What Is The Neutral Spine Position And Why It's So Important To Solving Lower Back Pain

Learning how to maintain a neutral spine position may be the most important thing you can do to solve lower back pain and exercise without pain. While very common in the medical and strength world, many people are unsure what the term 'neutral spine' actually means. In this article we'll help explain what a neutral spine is and why it's so important in solving lower back pain and being able to build strength without stressing our joints.

What Is A Neutral Spine?

The neutral spine is the position of your spine where it's in proper alignment. Looking at the picture of a neutral spine below, the first thing you'll notice is that a neutral spine DOES NOT mean a straight spineThe spine is made up of three curves...the lumber (low back), thoracic (mid back), and cervical (neck). When these curves are lost or exaggerated is when we fall out of our neutral spine. Learning how to maintain these natural curves of our spine is going to be very important to limiting the impact that goes through our joints.

The three curves that make up proper spinal alaignment (the neutral spine)

Why It's Important For Solving Lower Back Pain

If you'll remember, the best way to solve lower back pain is to learn how to limit the impact that goes through our joints. The neutral spine is the position where the least amount of impact goes through our joints, discs and other structures of our lower back. Learning how to maintaining this position through our day and while we're exercising can save you from YEARS of lower back pain.

Why It's So Important For Building Strength Without Stressing Our Joints

The neutral spine becomes very important in common strength movements like the hinge, lift and squat. The movements require proper spinal positioning to perform without throwing our back out. An inability to maintain neutral spine with these exercises is a sure fire way to aggravate your lower back pain...the opposite of what we want our exercise goal to be.Watch the video below to learn more about how to find the neutral spine position.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z35KsiwTPKc&t=26s

Learning, understanding, and practicing the neutral spine is just one of many ways to solve lower back pain. For a more complete understanding and answers to low back pain be sure to download our free program ‘Solving Pain With Strength’.

Limited By Back Pain? Get Started With Our Free Program

Solving Pain With Strength: An Approachable, Step-by-Step Strength Program For Adults Limited By Joint Pain

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE GUIDE HERE

Don’t let back pain keeping you from enjoying life. Be sure to check out other some of our other back pain articles for even more help:
Previous
Previous

How To Keep A Neutral Spine Position To Protect Our Lower Back

Next
Next

How Your Stiff Ankles Could Be The Cause Of Lower Back Pain