Building Back Strength

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Reformed Roman

Reformed Roman

Puritan Board Freshman
I have had upper back pain and neck pain for several years. I have had an mri, cat scan, and blood work, while small things were there (degenerative disk) there was nothing that they could point out in particular causing my problems.

I've been to 3-4 chiropractors for several visits, I've been to physical therapy twice for multiple visits each, and I've gotten injections in my neck,

There has been little to no progress made.

Through the 4-5 years of pain I found out my own ways to manage the pain. Certain exercises would make the pain a little better. If I have a job where I am standing up at work, it helps my pain go down roughly 50% vs sitting. If I find a chair that sits on the mid-point of my back, if I stretch my upper back behind the chair it helps to stretch my back and alleviate pain. I've noticed and believe my upper back is the primary cause of my issues.

So all that to say: I am skinny. I've always had weak muscules, and particularly in my back. I am looking to find some back exercises for my upper back. Most exercises are exercises that an amateur like me can easily mess up. Many require "strict form" and if you do it out of the form you are supposed to, you could do more harm than good. I'm looking for some easy exercises, even if they are physically challenging, easy as far as little to no form required, and I'm looking to build up my upper back some.

Does anyone have any advice? Any mid/upper back exercises?
 
Kavadlo's stuff is good. I'll take it a step further. Find Conviction Conditioning. They will work you through the progressions. Eventually you want to get to full standing back bridges. Every other day do L-sits (you will have to work to it).
 
I have a similar situation, actually. A lot of it has to do with the way we twentysomethings receive information-- sitting, focusing slightly forward (usually towards a phone screen, a computer, or a book), actually tones the front of your body slightly, while seriously weakening the upper back. The imbalance causes very painful, twisty "knots" in the muscle fibers.
To add to the issue, most bodyweight-based exercise focuses on those same areas, probably because we're vain creatures and prefer to work out what we see in a mirror.

Your instincts are good: finding a standing job, or simply standing more at your job, can be a big help. Same with focusing on back exercises; they've almost done away with my pain entirely.

Those online warnings are very important, but they can also be needlessly discouraging-- proper form is vital, but not too hard to find. If you have access to a gym, or a friend with a gym membership, go a few times and ask the people there to show you how to use proper form on things like the rowing machine, the lat pulldown, the reverse hyperextension machine (these are rare, but they're amazing), or even the freeweights. Investing in an Olympic lifting class can do wonders.

If you don't have gym access, but you have handweights and a bench, check out this video. I'd like to put a small modesty disclaimer on it, as the guy isn't wearing a shirt, but his instructional manner can't be beat:


You can do the exercise on a flat bench in the same way, and you can eliminate most of the worries about damaging your lower back that a standing fly might incur.

In terms of bodyweight, tricep dips, supermans, and back extensions are also very helpful. Would you like videos for those, or have you learned them already?
 
Also, proper kettlebell swings will do more for you than anything else. It will change the way you walk and how your shoulders are "set." Find Pavel Tsatsouline and learn of his teachings. (Yes, his humor is cheesey at times, but he knows his stuff)
 
With the degenerative disk issue, and all of the chiropractor/physical therapy visits, I would recommend seeking a doctor's guidance (or that of a professional), and being extremely careful if you try anything.

In my unprofessional opinion, and having lifted and been around weightlifting since my teenage years, I would do the following to build my back strength, if I were starting out:

Watch videos for proper technique for beginners.
If you have access to a gym, partner with a friend or watch those who obviously knows what they are doing.
Use light weight, and try to imitate the proper form carefully.

Good exercises:
- Press Behind Neck with a bar (mainly for shoulders, but very good for posture and upper-center back)
- Rear Lat Pulldowns (for the upper/middle back; grip can vary from wide to shoulder width)
- Single-arm dumbbell rowing using a bench (for the middle of the back and sides)

- The first one will reveal your shoulder flexibility and may or may not work for you. If it does suit you, it will promote good upper back posture and strength. Can be done seated or standing. Be careful with this one and use a light bar (10-20 pounds) with no weight to begin with.
- It's hard to mess up the second one, unless you are using too much weight.
- The third can be tricky. Keep your head up, don't round your back, and use light dumbbells.

I'm sure many youtube videos exist to display proper form.

2 sets of 10 reps for each exercise.
Twice per week.
Build to 3 sets of 10 reps after 8-10 weeks.
The key is starting light and being consistent.

Remember, check with your physical therapist, as she knows your body and it's concerns/problem areas better than I do.

Blessings!
 
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moral necessity said:
Single-arm dumbbell rowing using a bench (for the middle of the back and sides)
Click to expand...

That's a great exercise to get a really 'yoked' back but the downside is it does put some strain on the back. If he can access an inclined curl bench and lie face down, then you can get the benefits without hurting the back at all.
 
I have the same issue. I developed it from sleeping awkwardly when my daughter was born. I mistakenly let her sleep with us.

I find running, push-ups, pull-ups, and dead hangs to help. Occasionally, the pain is so immense that I'll take tramadol. Sitting in my office is very painful and at times the pain is sharp and shooting above my shoulders and side of my neck.

I've had minor success years ago with cortisone shots twice, but did not feel comfortable repeating the practice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I've had a history of back issues as well that seem to pretty closely track how in shape I am--particularly in my core. The exercises everyone has recommended are good options for gross strength deficiencies in your back and core. If you have the opportunity, swimming is probably one of the best exercises you can do as it will give you back and core strength and stability while unloading your weight bearing joints--getting you out of some of the postural compromises you've probably adopted. I also took up rock climbing for awhile too which is a great total body workout that really gets your postural and stabilizing muscles working. Distance running, as Ryan mentioned, is also great and more accessible but try to mind your posture when running if that's an issue for you as it is for most people in your boat since you can maintain the same neck-shoulder-back faults even while running. These kind of compound, natural movements helps recruit the smaller slow-twitch muscles that can contribute to poor posture and thus musculoskeletal pain.

I would recommend a good physical therapist over a chiropractor every day of the week. Chiropractors can help you get out of pain for a time but a good physical therapist can help correct the muscular imbalances (if that is indeed the problem) that are contributing to the problem in the first place. The problem is that most physical therapists are better with sports medicine or rehab work (and are expensive). If you can find one you can afford who does a lot of back/neck work it may be worth it for you to try again. Targeted weight lifting exercises may not be that helpful if the muscles you are targeting aren't the culprits.
 
--If pain is present, start with swimming and stretching in the water.
--If you are skinny, add more protein.
--If pain is less, do more walking. Then up and down hills. Then stretch after. I think God made man for much walking and several back aches or hip aches in my past righted themselves when I have started a casual walking regimen (keeps me loose).
--Then do light deadlifts at first - strict form. Then stretching.
--Yoga and pilates after you are warm and stretched has helped my wife (she has minor scoliosis).
--Then, general light weightlifting with strict form. I would NOT do kettle bell swings at first since it is hard to maintain strict enough form (it is a good exercise but higher risk for injury, many people do it wrong). Maybe later.
--Hang from a pull up bar to stretch the back.

And, sounds strange, but I have noticed joint pain increase or decrease based on food that I eat. Some foods cause inflammation.
 
I second the recommendation of a physio to provide targeted exercises. The Puritan board might be the last place I would go for advice on a matter like this. Blood-letting and swallowing bullets are not likely to help. :)
 
I am not connected to DDP Yoga in any way except as one of its biggest fans. I've been doing it about 6 months now, and it's mostly been about recovery and healing from my heavy lifting decade at work. In short, I pretty much think it's the greatest thing on the planet.

In manageable workouts, it's cardio, calisthenics, and flexibility all with no impact, and no meditation or other dangerous spiritual practices. Most yoga stuff is both spiritually dangerous and hard to emulate for people who aren't stick figures. But this program is modifiable enough to push the limits on serious athletes, and also doable for 400lb disabled vets, people with cerebral palsy, or just about anyone else....with all of them following the same video. It's amazing. The user can use one workout as a light stretching session, and then use the exact same workout the next day as a cardio-blasting strength session, still with no impact. Once you know how to use it, it becomes whatever you make it.

All of my joints and ligaments and small little connective muscles feel like they're being rebuilt. I had no idea that all of the little muscles around my hips, knees, ankles, spine, etc. were so weak and tight. I've always been a pretty strong guy, and I'm quite familiar with the inside of a gym. But this is better. I can't recommend it highly enough. There are lots of accounts (with all the evidence one could want) of people using this to address all kinds of pain.

DDP was a professional wrestler who had a career ending back injury and blown knees and shoulders, and was already over 40. He developed the program because it was the only thing he could do. He started combining some yoga and rehab positions with calisthenics and a lot of slow burn / no impact movement, and this is what it became. After a little over the year, he was back in the ring.

It was originally branded as Yoga for Regular Guys, then Yoga for Normal People...but still bears the tagline "it ain't your mama's yoga." That roughly captures the feel. Real yoga people generally hate what he's done to it, and he gets upset whenever anybody calls it simply 'yoga.' Because it's not. So that was a big positive mark for me.
 
MW said:
Blood-letting and swallowing bullets are not likely to help.
Click to expand...

This comment is undermining my whole approach to managing health. Swallowing small bullets of different metals has been my strategy for neck pain, headaches, seasonal allergies, and joint inflammation.
 
py3ak said:
This comment is undermining my whole approach to managing health. Swallowing small bullets of different metals has been my strategy for neck pain, headaches, seasonal allergies, and joint inflammation.
Click to expand...

A strategy "for" these things, as in a way to obtain them? :)
 
MW said:
Blood-letting and swallowing bullets are not likely to help.
Click to expand...

Medical leeches are making a comeback for certain uses (such as managing blood flow when fingers or toes are re-attached.) Maggots are making a comeback, as well. So don't rule out blood letting entirely.

On the other hand, I would agree that lead bullets are probably not beneficial. Perhaps some steel shot to raise low iron levels?
 
Edward said:
Medical leeches are making a comeback for certain uses (such as managing blood flow when fingers or toes are re-attached.) Maggots are making a comeback, as well. So don't rule out blood letting entirely.
Click to expand...

It made for some interesting sermon illustrations, but that is as much profit as I can see in it.
 
I had constant neck pain radiating down my arms and causing tingling in my fingers.
Nothing worked at all, so in the end I had a C5-C6 disc fusion, instantly better, no more pain.

Its very hard to function with constant pain, It was better when I was working and moving.
I have heard of people getting up in the middle of the night to vacuum the house rather than lie in bed with back pain, I can understand this now.
 
As I'm now into my 40s my posture is becoming more of a priority. This doesn't help the OP, but I'm graciously provided a sit/stand desk at work. The only time that I sit is for meetings which depending on the day are about 10-50% of the time. With so much standing and stationary pacing I sleep better.

I'm worried about the rising generation with their heads down to their phone from a young age. Google "text neck." I think we are going to see skyrocketing rates of dowager humps of folks in their 40s and 50s.
 
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I went through a similar situation with my lower back. I was surprised to learn how very specific exercise has to be to accommodate such a problem. Do not go with the generalized knowledge of a physical trainer or yoga instructor. After being taught a great deal of technique by my PT, I was surprised at the well-meaning, but misguided direction trainers would give. "Everyone benefits with this exercise, don't be afraid to try it ..."

I discovered approaches to physically therapy can differ dramatically. What you want is someone who works with active people and wants to keep you that way. My overall conditioning dropped off dramatically with the first one and made my situation much worse. Some will give you weight machine assigment and walk off, or relax the area enough to get some pain relief without addressing the problems.There seems do be a hands-on approach that incorporates some chiropractic technique within a traditional medical model and includes a lot of homework. It took me four tries (and several years of pain) to find the right PT.
 
Here is my recommendation for solving your problem

Number one: pray it could be but the Lord is trying to get your attention

Number two: start eating right people that are very skinny tend to have a very high metabolism and because of this they think they can eat whatever they want. Add a couple organic protein drinks to your diet also a couple bananas.

Number three practice moderation, avoid heavy lifting and avoid muscle specific exercises for your back it could be that the muscles in your back are inflamed and doing these exercises will only make things worse.

Number four: start an exercise program and be consistent. I recommend the following exercises to be done six days a week .
First month
25 jumping jacks 25 push-ups 25 air squats 25 Burpee's run in place for one minute jump rope for one minute
Second month
50 jumping jacks 50 push-ups 50 air squats 50 Burpee's run in place for two minutes jump rope for two minutes

Number five: write down in a notebook your diet and your exercise program for a two month period. If your general health and your back don't improve take your notes to your doctor show him what you've been doing, keep in mind that 80% of the patients that doctors see don't really have physical problems, showing the doctor the documentation of your exercise and diet will help him to better analyze what the problem could be and take the problem seriously. You also may want to have your testosterone level checked some men have very low testosterone levels this causes a multitude of health problems.


I hope this is helpful please keep in mind I am not a doctor I'm not even a nurse but I do have some experience with exercising and Back injuries I have also had a back surgery
 
Improving mobility almost always means you are building back strength and protecting your back. If you can't improve mobility, then there is a block somewhere and you would need a doctor.
 
I won't get into details as many have done that above, and have done it well. I would like to mention to keep in mind that the body, while made up of hundreds of parts and pieces, is an individual unit. Strengthening legs and butt, for example, can aid in dealing with back problems.

Ease into it, and make sure you're addressing the body as a whole and not focusing on a small area like the back.
 
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