Table of contents:
- Why do squats cause lower back pain?
- Guide to doing the right squats so you don't get back pain
- How to prevent back pain while squat training?
Squats are a great exercise for working your lower body and core muscles, if you do this exercise regularly, you can tone your thighs and buttocks and improve digestive circulation. However, some people often experience lower or upper back pain after doing this exercise. Why is that? How to prevent it? Check out the answer here.
Why do squats cause lower back pain?
Squat movements must be done correctly and the application of the right technique. One-one is precisely your joints that will be the target. There are many mistakes that are often done and not realized when doing squats.
One of them, when you do not press or hold your stomach while squat. This can cause your back to rotate as you try to keep your body upright, which can lead to back pain.
Not only can it cause lower back pain, but squats that are done carelessly can also cause knee injuries. This happens when you are not paying attention to where your feet are when you squat.
If your feet aren't facing the right position, this can increase your risk of injuring your hips and knees. Because this can put undue stress on the knee ligaments, causing your knee to become wobbly and your back to curve incorrectly. Finally, it injures the body shape and causes both lower and upper back pain.
Sometimes, some variations of the squat can also have the chance to cause back pain. One of them is barbell backquats. Since you are putting weight on your back, if it is too heavy, you are putting too much stress on the spine.
The back squat is a high variation of the squat, and if a person does not follow the necessary movements in the right areas (mid back, shoulders, hip flexors), this can result in injury to the back. So, if you want to do this movement, it's best to master the basic squat movements first.
Guide to doing the right squats so you don't get back pain
If you experience lower or upper back pain after squats, then this means you need to improve your movement and position.
Correct squat technique (source: Healthline)
Here's how to do the right squat:
- Start in an upright position.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart
- Lower yourself as far as you can by pushing your back back, raising your arms straight forward for balance.
- The lower body should be parallel to the floor and the chest should be extended, not bent. Then lift it briefly and return to the starting position.
- When you lower your body as if you want to sit or squat, the hamstrings extend at the hip joints and shorten the knee joints.
- At the same time, the upper back muscles tighten, which helps you to keep your torso upright, so that your back doesn't turn.
How to prevent back pain while squat training?
Actually you can do squats without fear of back pain, as long as you are correct and correct in doing the movements. One way, you can do a light squat variation like the front squat or the goblet squat.
Front Squat (source: Men's Health)
Goblet Squat (source: Men's Health)
Here are other tips for squat training so you don't get back pain:
- Before you start squatting, make sure your feet are facing forward and your chest is raised or straight, as a more upright position will take stress off your back.
- If you are unsure of the squat exercises yourself, you can do this exercise with a professional trainer to provide the correct squat variation and correct your movements if they are not correct.
- Doing a combination of exercises can also be your choice of exercise. Try taking a yoga, pilates or tai chi class.
If you experience back pain after squat training, and it doesn't get better for a long time. It's a good idea to contact your doctor to confirm what is wrong with your back and get the right treatment.
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