Training the back is essential for those who ride a bike. It is a structure comparable to the frame of our MTB, any problem or weakness of this anatomical part inevitably affects the driving of our bike. Let's start this article that talks about it by making some hints of anatomy.
How is the spine made up?
The vertebral column is made up of 33/34 vertebrae, which differ in size, mobility and function. In turn they are divided in a sectorial way into 7 cervical, 12 dorsal or thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 4/5 coccygeal. They are stacked on top of each other and divided between them by cartilaginous discs that act as a shock absorber, allowing to better distribute the loads to which it is subjected. Seen from the front, the back should be straight, while laterally 4 curves will be highlighted, 2 kyphotic and 2 lordotic. More precisely we have cervical lordosis, dorsal kyphosis, lumbar lordosis and sacral kyphosis
What are the functions of the spine?
What are the functions of the spine? The first and most immediate to understand is that of supporting our upright position, the most important one, however, is to protect the marrow, which is present inside it and guarantees the transmission of nerve impulses, which allow us to feel everything and to move in space.
Second only to this is that of defense of the visceral organs which is carried out in synergy with the side laterally and partly frontally and with the sternum in the front.
There are other functions that the vertebral districts must perform, at the cervical level, the joint between the first two vertebrae, atlas and axis, (fig 2) guarantees support and mobility to the skull through the joint with the occipital bone. The 12 dorsal vertebrae articulate with the ribs and
They contribute to the formation of the rib cage. The mobility of the trunk is guaranteed by the muscular compartment but the width of the same is managed by the vertebrae, articulated with each other through lateral facets and joined with the intervertebral disc.
The main pathologies of the spinal column
- SLIPPED DISC
- DISC PROTRUSION
- LUMBALGIA-DORSALGIA-CERVICALGIA
- LISTES
- FRACTURE
Slipped disc
We hear very often about this serious problem which affects an ever larger population; but what is the hernia of the disk there?
We speak of a herniated disc when the nucleus pulposus contained in the cartilaginous disc mentioned above, breaks the membranes and migrates externally, often compressing the spinal cord, a nerve or lifting the longitudinal ligament. The hernia is not always symptomatic, in many cases its position and the lack of pressure on sensitive tissues means that the classic symptoms that accompany it are not found. However, it must be said that in many cases the hernial syndrome is one of the accessory causes of many back pains, in fact the protrusion of the nucleus pulposus causes the very structure of the vertebral axis to be compromised, leading to greater pressure on the neighboring structures. the damaged part. In this case we could have muscular tension, paresthesia and joint blocks, not directly attributable to the hernia but to the postural imbalance of which it is certainly one of the causes.
Disc protrusion
It is the antechamber of the hernia, the fibrous ring before completely yielding and thus allowing the nucleus to come out, it partially tears creating a sac, a protrusion in fact, which can often give the same symptoms as the hernia. In this case, through a correct gymnastics it is possible to delay the negative evolution by containing the painful symptoms and the evolution towards the hernia. Also in this case it is necessary to evaluate well if the protrusion is the cause of the painful symptoms or if the pain originates from other surrounding structures.
Evolution from protrusion to hernia
Low back pain - back pain - neck pain
This term generally indicates back pain, and one of the terms can be used depending on the affected stretch. It is a generic way that is often indicated to highlight inflammation, it is then up to the therapist to identify the real causes of the inflammatory state
Fracture
The fracture of a vertebra is one of these traumas that makes the wrists tremble just to name it. It is often associated with tragic episodes that lead to partial or total immobility and in the most serious cases to death.
Why can a vertebral fracture have such devastating consequences? The reason is that myelinated lesions with complete section of the marrow are possible, leading to total paralysis of the tract underlying the injured vertebra.
However, injuries that only lead to compression or concussion of the spinal cord are also possible. In the first case the transient paralysis can be totally recovered if the decompression occurs in a short time, in the second case the paralysis is only transitory.
But vertebral fractures can also be of the unmyelinated type, that is, they do not affect the spinal cord, in this case we are talking about facet joint injuries or contained fractures. Fortunately, most injuries are of this type.
What is core stability?
After briefly describing some diseases affecting the spine, let's try to describe an effective method to train the back.
We often hear about core stability, there are courses, books and more that deal with this topic, what is it about? Literary translation is basic or core stability, in reality we are talking about a set of exercises that aim to protect the back.
We have already talked about back pain on these pages, but now let's go into a little more detail to see what needs to be done to preserve your back and improve performance.
First we clarify that when it comes to the prevention of vertebral pain, we are talking about different particles that integrate with each other. The lower limbs, the pelvis, the vertebrae, the ribs with the sternum, the scapula and the humerus, the skull with its mandibular joints. This is the bone architecture around which the delicate balance of the back rotates, then there are the ligaments, muscles and muscle chains, whose harmony allows a correct posture and a precise use of our body. All these parts contribute to the good state of the spine and therefore of the Core.
How is a Core Stability session structured?
Many different exercises with combined goals allow you to be successful in reducing back problems. For those who pedal, let's start by saying that it is important to balance the great strength of the quadriceps. So let's start by stretching these important muscles, to make them as 'relaxed' as possible; this is because their excessive tension pulls the pelvis, creating pain in the lumbar and lumbar spine. We must think that the buttocks, hamstrings, all the back muscles, the rotator cuff and the pectoral muscles contribute to the protection of the back. So working on the back means keeping almost all the important muscles of our body in harmony and right tension.
Not just back strengthening
In addition to muscular work, an important part must be carried out where balance and coordination are perfected. This is to create that biofeedback effect that leads the person to always have the knowledge of how his body is placed in space.
So you work in coordination with your eyes closed, with external elements that make it more complex to perform the training. Wide-ranging exercises, where the joint is brought to work in its entire range, to stimulate maximum contraction and relaxation and to refine mobility in space.
Finally, isometric exercises at very low intensity, in this way it will be possible to activate the deep structures, which often do not work with the classic exercises. These muscle groups that we will generically call intervertebral, are important because they contribute in an important way to the maintenance of correct posture. Their training guarantees not only an exact position of the body in space, but helps to recover it faster even in conditions of great stress and finally helps to stabilize the bone compartment thus allowing the most powerful groups to act optimally.
Let's summarize the concepts of Core Stability
- A slow work on joint mobility and breathing to prepare the body
- Wide-ranging exercises to allow the agonist and antagonist muscles to work in harmony
- A session linked to coordination with exercises that stimulate balance and the ability to always recruit muscle groups in the optimal way
- Strengthen the muscles more properly related to the back even with low intensity and isometric exercises
