腰痛の原因は筋力やスタミナの低下であり、足腰の弱さがリスクと関連しています。スクワットは足や腰を鍛える効果的なトレーニングであり、安全な方法を説明しています。スクワットは下半身の大きな筋肉を鍛え、姿勢や血液循環を改善することができます。腰痛や足の痛みの緩和にも効果があり、筆者はワイドスクワットを推奨しています。トレーニングの際には無理をせず、徐々に回数を増やしていくことが大切です。【参考記事リンク】:https://serai.jp/health/1151448
Having lower back pain simply means your legs and back are weak.
There are various exercises to strengthen your legs and buttocks, but if I were to recommend one, it would be squats!
Here’s how you can do it safely and effectively.
The causes of lower back pain are varied, but unless it’s due to serious illnesses or injuries, most of the time it’s due to a decrease in muscle strength and stamina, including aging.
Factors such as lack of exercise, long hours of desk work, overwork, lack of sleep, excessive stress, irregular diet, and nutritional imbalances can unknowingly accumulate fatigue, leading to a decrease in physical and muscle strength.
Spinal deformities such as herniated discs or stenosis may be due to the spine not being properly supported.
In other words, weak legs and back increase the risk of lower back pain.
Conversely, if your legs and buttocks are strong, the likelihood of suffering from lower back pain decreases.
Exercise your legs and buttocks for lifelong health!
Squats are Recommended
While there are many exercises to strengthen your legs and back, if you have to choose one, squats are definitely recommended.
You can easily do this exercise anywhere with your own body, and it’s highly effective for improving muscle strength and stamina.
The benefits of squats include:
- Strengthening major lower body muscles like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
- As a result, it stabilizes your posture, especially by firmly stabilizing the hips, pelvis, and lower back.
- Improves blood circulation throughout the body, especially the lower body.
Other benefits include posture improvement, increased metabolism, fat burning, elongated appearance of buttocks and legs, and more.
By stimulating larger muscles, squats can:
- Improve brain blood flow.
- Promote the secretion of pain-relieving hormones.
Not only does it prevent pain, but squats also have the following benefits in relieving pain:
How to Safely and Effectively Do Squats
There are various types of squats, but the wide squat (wide stance squat) is recommended at the author’s Lower Back Pain Training Center (https://www.re-studio.jp/).
Also known as sumo squats, the wide squat involves spreading your legs 1.5 to 2 times the width of your shoulders compared to the regular squat where your legs are shoulder-width apart.
By doing this, you can:
- Reduce stress on the hip, knee, and lower back joints.
- Effectively work the adductors (inner thigh muscles) and glutes (butt muscles).
- Perform the exercise relatively safely, even if you have weak muscles or are elderly.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to trying it out:
Start by standing with your feet apart, toes pointing outward at about a 45-degree angle, engaging your core and pulling your lower abdomen in.
Lower your hips while placing your hands on your knees. When lowering your hips, try to keep your upper body as straight as possible and avoid leaning forward.
If possible, lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. If you can’t go that low, try lowering your hips until your knees are at a 45-degree angle.
From there, tighten your inner thighs and glutes as you lift your hips back up to the starting position.
For exercises that target the inner thighs and buttocks, place a large ball between your knees and squeeze. (Refer to image below)
Pressing the front of your knees and thighs makes it difficult for the glutes, hamstrings, and adductors to work. By consciously using your inner thighs and glutes, you can work these muscles.
Using a stability ball or similar equipment to actually try it out may also be helpful.
Start with 5-10 seconds of 5-10 repetitions per day for 1-3 sets, gradually increase the number as you become accustomed to it, aiming for a total of 40-50 repetitions per day.
You may initially experience muscle soreness. In this case, check your progress every 1-3 days and gradually increase the number of training days.
Important: If you are unable to perform this movement due to pain or if the symptoms worsen during the movement, discontinue immediately.
If this is too difficult, depending on your fitness level, try supporting yourself by placing your hands on the back of a chair or alternating between sitting and standing using a chair.
I hope this article helps relieve your lower back and leg pain.
For more information on various exercises to improve lower back pain and sciatica, check out the following articles:
- Improving Lower Back Pain Part 3 and the Order of Exercises (Part 2)
- Improving Lower Body Muscle Strength with Step Exercises at Home!
- Relieve Lower Back Pain by Strengthening Your Glutes! Glute Training
- What is Core Muscle Training, a Must for Improving Lower Back Pain?
- The Root Cause of Lower Back Pain and Sciatica is The Hip Joint! Improve Pain with Hip Joint Training
My book, “If You Want to Heal Lower Back Pain, Relax Your Bones” is available at bookstores nationwide. I hope you enjoy reading it.
Author/Guide: Yumi Kawaguchi
Certified acupuncturist recognized by the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare. Founder of the Lower Back Pain Training Institute. With over 20 years of experience as a therapist, she has treated over 10,000 people. Diagnosed with a herniated disc, she suffered from lower back pain and sciatica for over 18 years. After researching various treatment methods, training, and psychotherapy, she developed her own treatment method and was able to make a full recovery. Currently, she specializes in the treatment of lower back pain and sciatica at the Sakurahana Treatment Clinic in Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku. Author of “If You Want to Heal Lower Back Pain, Relax Your Bones” (Published by Ascom).
[Lower Back Pain Training Mechanism/Sakurahana Treatment Clinic]
2-14-9 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Moritaya Building Room 301
Phone: 03-6457-8616