What’s up with my back?

We’ve probably all struggled with a stiff achy back at some point. The reality is that our modern lifestyles are often dictated by technology and we just don’t move enough to maintain healthy joints and soft tissues. If you truthfully counted up how many hours per day or week you spend in sedentary / static positions whether working from a computer, driving, or binge watching TV and social media what would that number look like? How would it compare with hours spent being active, stretching, moving and getting some exercise? Chances are you are in the majority with your results skewed in the wrong direction and sedentary hours winning hands down.

Even for those of us who do exercise regularly it’s often at the back of a long day of not moving much. There is often a misconception that working out a few times a week should be adequate to ward off the stiffness and tightness that comes from our daily work routines. While of course some exercise is better than none what most of us need to do is work harder at incorporating small amounts of varied regular movement into our everyday routines. Micro breaks of several minutes every hour are a great way to break up the day & if you can practice a few hip and back movements and stretches with these then that’s a winning combination.

Most of the back pain we suffer is not serious (but do ensure you have checked with a medical professional) even when the pain and stiffness reach fairly extreme and debilitating levels. It is most often a cumulative and gradual process which results in reduced joint and tissue flexibility and a lower threshold or tolerance for simple tasks.

You may have a sensation of achy stiffness and tightness in your back and feel the need to fidget and change position constantly just to get comfortable. Sometimes acute painful events occur as the result of a simple daily task like putting on your socks and you can feel trapped in a cycle of stiffness, pain and vulnerability.

These symptoms most often aren’t indicative of something seriously wrong but rather your body is sensing changes it doesn’t like and is giving warning that something needs to change. X-rays and MRI scans aren’t normally helpful, unless being used by a medical professional to exclude other suspected pathology, and more often than not can cause confusion and fear which can negatively impact behaviour and recovery.

What can I do?

All is not lost and it’s never too late to make positive change. For most of us that can be very simple in the form of developing strategies that encourage us to move more in our daily routines. Try these pointers:

1. Be positive and take action of some kind. Note anything that seems to help or has a positive effect on how you feel and work to develop that

2. Focus on what is within your control to change and don’t worry or get hung up on the things you cannot do or cannot change

3. Develop simple daily habits and routines that encourage an increase in regular movement, exercise, and stretching

4. If you plan on being static/sedentary for extended periods plan micro-breaks of 2-3 minutes at least every 60 minutes and include some walking and simple stretching movements

5. Try to find a physical activity or exercise that you enjoy and doesn’t feel like a chore as you are much more likely to perform it regularly and achieve a long term change

6. Consider other lifestyle factors where you can implement simple change - e.g. drink more water, increase sleep, meditate or practice deep breathing & reduce daily screen time usage.

Let’s get started!

Below is a mobility routine for your back of 6 different exercises performed as a movement flow to get you started. Always begin slowly and gently and work within your own comfort limits. If you can only do part of the movement or a modified / reduced range that is fine, just do what you can. Try them every day and perhaps even multiple times per day if you’re able and you will gradually start to feel better and move better. Ideally try the whole routine or you can divide it up into single exercises and see which ones you find give you the most relief but aim to practice all the movements every day.

Back Mobility Flow Video:

Exercise 1

Cat & Camel Stretch

• Begin in all 4s position. Cat posture - Allow your spine to soften and hollow along its entire length. Tilt your tailbone gently to the ceiling. Relax you lower back, rib cage, shoulders and neck

• Camel Posture - Arch your whole spine slowly and gently to the ceiling in one large ‘C’ shape. Tuck your tailbone between your legs

• Hold each position for around 10 seconds. Transition from one to the other 6-8 times.

Exercise 2

Childs Pose to Cobra

• Begin in all 4s position. Childs pose - Gently sit bottom back towards heels as far as is comfortable opening knees and hips softly and as required

• Cobra Pose - Allow weight to come forward and lower hips gently to floor. Stay relaxed in hips and lower back and if required bend elbows slightly so that hips can rest in contact with floor.

• Hold each position for around 10 seconds. Transition from one to the other 6-8 times

Exercise 3

Childs Pose Side Bend

• Begin in Childs Pose - Walk you hands around to one side into side bend aiming for at least a 45 degree angle, you should feel a good stretch down your side. Hold 20-30 seconds.

• Walk hands around in same way to other side and again hold 20-30 seconds in side bend.

• Repeat 2-3 times on each side

Exercise 4

Lunge Hip Flexor Opener

• Begin in Lunge position. Gently engage your lower tummy muscles and tuck your pelvis in. Aim to feel a stretch in the front of your hip and top of thigh

• Gently engage your buttock muscles and lean slightly forward taking care not to arch your lower back

• Hold the position 30-60 seconds. Repeat 1-2 times left and right

Exercise 5 - Part 1

Lunge Hip Opener with Alternate Arm Rotations

• From Lunge position reach hands forward and rest on floor beside front foot. Take outside arm and reach under and between legs ‘threading the needle’ holding for a few seconds

• With the same arm rotate outward and upward toward ceiling trying to get arm to a straight vertical position, hold for a few seconds then return to ‘thread the needle’

• Repeat this 10 times

Exercise 5 - Part 2

Lunge Hip Opener with Alternate Arm Rotations

• After completing Part 1 of this series stay in the same position but extend out your back leg as far as is comfortable

• Take inside arm now and rotate upward to the ceiling trying to achieve the straight arm vertical position, Hold for a few seconds

• Bring the same arm down and with bent elbow drive your elbow towards the floor down the inside of your shin. Hold for a few seconds then rotate back to the vertical arm position

• Repeat this 10 times

Exercise 6

A-Frame Walk to Squat

• From the all 4s position drive your hips into the air with straight knees and gentle lower your heels towards the floor into the A-Frame (it does not matter if you can’t fully extend knees or reach the floor with your heels). Hold for 10 seconds feeling stretch in back of legs

• Keeping hands on floor slowly walk feet in towards hands and slowly sit down into a squat, hold for 10 seconds

• Walk back to A-Frame position and hold for another 10 seconds

• Repeat 4-6 times

Thank You

Thank you for taking the time to read this post, we sincerely hope that you find it useful and can use it to implement some positive changes in your daily routines. Take your time and work at your own level but be persistent and try to slowly improve on your own baseline. Please download your own FREE Cheatsheet to keep and to help with you practice and share this post with anyone who could benefit. If you have any questions or comments please just ask we would love to hear from you. Stay healthy and move well.

Childs Pose