Wellness & Fitness

‘I Cured My Back Pain in the Gym’

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Nelly Mukami. PHOTO | SARAH OOKO

Nelly Mukami, now in her 30s, started having severe low back pain two years ago.

Before then, the discomfort was mild and she was able to alleviate the ache with pain killers.

But instead of the condition improving, it just got worse.

“My back was on fire. My legs were paining, so walking or standing for long was hard. Sitting was also a problem because my back was sensitive. And it was extremely painful to bend and pick up things.”

“Even sleeping and getting out of bed was really hard. I had to lie in a particular position and take time dragging myself out of bed strategically so as to minimise the pain.”

Lingering fear

Nelly also suffered from abdominal and chest pains. Her bowel movements were also severely affected.

“I knew that something was wrong with my body and everyone kept telling me that I needed to see a doctor. But I was afraid and kept postponing the visit because I feared that I would be diagnosed with a life-threatening condition which I wasn’t prepared for,” she says.

In the process of ‘buying time’, Nelly met a health and fitness coach at her gym class who introduced her to targeted exercises that were able to solve her problem gradually over a couple of months.

Back pains have become part of office conversations in most Kenyan offices. Among older people, there is the lingering fear of when the pain will strike. But the problem is not unique to Kenya. Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting an estimated 540 million people at any one time, according to a new study by The Lancet.

Low back pain is mostly mistreated with pain killers including opiods yet a majority of cases respond to simple physical therapies that keep people active.

Dr James Mogire, a consultant orthopaedic at Kenyatta National Hospital says that the cases have been rising rapidly due to poor posture at work and at home as well as inactive lifestyles which weaken back muscles.

“Sedentary lifestyles also lead to obesity or weight gain which puts so much pressure on the back and spine causing it to degenerate faster,” he says.

Arnold Oyuru, a health fitness coach at Mofit, a gym that targets Kenyans struggling with lifestyle diseases notes that the body has core muscles in the abdomen and back which support the spine and ensure that it is aligned properly. They allow people to sit, stand, move or lift effectively.

When the core muscles are weak, Mr Oyuru says that they are unable to cushion the spine appropriately. This affects body balance and interferes with the proper functioning of organs.

Loose or strained core muscles also make the disks in the spine to pinch on nerves hence resulting in headaches and pain ‘explosions’ in other body parts (like the legs, abdomen and chest) as was the case with Nelly.

“To end the pain, everyone should do targeted exercises that engage those core abdominal and back muscles so as to make them strong,” says Mr Oyuru who helped Nelly to recover from the back pain complications.

Research shows that when muscles are strong, they become ‘damage-proof’ and hence able to wither life storms such as spine damaging diseases or complications that develop as people grow older (mainly after 30 years).

To strengthen your core, he recommends planks, squats, and dead-lift or bench-press exercises. They are sometimes referred to as power work-outs. You can also do push-ups, sit-ups, fitness ball exercises or use free weights.

“An expert needs to guide you on how to perform these exercises before you start doing them on your own. Otherwise, you may end up destroying your muscles,’’ Mr Oyuru says.

For maximum gains, he adds that the core strengthening exercises should be combined with walking, jogging, swimming or cycling, activities that are also good for the heart.

Flexibility exercises (such as stretches and yoga) that keep muscles and joints flexible are also important.

“Most people tend to focus on aerobic exercises so much. That will help burn fat. But without the strength exercises, your core muscles will remain weak and the low-back problems will never go away. You will also suffer from a lot of fatigue,’’ he says.

He adds: “Your core is everything. So when it’s strong, you’ll actually find it easy to do the aerobic exercises as your endurance levels will be high.”

According to Mr Oyuru, ensure you are in a right posture daily so as cushion core muscles from damage.

For instance, sit with the back straight and shoulders held back. The buttocks should touch the back of the chair. The knees and hips should be at the same level.

“Move the table closer to you. The nearer your legs are to it, the better. If they are far, you will keep bending and thus straining the back muscles.”

Legs do the work

While lifting objects, he notes that the legs should do the work. “Keep your back straight to avoid twisting or fidgeting. Bend only at the knees, and then proceed to lift the load while holding it close to your body as you come up.”

He however cautions against lifting very heavy objects that the body cannot handle based on one’s assessment. For those who stand for long periods, place one foot on a low footstool to take some weight (body) off the lower back. The foot should be alternated with the other at specific intervals.

“There is no short-cut to low back pain complications. Medicine or physiotherapy sessions only offer relief from symptoms. But by exercising core muscles, you are able to address the root cause of the problem and get long lasting relief,” the fitness expert says.