Aging is a very real thing. However, IMO a lot of issues we encounter that we write off as aging have solutions and/or mitigations. Get regular checkups and bloodwork, learn functional fitness, stretch and work on your deep squats, get a spiky massage ball for your back, hang from pull up bars to decompress and do some knee raises while you’re at it. Prioritize your sleep and manage your stress.
10 Likes
Old friends or loose ends? I can’t tell anymore!
2 Likes
I would have started this waaay earlier if I had known. I thought it would make my knees worse but they are a lot better now. You do not necessarily need to do a ton of weight either.
6 Likes
Nice tips.
I am struggling (again) with bad lower back pain. Heavily self inflicted as I do not stretch or work the core and lower legs as much as I prob should
1 Like
Make sure you stretch your quads, psoas and QL regularly. They re not complicated stretches and they can be life savers for low back pain.
2 Likes
Just laying here in the floor with a more or less locked lower back since a couple of hours back. It’s quite common and it’s happened probably at least once or twice a year last 10 years or so.
What sort of exercises do you guys recommend? I’ve always been quite weak in the lower back and no exceptional strength in legs and core - that usual issue of focusing on other exercises when at the gym 
.
1 Like
Get regular checkups and bloodwork done. I am struggling with bone issues and on broken ankle #3 and not that old. I need to get more work done and drugs to heal the bones. I did up my calcium intake and vitamin d/k.
1 Like
Getting retired opens up oceans of time to spend on your music-making…
4 Likes
I’m 55 and 5 years late on getting it done. My appointment is on the 17th and I’ll be damn glad when it is over with. Gettin’ old ain’t for sissies…
3 Likes
Cause of low back pain can vary from person to person. I can at least report what worked for me.
My low back injury history: First injury was caused by a poorly executed attempt at barbell deadlift. I saw a couple of doctors and they said no surgery was needed, just do yoga or something and avoid doing anything to reinjure the back. Over time I did reinjure the back, and thus figured out the hard and painful way which movements I should avoid.
Exercises that helped me:
Diaphragmatic breathing - supine as shown in the video, or in child’s pose. Geoff Neupert injured his own low back, among other things, lifting barbell so he’s speaking from personal experience.
Dead bug - another exercise from Geoff’s program Sore Joint Solution. I ended up buying the program. Doing it contributed to recovery from my most recent low back issue - pain from shoveling snow and ice
Since I’m starting to look like Geoff’s shill I might as well recommend another program of his called Systematic Core Training For Kettlebells. I finally nailed the full hollow body hold thanks to this program, after previous attempts failed. Working up to 3 sets of 30 dead bugs had me well prepared for hollow body hold training.
My low back has been feeling good thanks to the improved core strength from the above plus kettlebell training (clean, press, swing, snatch).
4 Likes
My low back pain started about 20 years ago at a xmas sports event of fun and games (alcohol involved) during a tug of war contest where I put everything into it.
Probably not the root cause but I felt something that day and it has been problematic since.
Ive never had scans or anything but each time I have been to a physio or sports massage they have always commented how rock solid tight my hamstrings are and attributed that to around 20 years of sitting at a desk. It usually gets triggered by careless lifting (you easily forget when everything is good), sitting on a very soft low sofa or even walking on sand (beach running certainly a no no). I also once triggered it twisting around passing a rugby ball. I usually get a flare up 2 or 3 times a year but my concern in recent times has been overtaken with ankle and achilles problems which have thankfully disappeared as that was even worse as I had a month of not being able to bear weight on my foot and the following year did the other foot in with a similar problem! Add in a dodgy shoulder and my eye sight deteriorating out of nowhere etc I have suddenly started realised I am getting old rather then just having an injury!
If you have recurrent back pain don’t try to learn kettlebells on m your own. Book a one on one session with a certified trainer.
Depending on how you execute the movements, Kettlebell training could be the best or worst thing you could do for your low back.
For acute pain episodes or even just daily maintenance, lay down on the ground facing up, buttocks to the wall, legs as straight as possible against the wall, low back flat on the ground, arms on the ground at 45 degrees of abduction, palms facing up, head neutral with chin tucked in (if you have forward head posture you might want to use a pillow or towel under your head to avoid extending your neck back).
Breath thru your stomach and relax into this’s position for 5-15 minutes.
Great way to decompress your whole spine.
5 Likes
Will give this a go. Thanks
I wont go near kettle bells or weighted squats nowadays. Use a seated back squat machine in gym if that makes sense with fairly light plates
1 Like
The only solution for back pain I assure you is exercise. I spent so much money and time for physiotherapy. And now I found my health again doing pilates . It works.
9 Likes
Many thanks - will check these out!
2 Likes
@dobermate and @Kultschar
I thought I’d tell you about my lower back and how I fixed it.
I have been active and love running, but I don’t do marathons or anything close at my age (45). I run 10 miles a week and do 2-3 days of functional full body strength training (with a coach in a class)
I think a mixture of cardio and weights (they don’t need to be heavy!) Is the magic recipe.
Unfortunately with both running and weight training, If you are not well stretched or locked in on weights, you can have some lower back flair ups for sure. Running is not low impact.
I tweaked my lower back and was in pretty bad pain, from going to the gym on inadequate sleep and must have had poor form on my dead lifts.
How I fixed it completely with a 2 minute morning exercise that I do every day:
Band assisted cat cow: It has been amazing and I do it every single morning that I do anything active which is everyday besides Sunday. It is really worth the effort IMO. Best of luck to you both as back pain can really take the wind out of you sails.
Video here as an example.
3 Likes
Many thanks for the tip!!!
1 Like
stand sit desk and decompression table helped mine a great deal
2 Likes
Interesting will dig out my bands and give it a go. How many do you manage in 2 mins?
1 Like
About 20 times
1 Like