Back pain, Physio ball squats and the Neural Groove

Many people I have worked with at the Mind-Body Fitness Studio have experienced chronic or episodic lower back pain. I always ask them to show me how they get up and out of a straight backed chair. I then ask them to get into the chair as well. I see that the way that they rise from the chair and go into the chair is often what is causing their lower back pain as well as possible knee pain. Many people have horrendous form and technique either allowing their body to go forward when rising from the chair or falling into the chair when sitting.

Proper form and technique is to utilize one's hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteus maximus muscles to perform this function. The knees need to ALWAYS be BEHIND the toes. This is a classic problem in sitting and rising which leads to back and knee strains and spasms when not done in this way. I can't tell you how many people feel better almost immediately when this is pointed out to them and corrected.

The brain has a neural groove which houses all of the information used for movement. These poor habitual techniques have been driven into this neural groove causing us to continue this improper movement. Think of how many times a day each of us rises from a chair or sits into a chair. Over and over and over, we pattern this poor habit into our brains leading to deterioration of our bodies and strains in our musculature. Our brain continues to repeat this
way of moving each time.


Ok. Now here is the good news.. we can change this habit now and soon it will be part of our neural groove and easily repeated each time we rise and go into a chair. We know that any habit can be extinguished and it will take between 15-25 days to change this habit. A new habit that we wish to begin can also be formed in the same amount of time!

By far the best way, I have found, to begin this new habit formation in regards to proper squatting technique is through the use of a Physio ball. I have my clients put the Physio ball against a wall and squat making sure that their butt goes backwards as they squat. This is proper technique. In this way, all of the muscles of the legs, which are the strongest muscles in our bodies are used and strengthened. In addition, our brain begins to re -pattern this proper form and eventually this new habit becomes part of the way we ALWAYS sit and rise. Be sure to
look down to ensure that your knees are closer to your core than are your toes. You should be able to see your toes on each squat. In this way, leg muscles are being utilized for this movement and NOT our backs and knees.

Physio Balls are easy to find at any sporting goods store. They are sometimes called Swiss Ball.( I prefer this term actually as I am Swiss so I'd like to get some ancestral credit for this invention). They are inexpensive and well worth having in your home. You can use them as a bench for weight training as well as other exercises usually outlined in the box when you purchase one.

As always, feel free to ask me more about this and any other concern. The Mind-Body Fitness Studio is available by appointment and I am a licensed Master Trainer working one on one with each person to achieve excellent results.