Best 3 exercises for the back - as recommended by Dr. Stuart McGill

Do you suffer from ongoing back pain? Is back pain preventing you from reaching your running goals? I’ve been a physio for over 25 years and the number one problem I see in my clinic is back pain

Dr. Stuart McGill(back guru) has developed a great set of 3 phase 1 exercises that help engage the core when pain inhibits the muscles from stabilising the spine. What I like about these exercises is they don’t load the spine while firing up the surrounding muscular.

Exercise 1 - curl up. Place hands under lower back to keep a slight arch and a neutral spine position. Raise I leg up to create a bit of torque through the pelvis assisting in keeping a neutral spine. Then lift the thoracic spine off the floor without bending the neck - keep it aligned with the spine. 5-8 curls up with a count of 1 on way up and 2 on way down to focus on the eccentric phase - muscle under load while lengthening.

Exercise 2 - mod side plank. Side lye. Elbow under shoulder, knees bent in front of hips. Lift pelvis up and forward so end up straight and stacked. I love this exercise for runners as it engages glut med better very well - this maximises pelvic stability during impact while running. 10-15 hold x 3-6 each side

Exercise 3 - 4 pt point and push. 4 points equal weight. Pelvis neutral. Then lift opposite arm and leg - point with arm & push back with leg while holding stable position - pretend someone is eating a meal off your back. 5-8 x each side within capacity Don’t overreach - stability quality first #everfit #backpain #stabilisespine

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