I get asked all the time about what the best exercise is or what should be avoided, so I thought I would write a blog post giving you the answers.
The first point to make is that exercise and physical activity will always be good for your body, both physically and mentally. Although, it is important to know the positions that could be causing your body harm while exercising. Therefore, the foundation of this article will be on how and why things go wrong so you know how to keep your body functioning well while exercising.
How and why bodies go wrong:
If you understand the mechanics of how and why bodies go wrong, you can apply this to daily life and exercise.
Our spine is designed to support itself through its three curves: cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. These three curves act as a shock absorber, reducing stress on the spine and surrounding tissues, keeping the body stable and functioning at its best through movements.
When spinal bones get pushed in a forward direction, it causes instability creating the need for the body to compensate, creating dysfunction. The best way to avoid this is by maintaining a neutral spine and posture while exercising.
Why Is a Neutral Spine Important?
Maintaining a neutral spine is essential for both the effectiveness of your workout and the prevention of injuries.
- Injury Prevention: Proper alignment distributes forces evenly through the spine, reducing excessive pressure on any one area.
- Improved Performance: Proper alignment allows muscles to work more effectively, leading to improved performance.
- Enhanced Stability: A neutral spine provides a stable foundation for various movements.
- Pain Reduction: Maintaining spinal alignment can help alleviate discomfort and prevent further damage being done.
Things to avoid while exercising:
So, as we have spoken about above, the mechanism of body breakdown involves spinal bones being pushed in a forward direction causing instability. Any exercise that leads to this is going to be harmful for your body and overall structure. Some exercises that cause instability in the spine are:
Putting a bar on your upper back when squatting:
When you use your upper back to support a bar with weights on it, what you are doing is pushing your head forward with significant force. This will eventually lead to a curve deformity of your upper back and neck – leaving you with a forward head posture and collapse of your upper spine and chest.
To modify you can do front weighted exercises (holding weights under the chin or by your sides) instead.
Extension based exercises:
Extension means bending backwards with your spine. This forces the bones of your lumbar spine or lower back in the forwards direction that causes instability. Examples of exercises that cause this are:
Back bends (in yoga or stretching)
Foam rolling of the spine
Breaststroke when swimming
Gymnastics hyperextension
Excessive rotational movements:
There are certain stretches such as ‘threading the needle’ or seated spinal twists which crank the body around. These stretches cause the more mobile (hyper mobile) segments of your spine to absorb most of the movement, ultimately pushing them out of position.
Listen to your body:
Generally exercise is good for your body and health, however, it is important to listen to your body. If something you are doing is causing you discomfort or irritation, modify the movement or reduce the weight.
Myth buster: You must maintain the perfect form while exercising
There is no such thing as the ‘perfect form’ while exercising. Your body has its own unique compensation patterns you have acquired through your life which twist your body in certain ways. One foot may naturally be more rotated out than the other, you may not be able to squat with parallel feet, or lunge in a perfectly symmetrical stance and it is important that you do not force your body into the ‘correct form’ to perform exercise. Be mindful of your body’s protective compensatory mechanisms and make allowances and modifications for them.
Exercises that are great for you:
Now you understand the mechanics, you can determine which exercises are good for your body and overall structure. Any exercise encouraging a neutral spine, resulting in muscle growth around this healthy alignment will keep your body strong and healthy.
Some examples include:
Pilates – an exercise focused around having a neutral spine, building up core and back strength (be aware of certain pilates stretches that put you into hyper extension (leaning back too far) and see how your body feels afterwards – it shouldnt be sore/stiff).
Climbing – an all-natural movement using many different muscles groups in your body
Callisthenics – a body weight type exercise, focusing on keeping your structure neutral and increasing strength for functional movements.
Swimming (front crawl) – a non-weight bearing exercise which is great for those with any form of joint degeneration
Exercise in children:
All of these same principles are applied to exercise of all ages. Activities like gymnastics and dance from an early age which centered around hyper-extension of the spine can lead to instability and injury of the spine or curve deformity.
Stretching:
Check out our article on static stretching https://spineepsom.co.uk/to-stretch-or-not-to-stretch/ and why we advise to avoid stretching whilst receiving care.
Conclusion:
The body is a well-designed machine that needs to be kept in an optimal position to work effectively. Follow the above advice and if you have any questions, talk to a practitioner to get clarity.
References:
Lee, J. H., & Sinha, N. (2017). “The role of spinal alignment in injury prevention.” Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 16(2), 187-194. This article discusses how proper spinal alignment can distribute forces and reduce injury risks.
O’Sullivan, P. B., & Dankaerts, W. (2013). “The role of the spine in sports performance.” Sports Medicine, 43(8), 617-634. This review highlights the importance of spinal alignment for optimal muscle function and athletic performance.
McGill, S. M. (2016). “Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention and Rehabilitation.” Human Kinetics. This book outlines how a neutral spine contributes to core stability and efficient movement patterns.
Kent, P. M., & Keating, J. L. (2004). “The influence of spinal posture on pain perception.” Manual Therapy, 9(4), 200-207. This study explores how maintaining proper spinal alignment can help reduce discomfort and prevent chronic pain.
Craft, L. L., & Perna, F. M. (2004). Physical activity and mental health: The role of exercise in psychological well-being. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 65(5), 516-524.
McCarthy, G. J., Dyer, A. J. J., & Goh, C. H. H. W. (2019). Spinal injuries in gymnastics: A review of the literature. Pediatric Exercise Science, 31(3), 305-313.
