Question:
I’m upper middle-aged and I seem to have lower back problems. Well, more or less, I feel like I am falling apart. Can strength training stop the decline?
(Maury, West Hempstead)
Answer:
It’s good that you recognize what can happen to the body when you stop playing high school ball. But seriously, your lower back problems mirror 80% of the population. Symptoms vary and include: a nagging, aching pain in the area, a pain that feels like an electric shock, or a pain in the lower back that radiates down a leg.
Some of these symptoms are caused by tight hamstrings, poor posture or weak abdominals.
Schedule an exercise program with a trainer to insure proper form and execution:
- Warm-ups and cool downs
- Basic total body strength. Stick to balanced programs to enhance the whole body without imbalances and weak link muscles.
- Core stability and abdominal work
- Stretching programs for the hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, and erector spinae muscles.
Summer tip: When working around the house, cleaning out the garage, and gardening:
- Bend your legs when lifting
- Lift balanced loads
- Try not to lift higher than the waist
- Exhale on the lift
