Three moves for better spine health - Harvard Health

L'Italien recommends the "big three" exercises developed by Dr. Stuart McGill, an expert in spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo in ... RecentBlogArticles ScoringhighlyonAlternativeHealthyEatingIndexlowersriskformanyillnesses Canself-employmentpromotebettercardiovascularhealthforwomen? Whyisitsochallengingtofindaprimarycarephysician? HarvardHealthAdWatch:Anewinjectiontreatmentforeczema 3simpleswapsforbetterhearthealth I’mtooyoungtohaveAlzheimer’sdiseaseordementia,right? Askingaboutgunsinhouseswhereyourchildplays Behavioralweightlossinterventions:Dotheyworkinprimarycare? Whoneedstreatmentforocularhypertension? Thepopularityofmicrodosingofpsychedelics:Whatdoesthesciencesay? / StayingHealthy Threemovesforbetterspinehealth August1,2020 Spinalinstabilitycancontributetolowbackpain,butthe"bigthree"exercisescanhelp. Astrongcorecanstabilizeyourspinetohelpkeepyourlowerbackhealthyandpain-free.Themusclesandligamentssurroundingyourspinecanweakenwithageorfromaninjury,whichcanmakemovementsliketwisting,stretching,lifting,andbendingdifficult. "Thelowerbackoftenhastocompensateforthislackofmobility,whichplacesgreaterstressandburdenonitsmuscles,"saysEricL'Italien,aphysicaltherapistwithHarvard-affiliatedSpauldingRehabilitationCenter. Peoplewithbackpainoftenfearmovement,whichcanmaketheirbackstiffandtheirpainevenworse."Yet,astablespineisalsomoreflexible,soitcansupportafullrangeofnaturalmovements,"explainsL'Italien."Andhealthiermovementsreducepressureonthelowbackandlowertheriskofpainandinjury." Fullengagement Spinestabilityisachievedwithabalancedapproachtoyourentirecoremusculature."Thismeansyouengageallthecoremusclesatonce—fromtheabdominalstothewholeback,"saysL'Italien. Thiscomesinhandywhenyoumakemovementsthatrequiresuddenstrengthandabroadrangeofmotion,likeliftingandcarryinggroceriesandplacingthemonthecounterorfloor. "Spinestabilitymeansyourentiretrunkisworkingtogetherinrhythm,likeaworld-classsymphony,"saysL'Italien."Ifonethingisoff,itcanaffecttheentirestructure." Sohowdoyougetastablespine? L'Italienrecommendsthe"bigthree"exercisesdevelopedbyDr.StuartMcGill,anexpertinspinebiomechanicsattheUniversityofWaterlooinCanada.Theyarethecurl-up,thesideplank,andthebird-dog. "Theseexercisesengagealltheimportantmusclesneededtoimprovespinestability,"saysL'Italien. Here'showtoperformeachofthebigthree.Youshouldfollowwhat'scalledapyramidsequence:Startwithfiverepetitions(reps)ofeachofthethreeexercises.Thendothreerepsofeach,andfinishbydoingeachexercisejustonce. Asyougetmorecomfortablewiththeroutine,youcanincreasethenumberofrepsyoustartwithforeachexercise,butcontinuetofollowthedescendingpattern. Performtheseexercisestwoorthreedaysaweekbeforeyourregularworkout."Afterawhile,youcanperformthemdaily,"saysL'Italien. Curl-up 1.Lieonyourback.Extendonelegstraightoutonthefloor.Bendthekneeofyourotherlegsoyourfootisflatonthefloor. 2.Putyourhandsunderyourlowerbacktomaintainthenaturalarchofyourspine. 3.Onanexhalation,liftyourhead,shoulders,andchestoffthefloorasthoughtheywereallconnected.(Comeoffthefloorjustenoughtofeeltensioninyourmuscles.)Don'tbendyourlowerback,tuckyourchin,orletyourheadtiltback. 4.Holdfor10secondsandthenslowlyloweryourselfdown. 5.Completefivereps,thenswitchlegpositionsandrepeatthesequencetocompletetheexercise. Sideplank 1.Lieonyoursidewithyourupperbodyproppeduponyourarm,withyourforearmonthefloorandyourelbowunderneathyourshoulder.Placeyourfreehandofthetopofyourhip.Pullyourfeetback,soyourkneesareata90°angle. 2.Liftyourhipsoffthefloorsotheyareinlinewiththerestofyourbody,andholdforupto10seconds.Trytomaintainastraightlinefromyourheadtoyourknees.Slowlyloweryourhipsbackdowntothefloor. 3.Repeatfivetimes,thenfliptoyourothersideandrepeatthesequencetocompletetheexercise. Variation:Forachallenge,straightenyourlegsinsteadofbendingthem. Bird-dog 1.Getdownontheflooronyourhandsandknees. 2.Raiseyourleftarmandextenditforwardasfaraspossiblewhilesimultaneouslyliftingyourrightlegandextendingitstraightbehindyourbody.Keepboththeraisedarmandlegparalleltothefloor.Ensureyourhipsarealignedwithyourtorsoandnottiltedtooneside. 3.Holdfor10secondsandthenreturntothestartingposition. 4.Repeatfivetimes,thenswitchtotheotherarmandlegandrepeatthesequencetocompletetheexercise. 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BackPain Youmightalsobeinterestedin… BackPain:Findingsolutionsforyourachingback Treatmentofbackpainhasundergonearecentseachange.Expertsnowappreciatethecentralroleofexercisetobuildmusclesthatsupporttheback.ThisSpecialHealthReport,BackPain:Findingsolutionsforyour achingback,helpsyouunderstandwhybackpainoccursandwhichtreatmentsaremostlikelytohelp.Thisreportdescribesthedifferenttypesofbackproblemsandthetailoredtreatmentsthataremorelikelytohelpspecificconditions. ReadMore FreeHealthbeatSignup Getthelatestinhealthnewsdeliveredtoyourinbox! NewsletterSignup SignUp Close Thanksforvisiting.Don'tmissyourFREEgift. TheBestDietsforCognitiveFitness,isyoursabsolutelyFREEwhenyousignuptoreceiveHealthAlertsfromHarvardMedicalSchool Signuptogettipsforlivingahealthylifestyle,withwaystofightinflammationandimprovecognitivehealth,plusthelatestadvancesinpreventativemedicine,dietandexercise,painrelief,bloodpressureandcholesterolmanagement,and more. 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