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There are many causes of back pain. Injury, illness, herniated disks and poor
posture are just a few.
Muscle imbalances are one of the lesser side effects of improper use, posture,
strain and injury, and are commonly the cause of the aches and pains associated
with back pain. Unfortunately, most doctors don't diagnose muscle imbalances
until it is too late.
Muscle Imbalances Defined
So what exactly is a muscle imbalance? A muscle imbalance is exactly as it
sounds, an 'imbalance' or inequality that exists within the muscles. It occurs
when two or more muscles in the body that oppose each other are
disproportionate.
An example of a common muscle imbalance occurs in the muscles of the quadriceps
and hamstrings. Most people work hard to strengthen the front part of their leg
but often skimp when it comes to exercising the hamstring. A muscle imbalance
in this area of the leg can result in a 'popping' sound in the knee. It can
also result in back pain.
The single most common muscle imbalance leading to back pain is disproportionate
abdomen to back ratio. Think of it this way... it's like a teeter totter that
isn't balanced because one end is shorter than the other. It will still work
but not optimally.
Not exercising the abdomen can lead to severe back pain because the abdomen
supports the back.
Biology of Muscles
It will help your understanding a bit if you have an idea of how muscles work.
Muscles are fibrous tissues that connect to bones in the body, supporting the
function of movement. To facilitate movement muscles contract and then relax.
So a muscle gets shorter and then longer in response to movement. A muscle
imbalance may result in too much or too little contracting or relaxing. Or,
some muscles may get too strong while others aren't strong enough and can
reduce a persons' stability.
Factors Contributing to Muscle Imbalances
One of the primary causes of muscle imbalances is poor posture. If you sit for
too long in a bad position or continually stand with bad posture, your muscles
adapt to your posture but in a bad way resulting in imbalances.
Muscle imbalances can also result when you overuse a muscle. If you are right
handed for example and use a pull lever on the job, and only pull with the
right hand, the right hand/arm will be stronger than the left which presents an
imbalance.
The Benefits of Exercise
The good news is that exercise can help reduce and even eliminate muscle
imbalances. (If not careful however, improper training can also lead to muscle
imbalances).
You can exercise weaker muscles to catch them up to stronger ones and work to
correct imbalances and maintain overall stability. You can assess whether or
not opposing muscles are out of balance by testing your lifting strength. Try
lifting your maximum on one side and then the other.
For example, if you can lift a 10 pound weight during a bicep curl on the left
side, but a 30 pound weight on the right, you have a muscle imbalance. You
should enlist the assistance of a trainer when testing muscle imbalances. By
working with a trainer, you can develop a fitness program that not only
addresses muscle imbalances but improves overall tone and strength. Usually a
combination of strength training and physical therapy or chiropractic therapy
can be used to correct muscle imbalances.
Prevention
Prevention is critical when it comes to muscle imbalances and back pain. One of
the best things you can to correct and prevent future injury is seek out the
help of a professional trainer. A trainer can perform a physical evaluation and
test the relative muscle strength you have on each side of the body. You can
then work together to develop a strength training program that provides overall
strength and eliminates potential problem areas.
About The Author
Steve
Preston, President of Fast Fitness has been training and counseling
clients for 15 years. He offers personal fitness training, metabolic
testing and customized fitness and nutrition plans. His new guide
*The Better Back Guide: 6 Weeks to Improving Strength and Reducing
Pain Without Surgery* teaches people how to reduce, eliminate and
prevent chronic back pain using a six week program. You can read
more about his guide and his other fitness guides and services at:
http://www.fast-fitness.net.
Learn More about Back Pain at: http://www.backpainworkout.com
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