Lower back pain is one of the most common ailments people

suffer from and approximately 8 out of 10 people will deal

with back pain at some point in their life. That's a lot of

people… are you one of them? I am. I have bulging,

herniated discs and have had low back spasms (that knock me

to my knees) and sciatica. I have been on all kinds of pain

killers, including narcotics which only mask the problem

and is by no means a permanent solution.

I have avoided back surgery like the plague as there are so

many with horror stories. The only relief I have found is

with the proper exercise and stretching. I can assure you

will find back pain relief if you do this regimen the

correct way, do it the wrong way and you might up under the

knife!

Out of all of the various forms of back pain, lower back

pain is by far the most common and there's a good

explanation for this.

Any idea why? It's not car accidents, it's not work-related

injuries, and it's not a lack of prescription medications

either. Lack of movement and use is the number one cause of

lower back pain! I bet your orthopedic specialist or

chiropractor didn't tell you that, did they? It's the lack

of movement in various muscles over years that leads to

muscle imbalances and uneven wear and tear on your body,

especially the spine. For example, how many times a day are

you bending, leaning, or twisting? Here's what the typical

person's day is like:

• Wake up

• Eat breakfast (hopefully)

• Drive or ride to work

• Sit at desk

• Eat lunch

• Sit at desk some more

• Drive or ride home

• Eat dinner

• Sit on couch and watch television

• Go to bed

Notice the trend here? That's an awful lot of sitting and

not moving. Well, this is what leads to serious muscle

imbalances and so what do we do, we go to the gym and

perform exercises that only make the imbalances worse! The

key to eliminating lower back pain (nearly any ache, pain,

or injury for that matter) is to identify the muscle

imbalances that are pulling the spine, bones, and joints

out of place and then stretch the tight muscles while

strengthening the weak muscles.

How do I know this? Well, as certified personal fitness

trainer and post-rehabilitation specialist, I have worked

with hundreds of individuals with back pain and the

conditions that ranged from sciatic pain, to bulging discs,

to spinal fusion, and others. In working with these

individuals I discovered some startling facts.

1. Many people who seek professional help are often

mis-diagnosed and end up following a treatment plan that

fails to eliminate the cause of their back pain.

2. Nearly all of the individuals I worked with were able to

eliminate their back pain, or significantly improve their

condition even though all of the traditional treatments

failed them (physically therapy, chiropractic care,

cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications, back

surgery, etc). Even more amazing is the fact that most of

these individuals were able to eliminate their back pain in

a matter or days or weeks simply by performing a handful of

exercises and stretches! These weren't your basic exercises

or the standard back stretches and stomach exercises most

"experts" recommend - these were specific exercises and

stretches prescribed based on the individual. Many of these

people had suffered for years and years with aches, pains,

and stiffness and lived inactive lives because of their

back pain.

3. Most back pain treatments offered for lower back pain

only address the symptoms and don't address the cause,

which usually delivers just temporary relief for the

individual. In addition to helping hundreds of others

eliminate lower back pain, I also have had personal

experiences with back pain and other various conditions

such as sciatic pain, tendonitis, muscle strains and

sprains, and more. In every single situation the

traditional treatments did nothing but treat the symptoms

(often times not successfully) and the only approach that

gave lasting improvements and relief was targeted stretches

and exercises.

Have you tried traditional treatments and found little

relief? I am not saying these treatments are not effective

at temporarily reducing the pain or inflammation, but I am

saying nearly all fail to get rid of the underlying cause

of the problem.

I wish you the best and remember, the key to a healthy back

is movement!