Question
My construction job, for the past 30 years, has involved setting up heavy ladders and climbing those ladders. I'm 56, Male, 190#, my BMI is 27, and I'm reasonably muscular. Working on dropping 30#. I've always had minimal issues with my back. Starting this past winter, as I work outside in the northern climates, I've chosen to become a "working snowbird", and spend the worst winter 4 months in Florida, where I do light handyman work.

First of April, when I returned to my "north job", I found that the ladders had become 25# heavier, and that I've developed a soreness in my back. When I do the lifting, it feels like other parts of my body are trying to compensate for the weakness in my back, as I lift. The soreness gets worse through the work day. Doesn't bother me at night, I can "work it out" fairly easily in the morning, but by the end of the day, it's pretty sore, and when I get out of my truck after driving home, it's sometimes hard to stand and walk. I'm generally not using any Ibuprofin, etc to treat the pain, I figure that the pain is talking to me and I'd better listen. What can I do now amidst the work schedule to strengthen my back, and what should I do in winters to keep it stronger?

Answer
Jeff, please excuse my absence from the forum for a while.

Regarding your question: What can I do to strengthen my back... the consensus generally is that a weak core muscle group is a contributor to lower back painful conditions. There are many exercises that help to strengthen the core. I generally teach my patients to perform simple exercises that do not put the lower back at risk. These include stomach crunches, abdominal splinting, and pelvic bridging. I also am an advocate of stretching several muscle groups, including the hamstrings, hip flexors. I like to have my patients perform knee to chest stretches, supine hamstring stretches, and simple lower back rotational stretches.  The key is consistency over a long period of time. One big problem is that when the pain starts to go away, patients tend to think that they are cured, and then they discontinue the exercises.

I must advise you, however, that you should consult with a local professional and try to get to the source of your painful condition. Many times it is more than just being out of shape. You should undergo a good physical examination that helps you to determine if there are any underlying spinal conditions that are causing your pain.

I hope that this gives you some ideas of what you can do to get some help. Best of luck,

Keith Biggs BS, DC