good Would You Look from 400 Squats, check out her other articles (over 800 total), and order her books.
By learning proper mechanics, you can easily solve most back, neck and shoulder pain while gaining strength – for fun and for free. Enjoy!
