Did you know that working on your glutes is not just great for that summer swimsuit, but your back might thank you too! Some of the major causes for lower back pain come from posture, and a change in our hip strength over a period of time. Sitting for extended periods of time may cause our hip flexors to get tight, we lose our hip extension mobility and flexibility, and in return our glutes become inactive and weak. This reduces the stability that we have in our lower back, and over time can cause muscle guarding and pain.
In barre class, we focus on the 360 degrees rule in which we want to load the joint at all angles. So with regards to the hips, we move the leg outward, forward, backward, as well as inward (technical terms include abduction, extension, flexion, and adduction). We focus on moving with smaller, more isometric movements that are safer and allow for more control and less use of momentum which is better for building strength and stability.
It is common for participants to report increased flexibility after working through their barre classes as a result of using a technique we refer to as reciprocal inhibition in which you use a muscle on the opposite side of the joint to stretch a muscle that opposes it. For example, moving into hip extension to work on the glutes in order to stretch out the tight hip flexor.
It is also important to consider our core strength when we are focusing on reducing low back pain. With our varied postures, child-birth, fluctuations in weight, poor breathing patterns, we often lose our ability to properly and effectively activate our core. And to note, core is more than just our abdominal muscles. The core includes our pelvic floor, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, lumbar multifidus, erector spinae, and diaphragm. All of these muscles when working together, and efficiently support the back allowing less stress on the spine.
It is also important to note that with stress, pain, and attempts at maintaining “proper” physique or posture, we tend to lose our ability to use diaphragmatic breathing. This causes an over-use of our accessory breathing muscles which can cause neck tension, also reducing core strength. Breathing properly during our exercises is very important for creating spinal stability. Barre can help you bring your focus and attention back to this, and you might even find that you feel a bit lighter after your class!
One thing we love about barre is that there are many modifications so we can help all ages, and all fitness levels. We also can perform many of the exercises without equipment, so home workouts can be just as beneficial when they are needed. Physical therapists use many of these exercises to help their patients, and encourage patients to utilize these programs as additional opportunity to be compliant with their exercise programs and find something they enjoy participating in that will help them in the long term.
If you want to learn about more ways to solve your back pain, fill out the form below and get in contact with a Doctor of Physical Therapy today!
