Can a weightlifting technique save your low back?
Coming from a strength and conditioning background, I’ve been fortunate to have learned many different exercise techniques from the weightlifting world. One of those techniques is called “hip hinging.” This movement is used to help the lifter keep their back in a straight or neutral position while squatting by flexing the hip joint and not the low back. You can see an athlete completing an overhead squat with the hip hinging technique below:
Although you might not be squatting with weights overhead in the gym, all of us squat on a daily basis when we sit down or bend over to pick something up. Take a look at the picture below:
The person on the left is flexing the low back to get up and out of the chair. The person on the right is bending at the hip instead (hip hinging), sparing the low back from all of the pressure of this awkward squat position.
Practice “hip hinging” at home and make sure that it feels comfortable for you. If you feel like your legs are too tight or too weak to get into this position, that is a sign that you need a chiropractic check up. Scar tissue, tight and/or weak muscles can make it difficult to “hip hinge” and increases your risk of a low back injury. Thankfully that is something that can be easily fixed with non-surgical protocols at our office such as Graston Technique. If you have further questions about “hip hinging” or other weightlifting techniques, feel free to email me at drerin@ducatchiropractic.com