Suffering from lower back pain. This article is for you.

       I've had a few of my friends and clients over the past few months ask me about what they should do for their lower back pain. Before I offer you some solutions I would like to give you some background of why it is estimated that more than 80% of Americans suffer from some sort of level of back pain.  I would also like to advice that if the pain is too persistent, please go and visit your physician and stop certain exercises!!!. Often times, people try to help out their backs by going to gyms and trying to do exercises that target the lower back only to discover that the pain ends up intensifying, This is a big NO NO if you don't know what you are doing.
        Research has indicated that the main reason why most people suffer from lower back pain is due to the lack of stability muscles as well as lack of  core stability endurance. It is important to understand that the core muscles are a combination of movement and stability muscles.  When these muscles are weak , guess what happens???. You have to use other muscles to compensate the weakest muscles. This leads to pressure on your spine which happens to be protected by the stabilizer. If the stabilizers are weak, this means that the spine will act as the base for support. Complications arise from this such as : strain on the muscles that support the spine as well as further compression on your discs between the vertebra.
        Hopefully those reasons just mentioned are enough to show you why it is extremely important to strengthen and stretch those core muscles!!. Without these stabilizer muscles, we would all have a terrible time  finding our balance. They work by ensuring not only balance and protection for the spine, but they also ensure proper absorption and transference of forces coming from the inside and outside the body.
   With all that said, what can we do to strengthen our lower backs and core. First thing would be " STOP doing exercises that put strain on the back. These include lunges, squats, deadlifts , sit ups etc". Wait for your back to recover and then resume these exercises.
     It all the depends on your current back pain condition. If you suffer from back pain and the pain seems only temporary such as having a minor back strain, certain stretches and exercises may be appropriate ( I will give you a list below).  By all means, please avoid extreme flexion ( rounding of back) or hyperextension of the spine muscles. This is not good in any situation for the spine.However, if the pain in your back is due to herniated or bulged discs, avoid all flex movements for this may aggravate the problem because the disc may be pushing against a nerve and therefore cause more damage and pain. If this is your case, avoid hamstring stretches and round back stretches since they require back flexion.If this is your case, my suggestion is to go see a physician and have him design a plan for you. Sometimes stretching and exercising are not the best solutions for lower back pain.
     However, if your problem is not a herniated disc, then back flexion exercises and stretch can provide some relief, increase stability of the spine and stretch and strengthen your core. These exercises include :
Back exercises stretches: Back flexion exercises under supervision of a professional can in many cases help bring back some suppleness and increase mobility, decreasing back pain and discomfort.
Back flexion exercises: while laying on your back pull both knees to the chest while simultaneously flexing the head forward until a comfortable stretch is felt in a balled up position.

Also check out of these exercises which have proven to be effective. This article is still under construction

       There is a ton of research on lower back pain, I could write 3- 4 articles on prevention and rehabilitation of it. I encourage you to also do your research. Most importantly, I encourage you to visit your physician to determine the cause of your back as it may be due to many different reasons.