๐ก Back pain sucks. If you’re suffering, we want you to know that there is hope. On this page, you’ll find the best resources to take care of yourself and start feeling better as soon as possible.
Step 1. Understanding back pain | Step 2. Overcoming back pain | Step 3. Taking action and getting relief
Get Our Resident Physical Therapist’s 6 Favorite Back Stretches. โคต๏ธ
Back pain is an incredibly common issue. And it’s been documented that up to 60-70% of people will experience some form of back pain over their lifetime. This is even more prevalent in developed countries due to sedentary lifestyles and repetitive movement patterns and strains.
So, if you’re sitting here reading this and your back hurts, we have just the thing for you…
Back pain can be caused by an acute injury like a fall, a strain during training, or even a slight movement in the wrong direction (where it seems like you should’ve been just fine).
It can also happen as a result of being in an awkward position for long periods, or not healing properly from a prior injury. For others, it comes down to chronic exposure to certain postures, or lack of regular movement.
๐ง Read the rest of this page to learn more about back pain how to manage yours with regular movement and mobility training.
๐ง Listen to our spinal health podcast to get a feel for why we sometimes get back pain and have a hard time alleviating it.
Back pain doesn’t have to be a mainstay in your life and you have more control than you think.
Here are some ways you can begin taking care of your back today. ๐
A good place to start is with a proper back stretching routine. Here’s a quick tutorial using 4 essential back stretches you can follow along with at home:
๐ค What does getting started look like?
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be sore all the time. In fact, sometimes we get so used to pain that we just learn to deal with it, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Those are the 3 big factors that will help you eliminate back pain and move with ease again.
Many of us are sitting in a static position for most of the day, and thatโs a recipe for back pain to creep up on you.
We encourage you to stretch your back regularly, pay attention to posture, and address your poor hip mobility.
๐ Many people have pain because their backs are mostly immobile throughout the day. Get started with these back stretches to loosen yourself up.
๐ช If you’re sitting a lot, we put together some exercises you can do at your desk that should give you some relief.
๐ง๐ปโโ๏ธ Some people say that poor posture contributes most to back pain, but we have a different and more helpful opinion on perfect posture.
Since strength development and flexibility are within your immediate control, we recommend taking a focused, dedicated approach to building full body strength and flexibility.
Our client Rob strained his back doing deadlifts. Since he didn’t want to give up training, he used Elements and Mobility to get him back to a place where he could lift safely and pain-free again.
Even though I just wrapped up my second round of Elements and am about to kick off my third, it doesn't get old.
I see the way the coaches move in the videos and know that I have SO much more that I can accomplish, and that really excites me. I've startedโand finishedโin drastically different places in terms of my abilities and confidence each time, and thus I have been able to make steady, consistent progress each session, week, and round.
I didn't expect to feel so good. About halfway through Elements, a nagging lower back pain I lived with for years was suddenly gone. I move a lot more freely, in general, and have greater mobility in my hips and shoulders which helps with all of my outdoor activities. I love that GMB doesn't tolerate internet trolls and provides such positive feedback along they way. Learning to start from where you are, and trusting that increases in range of motion and strength will come when they come. I enjoy the play aspect of it, instead of counting reps and sets.
Before I started GMB Elements, I still had remnant little irritations in my lower back due to past injury that stretching alone couldnโt alleviate. But as I went through the course, I felt my core and lower back getting better each week. By the end of the course, those little aches have completely gone. And I am steadily gaining additional strength, improved body posture, balance, motor control, and body awareness as I continue to practice and explore the movements.
GMB Elements helps empower you to take charge and be in charge of your physical wellbeing. With continued exploration, playfulness, patience, and commitment you can only feel that good things will continue to come along the journey.
If you’re ready to take a focused and strategic approach to moving and feeling better, we recommend getting started with our Mobility program.
GMB Mobility is a guided program that improves your total body mobility. You’ll resolve restrictions so you can finally move and perform your best.
