Can Exercise Possibly Be Making Back Pain Worse?
“People who use weight training to ease their low back pain are better off than those who choose other forms of exercise such as jogging, according to a University of Alberta study”, as reported in a 2009 article in Science Daily.
The study was done in conjunction with the University of Regina. It showed a 60 percent improvement in pain and function levels for people with chronic backaches who took part in a 16-week exercise program of resistance training. They used dumbbells, barbells and other load-bearing exercise equipment.
In contrast to this, people who chose aerobic training such as jogging, walking on a treadmill, or using an elliptical machine to ease their back pain only experienced a twelve percent improvement. Researchers believe they achieve better pain management results with resistance training because they are using a whole body approach. On the contrary, aerobics training generally works just the lower body. You have to do both along with proper chiropractic care in San Diego to get the best results.
According to a study done by the University of Alberta, if you suffer with lower back pain, you should exercise more and not less. In this study, 240 men and women with chronic back pain who exercised four days a week had 28% less pain and 36% less disability, while those who exercised two or three days a week did not see this change. Isn’t it amazing what a day or two in the gym can do?
As chiropractors in San Diego, we regularly assist our patients in proper exercise programs. The studies presented here showed that working with WEIGHTS four days a week provided the greatest amount of pain relief and quality of life improvement. An important note: “Working with weights” is a very relative term. Before you start any exercise program, you should see a qualified doctor for a pre-workout examination. And, all workouts should be designed to suite your individual case and needs.
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