The Biggest Cause Of Back Pain

Will Harlow, specialist over-50s physiotherapist, shares the most common cause (and its remedy) in this video:

The seat of the problem

The issue (for most people, anyway) is not in the back itself, nor the core in general, but rather, in the glutes. That is to say: the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. They assist in bending forwards (collaborating half-and-half with your back muscles), and help control pelvic alignment while walking.

Sitting for long periods weakens the glutes, causing the back to overcompensate, leading to pain. So, obviously don’t do that, if you can help it. Weak glutes shift the work to your back muscles during bending and walking, increasing strain and—as a result—back pain.

The solution (besides “sit less”) is to do specific exercises to strengthen the glutes. When you do, focus on good form and do not try to push through pain. If the exercises themselves all cause pain, then stop and consult a local physiotherapist to figure out your next step.

With that in mind, the five exercises recommended in this video to strengthen glutes and reduce back pain are:

1. Hip abduction (isometric): use a heavy resistance band or belt around legs above the knees, push outwards.
2. The clam: lie on your side, bend your knees 90°, and lift your top knee while keeping your body forward. Focus on glute engagement.
3. Clam with resistance band: use a light resistance band above your knees and perform the same clam exercise.
4. Hip abduction (straight leg): lie on your side, keep legs straight, lift your top leg diagonally backward. Lead with your heel to target your glutes and avoid back strain.
5. Hip abduction with resistance band: place a resistance band around your ankles, and lift leg as in the previous exercise.

For more on all these, plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like to read:

• 6 Ways To Look After Your Back
• Strong Curves: A Woman’s Guide To Building A Better Butt And Body – by Bret Contreras & Kellie Davis
• How To Stop Pain From Spreading

Take care!