40fit Radio

In Part 1 of a new miniseries on lower back pain, Coach D and Trent dive into the causes, treatment, and prevention of back pain, the most common form of pain reported by patients and trainees. First, however, they lay down the foundation for understanding back pain: the anatomy and function of the spine and the musculature and connective tissue of the trunk.   Simply put, the spine functions in two ways. First, it rotates, twists, and flexes to allow us to move and perform everyday functions and interact with our world. Generally these movements are performed with light weights, if any, and they constitute the majority of our use of the spine. Secondly, the spine can act as a rigid lever to allow us to transmit force from the powerful muscle groups in our posterior chain (the hips) through our hands; think about a lineman driving his opponent off the line of scrimmage, or a powerlifter performing a low bar back squat. In this case, with the help of the spinal erectors and other musculature of the back, the s