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I’m personally convinced that the cause of back problems is sitting way to much.
That’s one aspect of it but the main cause is weakness of the lower back muscles. This is in the case of office workers, if you have a manual job the causes could be many. But all of the causes can be addressed to a certain degree with deadlifts to strengthen to lower back muscles. But people don’t want to lift weights so 🤷🏽♂️
There are plenty of body weight exercises like squats and lunges that can strengthen the back. I think more than weights, people simply don’t like to do targeted exercises.
I very much want to
Running also strengthens the back
Truth.
I do what I call the morning dump before runs now, squats + good mornings and then a 5k, my sore back is because I made it sore and it’s a good sore.
Dude, I picked up biking last season and on Monday I biked a new personal best of 12 very hilly miles without a rest. I decided literally the night before to join a local 4th of July 5k without any training (literally said “I can bike 12 miles, what’s running 3? Those are similar enough muscles!” and I’ve been riding the high since because my leg muscles are still all sore and tight in all of the wonderful “I pushed my limits and achieved something!” kind of ways that make me feel so alive!
Big if true, I just started running again this year. Ran a fair bit almost a decade ago, still have back pain though.
Sure, you can’t run 5k without good posture. Can’t hold good posture without some core strength
squat and deadlift are key to success. Really, anything that develops your posterior chain is a healthy bet
Squats, deadlifts and good mornings are the key to a back you made sore and strong instead of a hurt back,
I’d say stretching and familiarizing yourself with what the edge of acceptable motion is goes A LOT further with not hurting yourself. You can deadlift all you want, but if you don’t know how to deal with shifting weight or an odd position once you start doing some generic activity that doesn’t mirror the lift, you’re still going to hurt yourself.
In fact, overconfidance with being able to lift a heavy amount vs dealing with shifting forces can be the reason someone tries to move too much weight in the first place. Think lifting a solid, easily grippable mass of a steel bar vs moving a heavy-ass wobbly mattress. The mattress might be a fraction of the weight but it’s still a pain in the ass. Don’t know how to deal with weight suddenly shifting? That’s a pulled back anyways.
I assumed, obviously incorrectly because this is the internet and I’m always correctable, that it would be understood I wasn’t saying “hurting yourself by exercising incorrectly” when advocating for strength training.
It is very easy to hurt yourself doing strength training without experience pushing your body’s boundaries. Getting familiar with stretching first can be the difference between starting strength training successfully and overdoing something and turning the experience in to a painful turnoff.
Nah, not those alone. Developing only one side of a movement can cause serious health problems. Like how people that get only their calves really strong are prone to getting pulled tibia muscles doing sports because those muscles cannot keep up and fatigue out quickly. I can only imagine how terrible it would be to only have a strong back if you end up doing the wrong movement some day.
Sorry I meant in context to keeping a strong trunk and a happy lower back. Of course you’d want a good balance of exercises to support even muscle development
Can’t it be addressed with any regular, properly practiced sport, which many people don’t do over 30? Lifting seems like effort without the fun of a game.
It is certainly 1000 times better than doing nothing, but even athletes lift weights to complement their training because there’s nothing quite like targeting the muscles directly. But like others have commented running is also good for strengthening the back, so any sports where there’s a lot of running like soccer, football or basketball will help.
Weightlifting can be a game itself though, at least for me it is. The game is attempting to best my previous numbers every session. Very much a single player game but a game nonetheless.
Lifting is an RPG
That’s why I have a character sheet with all my stats.
Unfortunately there is no cheat code or dupe glitch to help me beat lifting, as it is way too difficult. I chose the “physically disabled” trait at birth only to learn that it was the hardmode and no way to revert, and it’s pay to win to overcome. 2/10 game
Lifting seems like effort without the fun of a game.
The fun is in learning your muscles, feeling them shift and move as you put new strain on them and ultimately improving. Any metric you can track for improvement gives you a big source of pride when you hit a new milestone. Maybe it’s more reps. Maybe it’s a bigger weight with the same number of reps. Maybe it’s a new more difficult exercise you can do. Maybe you’re aiming to join a local competition. There’s always a goal to work towards and you can watch your body get better as you work on it. There’s incredible magic in knowing the control you have over your body’s shape, and suddenly being able to join in races or competitions that you might have used to be annoyed by how they get in your way.
I’ve gone big into biking. I started out struggling to make it around the block (which includes a big hill because where I live there really isn’t any flat surfaces to bike on) and last week I hit 12 miles in one go, and that’s including quite a few hills, some I powered up standing on the pedals, and some I powered through going as slowly as I needed and just continuing to pedal and push through. Every week or two I can achieve a new best for the season or even a new personal best, and that’s just tracking distance. I could instead focus on increasing my average speed. Or I could download an app where I race other people on the same route in virtual time trials.
Seriously depends. If someone is out of shape, starting with a game can be both disheartening when you physically cannot compete and make you far more likely to injure yourself when you’re not paying full attention to what your body is doing.
Going from out of shape (and most nonphysical people are out of shape nearly completely) to in shape is a treacherous path that should not be taken lightly.
Not to say sports are a bad idea, but they aren’t a silver bullet.
It’s not just load back. People have to strengthen their core, chest, and upper back.
All those muscles work together to help with good posture.
In my case, it’s the combo of way, way to much walking in work boots and then later doing a lot of sitting. gotta shorten up those hip flexor, bae
This is why I never sit down. Not even to poop. I just stand above the toilet, and hope it goes in.
Sometimes it does!
Do you have a poop fork next to the poop knife to help pick them up?
Made me lol at the last sentence.
My dad and brother had back problems and they were brick layers and then janitors. Only sat at breaktime.
Repeated motion injuries can happen even in very fit people. The body needs time to heal even from low impact/low stress movement. Especially if it’s at the edge of what’s “easy”.
A good example is a food server. Even if you can handle the weight of a fully loaded tray easy enough, unless that weight is like throwing a nurf ball around for you, you’re going to need a healing period after a long shift. Most likely longer than any asshole shift manager would ever allow if you’re a small pretty gal.
yeah. I brought it up mostly to contrast the its from sitting thing. Lots of folks in physical trades had back problems. It was a trope really. Working class dads with back going out and corpo dads with heart attacks.
Adults don’t know how to bend and squat properly. Watch people and you’ll see that practically everybody bends at their back anytime they’re reaching down.
I still do if the weight in less than around 100lbs, but that’s only because I’ve strengthened my back to the point where 100lbs is no big deal even in weird positions, and bending at the waist is sometimes way easier.
If you’re someone who knows how to lift at the waist you’re probably still keeping your back straight, like you would in a Romanian deadlift.
Yea, that’s usually the case when something is actually heavy to be fair. Always a good idea to make sure they’re the muscles that tighten first!
Also to add more context; I specifically strength train the ‘bad’ way of lifting things, as it were. Like hyperextensions, bird dogs, superman, etc, so I’m not joking when I say I lift some “lighter” things in a ‘bad’ way when convenient. lol
… though if I feel back strain start to build up, you bet your ass I’ll reposition! Only a fool (like younger me) just goes for a lift without paying attention to what the body is saying.
Also bending your back for a job hours on end does more damage
Weighing way too goddam much is also a cause of back (and knee) problems.
The human body wasn’t designed to sit all day. We’re walkers. Best to appreciate a job that keeps you moving. Haven’t had back problems since I started doing manual labor. Before that, there were days I couldn’t tie my shoes.
Strength training helps, a lot.
and stretching. Gotta’ stretch, especially if you’re like me and aren’t naturally very flexible. I’ve probably avoided dozens of injuries just by knowing my limits well and making sure they don’t show up pitifully fast.
I wouldn’t say there aren’t people who are naturally more flexible than average but all the people who are VERY flexible worked for it. The processes that improve your ligaments and muscles in that way require repetition and dedication like any other self improvement.
Ehhhh, you’re kinda’ discounting how broad “average” is. Some people cannot even get close to touching their toes without daily stretching (like me) whereas some people can grab their feet and they do nothing extra.
For people like me, daily stretching quite literally directly prevents injury both from exercise and when normal movement goes awry like when tripping.
Still waiting for the day I twist my ankle for the first time. I’m still way too flexible for it to hurt at all when I step off the pavement weirdly.
100%
The reason that bowflex dude was 42 and in the best shape of his life was because at 42 it was the first time he needed to be.
Shit, Anthony Bourdain had six-pack abs at age 61. You’re never too old to stop whining about life and start moving some weights around and stop eating so much shitty food.
I mean this in all positivity. Move around and lose weight if you’re sporting it. I’m over 40 and I’m in better shape than I was in my 20s because I move around a lot (owning a farm helps) but it’s no excuse to not move if you don’t. Stop being sedentary. Move and eat less. You will be surprised how little it takes to feel good again.
Also quit smoking, vaping, anything with nicotine, which causes your discs to degrade faster.
I have degenerative disc disease at 42, I’m looking at multiple fusions.
OK well my counter story is that I move a lot for work too and I’m only slightly overweight but my upper back feels like it’s going to break in half when I wake up in the mornings, and my lower back tingles like a 9 volt battery to the tongue just always. 32 yo.
I guess just do whatever and maybe your back will feel fine and maybe it won’t. Just like all health advice.
You might need a better mattress if that’s how you wake up like that. Especially if it gets better during the day.
My cousin did construction work for a number of years and it wore this body out. He had to retire in his 40s.
I eat twice a day, I never stop moving.
I would say I’m doing better than most people at 40 if I hadn’t smoked since I was 10.
I have something wrong with some nerves in my back though. Shit tingles to an annoying level if I carry my kids around.
100% encourage anyone past 30 to start working on your core strength, a sore back can frequently be caused by a weak core. I only take started focusing on that when I turned 40 and it’s made a huge difference! Just a few minutes a day or every couple of days is all it takes. Get a kettlebell, do 30 swings, then a 1-2 minute plank, then 30 more swings and you’re done. It will really help with the back pain, believe me!
What exactly is a swing? Cause I just imagine spinning in circles letting it go and destroying my TV. I assume back and forth? Or in front of me? Over my head? 90 degrees?
If you have 60 spare TVs to break everyday, that works out perfectly. Otherwise, I recommend watching this tutorial:
No joke I might actually go out and buy one today if it’s this easy to do in my apartment.
So I bought a kettle bell yesterday. I can definitely feel it, we’ll see if it helps!
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I do like 10 kettlebell swings, no plank (because I hate it) and my back has magically just become young again. It feels a little bit cool to swing that bad boy too.
I do sincerely recommend.
If you hate plank and don’t have a kettlebell yet, start with some dead bugs.
I used to think this, until I started going to the gym.
Yoga & lifting but mostly yoga. I got in a pretty bad car accident 10 years ago and did not get hurt, I mean got banged up but my back did not get hurt at all. Everyone told me “just wait” but that shoe never dropped, and I’m sure it’s the yoga. Fell on my ass the other day (enthusiastic dog knocked my feet out from under me on a slippery surface) and didn’t get hurt, and I’m old enough one of the questions the doctor asks is “any falls lately”
Move it in every direction, strengthen all those little muscles and yes, core but not just abs, every side of your core. Bodies are use it or lose it systems.
I feel you there. I’m in my 40s and have never been super healthy, but I have at least tried to take care of my joints.
Now, this year, my hobbies have had me doing manual labor like construction and landscaping in my yard. This is the strongest I’ve felt in a long time, and when slipping in a muddy yard or tripping over a toy or dog I seem to have the reflexes and supporting muscles to always catch myself without getting hurt. It’s been excellent for my mental health too.
In my 20s and 30s I mostly just wanted to be my recluse nerd gamer self (with my partner who I met at 19 by sheer dumb luck) but now after actively working for years to figure out wtf is wrong with me and how to get better results out of this body and brain I’ve been given… yeah it’s no surprise but things like fresh air and other people and petting an animal are all good shit!
Yoga helps 👍
Stretching in general helps, it doesn’t even have to be yoga. Though a good yoga routine makes it easier to hit most of the major areas.
Agreed, I just wanted to mention the yoga 😁
I also don’t want to discount yoga! It’s good motion and position trianing and definitely stretches plenty, at least for ‘tight’ people like me.
I just wanted to point out that one doesn’t need to do an entire routine just for stretching. (although still, yoga’s a great way to start a journey with exercise, especially if someone isn’t a self-starter type)
I started doing pilates a few tears ago. I hate it, but really, 15 minutes a week make a huge difference for my back. All it takes is a yoga mat and some pilates instructor lady on YouTube. Curtains is recommended since even if you get good at it you’re gonna look ridiculous.
I hope the tears stop eventually ✊
Other comments mentioned squats and deadlifts but the upper back is important too. Pullups and especially dead hangs are great for countering the effects of sitting at a desk.
Once you get your grip strength up you can hang and just let your spine decompress. It feels great. You can also do the opposite and keep your core engaged (AKA hollow hold) to build strength.
I played sports growing up but never had a strong core until I did this in my 30s. It was kind of shocking because I could suddenly do things like V ups with ease which used to make me shake uncontrollably.
I like the shaking aspect, usually a sign you pushed far beyond your limits and your body is going “wtf”.
As this thread shows, back pain isn’t caused by just one thing, so each specific person’s back pain won’t be cured by the same one size fits all approach.
If your back pain is caused by poor posture exacerbated by a weak posterior chain, lifting weights at the gym or doing other strengthening exercises/physical therapy can be helpful. As plenty in this thread can attest, gym time to offset laptop time can go a long way.
If your back pain is caused by repetitive stress from physical labor, adhering to proper form/technique and rest/recovery cycles to the best of your ability can help.
If your back pain is exacerbated by the weight you carry, losing weight (or in certain circumstances, breast reduction surgery) can help.
We’re all just trying to get through life. Sometimes other people’s tips can help, so it’s worth sharing, but we also shouldn’t get too tied to a particular solution that worked for us, as a the solution for everyone else.
The arches of our feet stretch unevenly as we age. For some people, this causes one foot to pronate more than the other, which leads to a functional leg length discrepancy, which causes a knee to turn in, the hips to tilt, the spine to develop a functional scoliosis, one shoulder to drop, causing neck pain, etc. It’s called the kinetic chain, and unfortunately it’s been hovered up as a chiropractic talking point. But it can often be corrected with custom shoe inserts that can also help with balance. On the flip side, you then become reliant on those things and your back is weaker without em. So ya know, nothing’s simple, I guess.
Not medical advice, but I got used to wearing shoes indoors after years of office work, but taking off my shoes when indoors and actually using all my muscles to hold myself upright, has lead to a real reduction in discomfort.
If you’re used to shoes all the time, it HURTS at first to go without and you have to take frequent sit/stand breaks. This is GOOD and you should listen to your body and continue moving in ways that make you feel better.
Your point just reminded me that if you’re capable, that one of the simplest mediations you can do is work with your muscles to keep yourself straight.
I’ve been suffering from severe sciatica for 6 months now. I am 33. I am in shape, exercise every day including running, yoga, and lifting. Gunna get steroid shots to hopefully help me break the cycle.
I got sciatica at 37. I exercised regularly, running, yoga, lifting… What fixed it? Regular walking. Yep. Just an hour of walking around fixed the issue yoga and weight lifting couldn’t.
Got sciatica a few years ago, it was sudden and excruciating. Luckily it went away by itself, and so far it hasn’t come back.
I couldn’t even lift my foot 10cm
Pinched nerve?
I guess
Are you doing deloaded weeks to help with recovery?
Rn I pretty much only walk for exercise, plus the PT exercises focused on strengthening supporting muscles and providing spine extension.
I’m basically 40 and deadlift in the 700s pretty frequently. You can bulletproof your back if you have the will
I’m working on it, but a lot of my issues stem from repetitive motion injuries.
I don’t know how some people do it. The max I can do without being incapacitated in bed is like 185 lbs, which is a farcry from what I heard you should be able to deadlift twice your weight.
If I sit on the couch playing vidya games for 2 hours, my back hurts for 2 days.
The gamer in me says to set a timer and stop playing at 1:59.
Stop at 1:59 and let stamina quickly recover before continuing. OP obviously not a real gamer.
Am or Pm?
Hopefully PM because also gamer me has no gd idea how to stop gaming at 1:59 am even if I have work in the morning.
Better ergs? More pillows? Shorter sessions?
need a cat with a nervous bladder you have to take to the litter box to interrupt your sitting sessions
Awwdly specific
Lol, at 46 my heart said ‘nah man, let’s just stop’. 🤷
If I ever actually have a heart attack, I’m not sure if I would think it’s a heart attack or a panic attack simply because the first time I ever had a debilitating panic attack, it felt like the way everyone I’ve known to have a heart attack described them (hard to breath, intense chest pains, left srm went numb, etc) and called an ambulance just to find out it was anxiety.
Same thing happened to me recently. Super fun loop.
- Have panic attack
- Symptoms mimic heart attack
- Panic more
- Mimics heart attack harder
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 until EKG, X-ray, and blood test come back clear, and doc gives benzos.
At least now I know it’s a panic attack so it doesn’t feed itself as aggressively.
It’s easy to miss but I didn’t say heart attack. My heart stopped beating and I stopped breathing. Never experienced any of the typical symptoms, non smoker and drinker. I literally dropped dead and was lucky that everything afterwards went well (aside from the trauma inducing situation of course).
The cause is unknown to this day.
