Find out the pitfalls of bodybuilding under the guise of a beautiful and athletic physique. It is often believed that injuries to the lumbar spine are associated with physical overload. However, even more often they can become a consequence of our everyday life. Indeed, very often people who have nothing to do with sports complain about lower back pain. Scientists have found that it is very harmful for the lower back when a person sits a lot. Let's take a closer look at the subtle dangers in bodybuilding.
Low back pain and bodybuilding prevention
As strange as it may sound, the spinal column experiences heavy loads not when we are standing, but when sitting. But a high load is not as terrible for the spine as its tilt in the sitting position. This leads to the convergence of the vertebrae and the subsequent pinching of the intervertebral discs.
The discs are made of highly elastic cartilage tissue. For this reason, the spinal discs can deal with compression quite easily. However, in those moments when we are sitting, the load increases 11 times. You are probably wondering why, if a person stands for a long time, then always strive to sit down as quickly as possible? Pain in the lower back may not always be caused by an overload of the intervertebral discs. Often they are caused by the muscles of the lower back, which are in a state of static tension. After we sit down, these muscles relax and there is a sense of relief that is illusory.
Let's find out why, when we sit, the spinal column is under great stress. This is primarily due to the fact that the muscular corset of the body relaxes in a sitting position. As a result, the entire load is transferred to the spine, which can lead to injury.
From everything written above, athletes should draw the correct conclusions regarding the rules for performing certain movements. First, you must watch out for the deadlifts in the reclined position. The starting position of this exercise is very similar to the state of the spinal column, which we talked about above. Remember that there should always be a right angle between the thigh bones and the spinal column.
Second, let's say you have to do a dumbbell curl while sitting. Most often, the athlete leans forward and takes sports equipment, but this cannot be done. You need to sit as comfortably as possible on a bench with a back and then ask a friend to submit the shells. Note that the vertebral discs have the ability to correct. Even if they are injured, the discs can recover if the traumatic effect on them is completely eliminated. Here's what you should do if you still need to sit to avoid a lower back injury:
- Sit for no more than 20 minutes.
- Get up more often, and the minimum length of such breaks should be 10 seconds.
- Sitting correctly is very important - sit on the edge of a chair with your knees bent at right angles and your back straight.
- Try to change your position more often: first put your feet next to each other, then spread them apart, etc.
You should also periodically perform special movements that will help relieve tension from the spine and muscles:
- While hanging, pull your knee joints towards your ribcage. Do it as many times as possible.
- Take a kneeling position on the ground and rest on outstretched arms. Begin to arch your back as high as possible, and then bend it.
Yuri Spasokukotsky tells about back pain and spinal injuries in bodybuilding:
