Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

Ep. #672: 6 of the Best Exercises for Low-Back Pain


Listen Later

Modern medicine has a cure for nearly everything.

After all, it’s eradicated smallpox, eliminated malaria in most developed countries, and nearly put an end to polio.

It’s also created all kinds of pills, potions, and powders to treat ailments ranging from the common cold to cancer.

And yet, it still hasn’t come up with a cure for low-back pain.

In fact, low-back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and nearly 80% of people will experience it at one time or another.

To make matters worse, most cases of low-back pain are chronic or recurring, and symptoms often come and go without rhyme or reason.

It affects the young and old, healthy and disabled, active and sedentary.

I’m a good example.

I’ve been an athlete my entire life, most recently transitioning from collegiate sports to lifting weights to keep myself healthy and motivated. I’ve also dealt with bouts of low-back pain throughout much of my athletic career, starting when I was around 20 years old.

I know how frustrating, confusing, and debilitating it can be.

Now for the good news.

While researchers still have many unanswered questions about low-back pain and no two cases are identical, there are some evidence-based exercises you can use to reduce your chances of developing low-back pain or get rid of it.

These exercises don’t just have a sound theoretical basis—they also work in the real world.

As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I see patients every week who are dealing or have dealt with low-back pain, and I know some simple strategies that tend to help.

Of course, this article isn’t meant to diagnose or treat anyone, as there are hundreds of potential contributors to low-back pain. That said, I have identified three factors that seem to be common culprits.

What’s more, I’ve also experimented with many different stretches, exercises, and other strategies to fix and prevent low-back pain, but the six I describe in this article are the best exercises for low-back pain I’ve found yet.

So, if you want to learn what these three causes of low-back pain are, how to know if they’re affecting you, and what you can do to prevent and fix them, keep listening.


4:52 - Define low back pain

6:28 - Exercises to fix a stuck thoracic spine

11:10 - Exercises to fix a shortened quadratus lumborum muscle

18:29 - Exercises to fix glutes not firing properly


Mentioned on The Show:

Shop Legion Supplements Here: https://legionathletics.com/shop/

Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Muscle for Life with Mike MatthewsBy Mike Matthews

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

4,537 ratings


More shows like Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

View all
Boundless Life by Ben Greenfield

Boundless Life

5,002 Listeners

The Model Health Show by Shawn Stevenson

The Model Health Show

7,258 Listeners

Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth by Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge

Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

12,057 Listeners

Muscle Science for Women by Ashleigh VanHouten & Rachel Gregory

Muscle Science for Women

470 Listeners

High Intensity Health with Mike Mutzel, MS by Mike Mutzel shares interviews with Peter Attia, Jason Fung, Stan Efferding,

High Intensity Health with Mike Mutzel, MS

1,224 Listeners

Choose Hard with Cody McBroom by Cody McBroom

Choose Hard with Cody McBroom

784 Listeners

Mark Bell's Power Project by Power Project Studios

Mark Bell's Power Project

1,559 Listeners

Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina by Vanessa Spina

Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina

782 Listeners

The Genius Life by Max Lugavere

The Genius Life

4,887 Listeners

The Jordan Syatt Podcast by Jordan Syatt

The Jordan Syatt Podcast

3,780 Listeners

The Peter Attia Drive by Peter Attia, MD

The Peter Attia Drive

8,521 Listeners

Muscle Intelligence by Ben Pakulski

Muscle Intelligence

16 Listeners

Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

Huberman Lab

29,185 Listeners

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show

1,200 Listeners

The Macro Hour by Nikkiey Stott

The Macro Hour

585 Listeners