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Lats (Latissimus dorsi): A back muscle visible just under the arms along the
sides of the torso from the front. This muscle is used to pull things
down or to pull yourself up. If you want impressive lats, join a
swim team. If you want to get motivated to build your lats, check
out a photo of Bruce Lee.
Superior attachments: Upper humerus
Inferior attachments: Iliac crest Lower
ribs Middle and lower vertebrae.
Erector spinae muscles: Three columns
of muscle forming a bulge along either side of the spine. They are
used to keep the vertebral spine in line, to arch the back posteriorly
and to support the back and all body parts above the hips. These
muscles are under constant stress. Once damaged these muscles cannot
be fixed, so the pain must then be managed for the rest of your
life. Avoid damage by adhering to the guidelines under the user
manual below.
The Three Columns:
All three columns share a common inferior attachment to posterior
parts of the iliac crest, sacrum and inferior lumbar vertebrae.
- Iliocostalis (lateral column)
Superior attachment: Angles (or posterior bent
portion) of the ribs
- Longissimus (intermediate column)
Superior attachment: Thoracic and cervical
vertebrae (transverse process) Lateral posterior base of the skull
(mastoid process)
- Spinalis (medial column)
Superior attachment: Connects the vertebrae
(spinal processes) from the middle back to the upper back.
If you're doing anything other than lying
flat on your back, you are using your back muscles. Unfortunately
they are very easily strained, and once they are, they are problematic
for life. Back pain cannot be cured. It can only be managed through
correct posture, daily stretching and strengthening routines. So
take care of your back. Most everyone as a teen, feels some sense
of invulnerability. Many problems seem as if they don't apply
to you until well after your physical prime. The truth is that the
roots of these problems start in the teen years, because this is
when you develop lifelong behaviors. Be aware of how you treat your
body. You will only feel invulnerable until that certain moment
when you've pushed your body just a tad too far. To avoid this
moment and the regret and pain it causes, treat your body well.
Start with your back, using the following guidelines.
Practice a good posture in everything you do.
Maintaining your spine's natural curvature significantly reduces
the stress put on your back. (Diagram) This curvature consists of
the lumbar (lower back), thoracic (middle to upper back), and cervical
(neck) curvatures. A good way to learn what it feels like to retaining
this posture is to take a yard stick or broom handle and place it
along your spine so the ruler contacts your tail bone and your upper
back. There should be a significant gap between the two points of
contact where the ruler does not contact the spine. Whenever you
stand, sit, bend over or lift something, you should retain this
back posture.
When people get tired, whether they're sitting
or standing, they tend to slouch. This sends a message to your brain
that slouching equals resting. However, the reality is that slouching
requires your back to work 10 times harder to support your spine.
If you hold your spine in good posture, the vertebrae simply rest
on top of each other minimizing the amount of work required of your
back muscles. So whenever you notice yourself slouching, straighten
your posture so you can program your brain to associate rest with
good posture.
Good Posture Guidelines
Why Arching One Way is Better
than the Other
(Diagram Fig A & B) Your torso's main contents (organs and what
not) are all in front of your vertebral column. So the muscles,
supporting your torso and spine and enabling you to stand erect,
are concentrated along your back. When you bend forward arching
your back as displayed in fig. A, your muscles are stretched and
forced into a weak position. The tension, instead of being absorbed
by the muscle, is instead placed on the tendons and ligaments. This
is dangerous, since the tendons and ligaments are much less elastic
than muscle and more prone to rip or tear. When you stand erect
with a healthy lumbar arch as in Fig. B, the muscles are slightly
contracted and thus in a stronger position. The tension is being
absorbed by the elastic muscle. When you lift, you'll notice
that there are certain positions in which you are stronger. Bench
press (Diagram), Bicep curls (Diagram), etc. Erect back posture
is the back's strongest position.
Standing
Keep your head over your shoulders. Retain an erect posture with
a natural spinal curvature. (Diagram)
Sitting
Keep your head over your shoulders. Don't slump. Any chair that
supports your lower lumbar curvature will relieve your lower back
muscles. (Diagram)
An Alternative to Bending
Over
If you can avoid bending over by kneeling on one knee, then do so.
You'll notice it's a lot easier and more comfortable. This
way you can retain your natural spinal curvature. (Diagram)
Lifting Objects from the
Floor
Use a position similar to the three-point stance of a football lineman.
Bend the knees a little and the hips a lot. Stick out your rear
and keep the head and chest up. Keep the object you're lifting
as close as possible to your body. (Diagram)
Reaching over an Obstacle
Position yourself as close to the object as possible with your knees
slightly bent. Press your legs against the object you have to reach
over. Bend slowly at the hips (not waist) with your back slightly
arched and your head and chest up. Retain this posture while lifting,
keeping the object you're lifting as close as possible to your
body. (Diagram)
To Lift Light Objects out
of a Box or Container
Place your weight on one leg. Use one hand to support yourself.
Keeping your back straight, bend at the hips, and lift and extend
your leg behind you. Reach in and lift with your free hand. (Diagram)
Even with all this amazing
info, you can still overwork your back. The more tired or
dehydrated you get, the more difficulty you will have adhering to
these guidelines. So when you're faced with a massive job, like
moving your place of residence or hauling mounds of dirt, don't
rush, be smart, split the job up, rest often, eat high energy foods,
drink plenty of fluids and get help.
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