Neutral Spine - are you sick of me nagging?

I annoy myself with how often I tell everyone to "maintain a neutral spine!"
In deadlifts especially, but in any major lifts (in the gym or elsewhere - i.e. snow shovelling season!), neutral spine is key. It's become my catchphrase, and here's why: 
 

-          lower back muscles (pars lumborum) can protect against anterior shear

-          no tension in interspinous ligament, therefore no ligament induced anterior shear

-          ligaments in general are not under tension since ligaments unstrained

-          not likely to herniate a disc because hernation associated with full flexion

-          the spine can handle compressive loads better when in neutral position.

 

In layman's terms:

Activating back muscles in a neutral spine means that you are protecting yourself against back injuries and herniations. You are also able to lift a greater load. Therefore neutral spine = avoid injury and lift more.
Seems simple, and it is, as long as you make a conscious effort to activate the lower back muscles each time you are lifting.  Practise this each time you perform a lift - whether it is something small at home, like a box, or something heavy at the gym, like a deadlift.

"Practise makes perfect and it also makes permanent."

If you consciously activate these muscles everytime you perform a lift it will eventually become an unconscious effort; your lifting technique will benefit, you won't become injured- and you won't hear me nagging you.

 

UTC uses a functional movement screen for many of our athletes. One of the tests (squatting with a dowel raised above the head) is used to assess bilateral and symmetical mobility of the ankles, knees, hips and shoulders. It is a great determinant of functional defecits that could lead to injury.  When you perform this complex movement pattern we are looking for a specific kinetic pattern - dorsiflexion of the ankle, hip hinge, extension through the thoracic spine and proper positioning of the arms. If the arms are falling forward - this could indicate that someone has weak extensors in their upper back. When functional deficits are identified - it is much easier to prescribe exercises to increase the strength of these areas, and prevent injury and focus on what matters at UTC - strength and conditioning 

 

If you want some info for how to properly shovel snow, or want some additional advice on how to properly deadlift - please ask next time you are in!

 

Source: Dr. Simon Wang's Lecture on Dec 08, 2011, CMCC
Alli Cain, B.A.Kin, C.K.
Personal Trainer
www.ACAINtraining.com
905-806-7198