Could you start me off with a hard one?? [sarcasm…yes I’ll have some]
First let me say that you have tackled the most important issue of recovery and healing by staying active. Congrats to you.
Recommendations:
Aerobic exercise on your feet. Research will show a positive relationship between being aerobically fit and controlling low back pain (LBP). I would do it on my feet simply because there is a rotational component which will promote endurance development in the deep rotators of the spine. The muscle have been shown to be atrophied in chronic LBP patients.
Increase trunk extension endurance and strength. After back injury, trunk extensor endurance decreases dramatically. Once the pain episode appears recovered, the lack of extensor endurance remains unless corrected.
Avoid repetitive or constant flexed postures, loaded flexed postures and prolonged sitting. These activities increase spinal compressive and shear forces on the spine which can aggravate tissues.
Avoid heavy, loaded twisting movements or flexed twisting movements. Remember the old seated rotation machine from Nautilus and all the copycats? That thing is pure death for a spine.
Now that being said. I have rehabbed a couple of my golfers from discectomies to full activities and exceptional golf using some of the following.
Birddog exercises – down on hands and knee and raise opposite arm and leg. If you went through any rehab you should be familiar to them. I use it as a pre-hab exercise mostly to train the smaller rotational muscles in neutral.
Good Mornings – these kind of break a lot of rules in rehab but do wonders for posterior chain strength and endurance. Just be sure to maintain neutral spine at all times.
Standing one-arm cable rows – the one arm row creates a rotational force without spinal rotation which promotes spinal stability. This exercise also strengthens the coupling relationship of the lats to glutes to hamstrings which is very important in lower back strength and injury prevention.
Isometric Lunges – this exercise promotes increased flexibility, strength and endurance in the hip flexors which tend to be tight in folks with LBP. Work up to reps of 60 sec holds.
Hyperextensions or Reverse Hypers – another great posterior chain strengthener
Lat pulldowns/chins – very important for posterior chain strength and lumbar stabilization.
Standing cable overhead pulls – easy way to load rectus abdominis in standing. Looks like a standing cable pullover.
You’ll need to determine your weak points and select the appropriate exercises. If you give me some more info I may be able to provide more specifics for you.
Be sure to follow the “Statute of Fitness Limitations” for loading parameters and avoid pain during training or prolonged symptoms after training. This should be a long process. Don’t rush it!
Bill Hartman
|