Recently we’ve been hearing that sitting too long can be bad for your health, and it can even affect your lower back pain. Some have coined this sedentary behavior as the “new smoking”. So how does sitting for long hours cause back pain? Check out this article from the site herald.ie to find out more about it.
David Gillick: The Importance Of A Toned Bum To Reduce Lower Back Pain
There is a lot of focus and attention these days (especially for women) on having the perfect body, with heavy emphasis, it seems, on having a toned bum.
We are bombarded daily with images of the perfect bikini body – supermodels and celebrities on the beach with perfectly honed physiques, and not only that, they are now bringing out jeans specifically designed to pinch and lift your bum to achieve the desired shape!
Men are also targets of similar advertising campaigns in which ideal bodies are pushed to the fore as an expectation of the norm, so the pressure really is on both sexes to achieve an ‘ideal’ look.
I believe that everything is achievable with the right programme, diet and attitude, but there are also other reasons why having a more muscular bottom is advantageous, ultimately benefiting your body as a whole.”
In addition to the bodyweight exercises that was recommended by David Gillick to strengthen your glute (aka “bum”) muscles, you can perform regular hip extensions, or the one-leg hip extensions version, as well as the glute bridge hold. A good upper and lower body exercise is the prisoner squat, as it hits your upper back and your glute muscles. If you work in an office, sitting long hours might be the norm. In that case, stand up and do some tasks, take time during your break to use the stairs to do step-ups, or just use the stairs rather than relying on elevators to get to your floor.
According to the article, strong glute muscles “supports the work that the spine is doing”, removing “stress placed on the spine during normal movements, such as bending, leaning forward …”. So a fit “bum” is a good thing, especially to help avoid or find relief for your lower back pain.
