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Seeking a Personal Trainer in Watford for back pain may not be the norm and often a eye raiser in the medical community as many perceive a personal trainer to have little or no knowledge in the area of back pain and/or the rehabilitation protocols to successfully train people with back pain, something a Physio should do some might say…

A personal trainer operating within or outside the rehabilitation field will frequently encounter clients with spinal pathology. A survey of personal trainer’s by EFI Total Gym of San Diego, found that 100% of personal trainer’s surveyed were working with clients experiencing chronic pain. At Personal Trainer Watford we are trained to recognize “red flags” or warning signs associated with serious back pain and spinal pathology. Again, it is not the job of the personal trainer to “treat” this, however it is important to understand it and refer out to a qualified health care practitioner such as your Doctor.

Back pain can have many causes, such as a strained back muscle, disc problems, arthritis, or sacroiliac joint dysfunction. More than 8 out of 10 people will suffer with a bout of low back pain in their lives and 40-60% will have a reoccurrence within one year! Back pain will fall into one of two categories: acute (which indicates a recent occurrence) or chronic (the pain has been with you for an extended period of time).

There are many different types of Back Pain and as a personal trainer, I am not an expert at treating them. However, as a trainer and qualified Neuromuscular Therapist and Sports Massage Therapist I can help alleviate symptoms via releasing the tight muscles and eliminating trigger points. I look to post on the Personal Trainer Watford blog about trigger points soon, so stay tuned!

Some back conditions include:

• Disc derangement
• Sciatica
• Spinal Stenosis
• Spondylolisis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Spondylitis

What causes back pain?

90% of low back pain cases have are described as “idiopathic” meaning no known cause. The two most common reasons for back pain are trauma and muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalances can have a negative effect on your posture, leading to what are called “postural dysfunctions.” These dysfunctions include abnormal alignment of the pelvis and abnormal curvature of the spine. This misalignment causes increased wear and tear on the joints, muscles, and ligaments—even the discs. The question is, why do you have poor posture in the first place?

What are the symptoms of back pain?

The majority of the complaints range from local pain to radiating pain in the legs or arms, depending on where the herniation is located.

Back pain that causes loss of bowel or bladder control is deemed a ”Red Flag”, a medical emergency, so anyone who experiences either of these symptoms should get to the hospital as quickly as possible.

What are the most common treatments for back pain?

Cortisone injections and prescriptions for muscle relaxants or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most common treatments employed by Medical Doctors.

Chiropractor’s, Osteopath’s and Physiotherapists usually offer spinal mobilisation, hot packs, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and therapeutic exercises.

Surgery should always be your last option and should only be considered if the severity or your condition warrants it.

Why do “traditional” treatments for back pain fail?

Most traditional treatments fail because they simply address the symptoms and fail to address the cause of the issue. Your spine and joints are simply slaves to higher priority systems in your body like how you breathe, your jaw to eat and your vision to see! These systems when dysfunctional will be protected by the body first to create balance and as a result the back and joints in the knees, shoulder, neck etc will compensate.

How can I help?

As a “Holistic” Personal Trainer I offer a more all-encompassing approach to back pain and after a thorough assessment I may suggest in the initial stages to have regular massage therapy, normally trigger point Neuromuscular Therapy massage as taught by Paul St John, Leon Chatiow and Stanley Lief. As a personal trainer I also use corrective exercise to improve your posture and or health and nutrition coaching to improve your energy levels and ultimatly speed up the healing process. Back pain can be the cause of a poor digestive system too, so the colon for example can and will reflex to the back and down the legs!! That is why I look at the whole body rather than JUST  your back pain as a symptom. It is more than just personal training!

These are some of the areas at personal trainer watford I focus on:

• Stability – correcting muscular imbalances, stabilising your pelvis and spine to alleviate pain or prevent pain
• Strength and flexibility – helping you place less strain on your lower back and hips in normal activity, reducing the risk of non-impact injuries to the spine, shoulders, knees and pelvis
• Muscle Tension – we use massage therapy techniques to relieve tension
• Balance – resetting muscles to their natural length ensures optimum muscular performance and reduces the risk of injury
• Posture – correct posture is vital for your body to give peak performance

If you have back pain or you have recently over come back pain, post your comments below and share with us your experiences, what worked for you, and what didnt. I’d love to hear from you!