Sway Back Problems

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
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Hello Warriors

I hope someone really good at this has the patience and will respond :slight_smile:

I have been working out for about 3 years more or less consistent. But I have been crippled by back pain for 1.5 of the 3 years. I think the gym gave me some muscle imbalances…
I am 188cm and 87kg not to much fat just some small love handles but abs are showing.

I feel very inflexible and weak in the back when bending forward. I also threw out the back trying to touch my toes to increase flexibility?.

After reading on the web and looking in the mirror from the side it seems I have a sway back(anterior pelvic tilt). Upper back, shoulders and head looks like they are having a good posture. Now I have a few questions about rehab for my posture.

I have been avoiding lower back work to avoid a re injury.
I am thinking about ditching the gym totally and changing to bodyweight exercises to avoid creating more muscle imbalances. Sad because I was actually increasing my upper back strength and squatting power a lot.

The lower back feels tired after just standing up at work a whole day even after I try to suck in the gut with willpower.

So I am considering switching to a bodyweight only program such as the navy seal workout + some suitable exercises. I know it wont make me big but maybe big enough and healthy at the same time?.

Every mon, wen, fri:
Running (should make my whole posterior chain stronger)(maybe substitute one day of running with swimming?)
Loads of pushups (helps with stability in whole body?)
Loads of crunches (to make abs stronger and suck the gut in)
Loads of pull-ups (to counter the chest muscles)(could they injure the lower back somehow?)
+maybe supermans?(or are my lower back muscles so tight that I should avoid such exercises?)
+the plank? Or is pushups enough to strengthen the core?
+something else??

Stretches:
Hip flexor stretch (to counter forward pull)
Quadriceps stetch (to counter forward pull)
Should I stretch the hamstrings and gluteus or should they be tight to pull pelvis back??
Some kind of lower back stretch?(suggestions??)

/Mike
3rd year european medical student

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If you’ve got anterior pelvic tilt, it could be due to tight abs or hip flexors. Static lunges will help losen up the hip flexors. Instead of removing back work for fear of re-injury, you should probably do some lower back strengthening exercises… supermans, back extensions, good mornings, etc. Build up the lower back and gluteal region and that should help pull things back into place.

But before you do any of that, you may want to get your back checked out to make sure you don’t have a herniated disk or some other pathology that would be aggrivated by some low back work.

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[quote]Steve-O-68 wrote:
If you’ve got anterior pelvic tilt, it could be due to tight abs or hip flexors. Static lunges will help losen up the hip flexors. Instead of removing back work for fear of re-injury, you should probably do some lower back strengthening exercises… supermans, back extensions, good mornings, etc. Build up the lower back and gluteal region and that should help pull things back into place.

But before you do any of that, you may want to get your back checked out to make sure you don’t have a herniated disk or some other pathology that would be aggrivated by some low back work. [/quote]

I tried those static lunges yesterday during my routine. I have a sore gluteus maximus today :slight_smile:

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Oh, me achin glutes!!