By Charles B. Goodwin, MD
Illustration by Tony Christovich
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The Spinal Twist (Bottom) and Back Extension (Top)
Dr. Charles B. Goodwin is a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon who has worked with the US Tennis Association, the New York Knicks, and the NY Mets, among others. He can also play a mean game of squash. As always, contact your physician before starting any new treatment |
How would Bob have known that leaning over to pick up the squash ball would be so risky? But there he was, bending at the waist on the court, reaching with his hand to pick up the ball. Suddenly, he felt a strange, “electric-like” sensation ripple through his lower back and he had difficulty straightening up. Over the past few weeks he had been experiencing some soreness in his back, but nothing like this. This felt, he said, as if a pair of huge iron jaws had suddenly been clamped on his back and wouldn’t let go.
Whenever a patient tells me that it felt as if his or her back had tightened up or something gave way, it typically means that he or she has suffered a muscle strain. Although any back structure can cause pain, it is invariably some overworked or understretched back muscles that are the culprits. In most cases, the muscles have weakened due to inactivity, have lost their elasticity because they haven’t been stretched sufficiently, or they have tightened due to undue stress and have simply gone into spasm.
While the acute agony of low-back pain, with its tenderness and swelling, would last for a few days, I advised Bob to immediately ice his back on and off for the next two days and then switch to a heating pad. I also urged him to try to stay out of bed, which he did. He took mild pain medication and also began performing several stretching and strengthening exercises that I recommended. I saw Bob on the court just recently and he said his back feels better than ever. He makes sure that it stays that way by performing a few easy stretches every hour or so when he is at work.
Example Exercises to Help Prevent Back Spasms
Spinal Twist:
Sit with your right leg straight out and left knee bent, with your left foot placed on the outside of your right knee. Bend your right elbow and place it on the outside of your upper left thigh, just above the knee, to keep that leg stationary. Place your left hand behind you, slowly turn your head to look over your left shoulder, and twist your upper body towards your left arm. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.
Back Extension:
If you belong to a gym or health club, you can use a “Roman chair” or a Nautilus-type machine that allows you to do back extensions by leaning backward against variable resistance, without arching your back, moving your pelvis, or using your leg muscles. Or, if you don’t have access to such machines, you can do this exercise with an elastic band or tubing. Anchor the band to something stable below knee level. Sit upright, holding the other end of the elastic band against your upper chest (hands should be taut). Lean backward slowly 30 degrees, keeping your pelvis stable and back straight; don’t arch your back. Hold for a few seconds and slowly return to the start. Repeat 10 times.
Trunk Rotation:
At a health club, you can use a Nautilus-type machine that allows you to twist your torso against variable resistance while keeping your pelvis in place. You can also do this exercise with an elastic band. Anchor the band to a doorknob. Sit at 90 degrees to the closed door, holding the other end of the band against your upper chest (the band should be taut). Keeping your pelvis and knees in place and your back straight, slowly rotate to one side against the tension. Hold for a few seconds and then slowly return to the start. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides. |
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