24 Nov, 2008

Ask the coach: Back pain recovery

Question

I am recovering from back pain and I hear that improving my flexibility will reduce my symptoms and get me back to the activities I enjoy.

Answer

The ideal place to start would be to get a personal flexibility assessment done. This test will identify which muscles are tight and need to be stretched. A skilled personal trainer or therapist should be able to assist you with this and, based on your results, they can deliver a programme that is tailor-made for you.

If finance or motivation is an issue, you could look into starting a yoga class for beginners. There are many different styles of yoga, but if you are very tight, you need the guidance of an experienced teacher who understands how difficult some of the poses will be for you initially.

You will need patience and understanding, as you did not get inflexible overnight and you won't be a ballerina by tomorrow. Find a style that suits you and give it time to achieve the results by signing up for a full course.

The last alternative would be to purchase a flexibility book from the internet from experts in the flexibility field. Anne and Chris Fredericks are two former professional dancers based in Phoenix, Arizona. I have participated in two internships with them and I have witnessed them develop a business primarily built on football players and Olympic athletes to stretch. Their book, Stretch To Win, has flexibility tests and photos of the stretches needed to rectify muscle imbalances.

Flexibility, like training, is a skill -- so, to increase your range of movement, you need to train. It will take a lot of effort but, over the long term, the investment in your health will pay a handsome return.