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Been meaning to ask you this for a long time......
When I stand for long periods of time, my lower back begins to ache. Or, if I am walking for a long time....say, in a mall......same thing. (Note, that this doesn't happen if I go for a long walk for exercise). Like, the other day, I stopped to see my neighbor and we were out talking for about 45 minutes. I noticed my back starting to ache. So, since I don't have any back pain normally, this has to have something to do with how I am standing, don't you think? What am I doing to cause this, do you think? Do I need to work on keeping my pelvis tilted more forward?
I'd also consider what shoes you're wearing when you have issues with your back versus not. I tend to have issues when I'm cooking/cleaning/around the kitchen for long periods of time barefoot. The lack of any cushion, from either shoes or rug/pad tends to be the culprit, as if I wear even my vibrams for the same time I'm good.
Aoife, it doesn't seem to matter....the other day I had my Skechers on. Then, prior to that I had a problem with heels. Maybe I am shifting my weight and putting more pressure on one side vs the other? I just can't figure it out. Or maybe I tend to arch my back too much when standing??
might be. *shrug*
may also be something actually wrong, so to speak. compression on a nerve or something.
hmm, alignment/posture/form seems like the first culprit considering the difference between workout and leisure. do you roll your hips, sway, swish, or generally move markedly different?
From a quick glance, the article posted seems to be talking about pelvic tilt and whatnot. so along the lines of what we're talking, it seems.
Aoife, it doesn't seem to matter....the other day I had my Skechers on. Then, prior to that I had a problem with heels. Maybe I am shifting my weight and putting more pressure on one side vs the other? I just can't figure it out. Or maybe I tend to arch my back too much when standing??
This is pretty common.
Do you have a recent sideview photo? (I know in your log I've just seen front and back.)
What do you do with regards to stretching?
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I can get a recent sideview, but I'll be too conscious of good posture that I fear you won't get the "real" picture.
It's good to hear that it's common, however.
I do a lot of dynamic stretching and static stretching and foam rolling. Specific to the back? That cat one where you are kneeling and you arch your back and then round it...know what I mean? I do a lot from Cressey's book for my dynamic, as does my coach.
I'm going to read that linked article now.....
ETA: Good article...I do a lot of the stretches in it. I think I'll do these stretches daily, not only on workout days.
Sometimes it also just takes conscious effort to avoid excessive lordosis.
Standing doing dishes, focus on keeping a neutral pelvic position, might feel a bit posterior to you ...
Standing folding laundry, same thing.
Any of your standing lifts ... not necessarily olympic ones, but shoulder presses, bicep curls etc ... focus on maintaining neutral.
Stretch your hip flexors, TFL, rectus femoris ...
Stretch your lower back ... single knee to chest, double knee to chest ...
Lots of gluteal activation stuff ... things like bird dogs are excellent. You want to focus on maintaining neutral and avoid arching your back when you extend your leg out (we call this disassociation).
Foam rolling of hip flexors, TFL, Quads etc can also be helpful.
And add a dose of patience. It may take time ...
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Thanks, Julie! Before I read this, I was standing in line at work for our annual Health Assessments and I was actually concentrating on a more neutral pelvic position. I definitely think that's what it is because it doesn't feel natural to me. So, I am probably always standing with a somewhat exaggerated anterior tilt. Will work on that for sure!
I do a lot of the stretches you mention above; however, I will be sure to focus even more on them and really make sure to get them in as often as possible. You are right on the patience thing, for sure! With a habit of standing incorrectly for so long, I think that it will definitely take some time to re-train my pelvis!
I used to look for something to put one foot up upon - like a book under the table when folding laundry or open the doors when at the sink and put a foot up on the bottom of the cabinet but then found that just lifting one heel (especially when standing in a line) seemed to give relief and helped to realign without thinking about it.
You are right, they are different. I was just relating how I discovered it ... looking for something I could do while standing when I couldn't put a foot up (back when I was having real pain from the spondo)
OK, this happened again to me on Friday and since it's fresh in my mind, I wanted to bump this.
So, I went over to my neighbors to drop off some stuff and had the pup with me, so when they invited me in, I picked her up so as not to have her run around their house. So, we talked for about 1/2 hour as I stood there with Violet. I am assuming maybe I was probably not standing with the best posture as I tried to keep her in check. Well, I could feel my way lower back start to ache and I tried to do a posture correction, lift up the foot, etc. So, as I leave, I know it's hurting badly. I bend over to put Violet on the ground and PAIN. I just stayed there bent over for about 20 seconds and stretched out that lower back and then slowly stood up. Then, I walked home and stretched a bit back and forth. Then, that was it. Felt fine. No lingering pain to be had. It's so weird.
I just read Esther Gokhale's book. It was very interesting, but I haven't put it into practice yet, so can't vouch for it. She talks about how people living in modern societies tend to have poor posture, and as it relates to your back, tend to have too much lordosis of the upper lumbar spine, and not enough curvature at the L5-S1 joint.
I just read Esther Gokhale's book. It was very interesting, but I haven't put it into practice yet, so can't vouch for it. She talks about how people living in modern societies tend to have poor posture, and as it relates to your back, tend to have too much lordosis of the upper lumbar spine, and not enough curvature at the L5-S1 joint.
This looks very interesting. I'm definitely going to give this book a read. Thanks for the tip.
I bent over from my waist and WOWEE! I think then I was forced to bend my knees! But, like I said.....I walked it off, stretched a bit and I was fine. That's how it always is....it's not anything that lingers. It just starts hurting really bad when I'm standing for a while, but once I sit down or stretch it out, it's fine. It's just annoying!
Well, you shouldn't bend forward from your WAIST ... hips are fine (like an RDL) better is a squat ...
Cumulative trauma to the spine can be really problematic ... Kuri posted an article in the Training Forum about back pain that Eric Cressey wrote on T-Nation ... excellent article and might have some helpful info for you ...
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Eh, it probably was more of a bend from the hips, rather than waist. I'll have to pay more attention. I've been really working on my core lately. I think that the stronger my core is, the better these pesky back things will be. I'll keep my eye on it for sure. Thanks for all of your insight!
General pain questions for Julie
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