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Returning to the Gym after a Lower Back Injury – Pump the Brakes and Start with Back Pain Therapy in AZ

You’ve had a lower-back injury, but you still can’t wait to get back into the gym. Maybe you initially considered trying physical therapy in AZ, but you decided you could do without it. Well, hold on for just one second. Injuries are very serious and no matter what degree the injury is, it is your body’s way of telling you that something went wrong. So take a quick look at your life and the way that you do things and be patient. After you have done that, proceed with caution. Back pain therapy in AZ is something that needs to be taken seriously.
While you may want to just get into the gym and get back to your normal routine, your body just sounded its alarm. You must start slow. Before any vigorous activity, the person in recovery must be able to perform a perfect air squat. The pelvis should not shift from side to side; the knees should track out above the toes while feet stay firmly on the ground in a shoulder-width stance. For the first week of recovery of a lower-back injury, the person can perform ten of these air squats and other individual mobility exercises assigned by their physical therapist.
Once these exercises have been completed without discomfort, it’s time to move on. During the next few weeks, running, rowing, swimming, air squats, and pushups are permissible. Beware of soreness because your muscles have de-conditioned from the injury. If any of these moves aggravate the lower back, then make sure you seek coaching from a specialist or your physical therapist.
Once you can perform the prior exercises of bodyweight movement with no pain, weight can be added to the squat. Adding too much can be harmful, so start with the bar and only perform front squats. Front squats are best because they build a strong core and a strong core is the foundation to all movement.
If you are progressing nicely, start to add individual work outs back in. Add one a day and wait to see how your body responds the following day. During your physical therapy in AZ, it is crucial to only add one new movement at a time. If you have any concerns with the correct form of an exercise, please do not hesitate to call your physical therapist or your local Foothills Sports Medicine Physical Therapy. Learn more about back pain therapy in AZ at www.foothillsrehab.com or www.fast-training.com

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