There’s a reason we provide less invasive back surgery Plano TX---we want to keep patients healthy and on their feet. Because of that, we hate to see avoidable back injuries happen, and those are often a result of reckless exercise. No, we’re not talking about tackle football or adults doing flips on a trampoline. By reckless exercise, we mean those workouts that many people do (and maybe you too!) that cause unnecessary stress on your back. Here are three of them.

Less Invasive Back Surgery Plano TX: 3 Common Exercises That Can Cause Back Pain

Loaded Standing Calf Raise

Have you ever wondered if there must be a better way to work out your calves than by stacking tons of weight on your shoulders? You’re not alone. Piling weight on your shoulders and then lifting it with your calves causes lots of stress on the spine---stress that could easily be avoided by choosing a different exercise. Take our advice and sculpt your calves some other way.

Situps

Stay with us---we aren’t condemning your P.E. teacher’s favorite instrument of torture without due cause. Expert Warren Williams of the BBC reported in 2009 that standard sit-ups cause unnecessary pressure on your lower back’s discs. Apparently your hip flexors take over during a sit-up (have you ever noticed how the hip area burns too?) and leave you with two results: first, a tendency towards back pain, and second, a mediocre ab workout. Try an alternative instead!

Leg Lifts

Despite the availability of less invasive back surgery Plano TX, you can help avoid surgery altogether by picking and choosing your exercises carefully. Another workout to avoid would be leg lifts---and something tells us you won’t be too disappointed to see this drill go into the “workout trash can.” Leg lifts (the act of lying on your back and raising both legs at the same time) cause a tremendous amount of strain on the back, so only very advanced athletes should attempt this drill.

Always remember---you don’t have to hurt your back to stay fit. There are tons of healthy exercise alternatives out there, so talk to a trainer, or do a quick search on back-friendly cardio and weight training exercises.

When back pain does come along, rely on the genuine, caring staff at Brain and Spine Center of Texas. Give us a call at 972.943.9779 or contact us online---we love to help customers figure out the cause of their back pain and discuss ways to make it better.