Muscles that only get moved when lifting stuff...?

September 5, 2023 8:52 AM

I thought was super-fit until I moved some furniture during a home office renovation. What are these elusive lower back muscles that only seem to get moved when lifting stuff called?

I was recently renovating my office. I needed to take out furniture - nothing too heavy.

I'm a regular 5km walker at least 3 times a week. I recently completed a 1000km cycle trip and use a rowing machine. Therefore, I felt very confident that moving stuff (empty bookcases and tables) very slowly and with no heroics - that I would be fine.

How wrong was I... I was in bed for almost a week with bad lower back pain.

I really want to know what are these elusive lower back muscles that only seem to get moved when lifting stuff? Secondly, how do you exercise these?

posted by jacobean to Health & Fitness (13 answers total)

It sounds like you are describing the posterior chain which, in addition to your core, support your spine by providing stability during bending and lifting movements. Anecdotally, I've seen a decrease in back pain after incorporating Romanian Deadlifts into my (mostly) calisthenic routine, which I do from home. I had to pick up an inexpensive barbell and a couple of plates, but it wasn't a significant outlay. Alternatively you could also use fitness bands, but you will eventually reach a limit to the level of progressive overload you can attain with just bands.
posted by lyam at 9:00 AM on September 5, 2023

Back extensions are also good for this group of muscles. I started them as assistance exercise for deadlift, but they’re worthwhile by themselves & don’t need much (or any) special equipment.

Stronger lower back & hips from deadlifting would probably help your cycling too.
posted by rd45 at 9:19 AM on September 5, 2023

Well, two of your primary activities have you seated (my problem too). So I think you might want think about adding some resistance training to your workout. I'd suggest starting with a personal trainer, if you can wing it.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:34 AM on September 5, 2023

Oh, and I see your question is answered in itself: yes, you'll get stronger lifting stuff, like weights.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:35 AM on September 5, 2023

It's also entirely possible to put strain on your spine itself if your form is bad, not just because you're overloading weak muscles. If you haven't done any weightlifting before, then squats and deadlifts are what you're after and getting a trainer/taking a class/having an experienced buddy to watch your form are highly recommended.
posted by restless_nomad at 9:44 AM on September 5, 2023

I know the pain you describe, and my solution was to add "lifting stuff" (over 50 lbs without a partner) to the list of things I no longer do. And I try to stand more than sit.
posted by credulous at 9:56 AM on September 5, 2023

Your deep hip flexors are probably not strong enough or you lifted in a non-optimal stance, aggravating the lower back muscles, which are not designed for lifting. Lunges, stair climbing, leg presses, along with core exercises such as planks and back extensions.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 11:28 AM on September 5, 2023

Avoiding injury when heavy lifting is much more about technique than fitness. Rowing is basically horizontal deadlifts so I wouldn't be surprised if your lower back is already fairly well conditioned. You could add deadlifts or other lifting exercises to help avoid future injury. But none of that really matters if you lift heavy things incorrectly. Lower back injuries are so common because people use poor technique, not because everybody has weak back muscles.
posted by grog at 12:25 PM on September 5, 2023

If you’re lifting safely your back is straight and you push up with your glutes and legs. Of course your core and back muscles are involved too but the power comes from your legs. You also shouldn’t twist your core while holding heavy items (easier said than done, I know). When you don’t lift safely you use, and can strain, the muscles in your lower back. I would think this is strain from improper lifting techniques and not a sign that you need to work out more.

(Source: OT with training in ergonomics)
posted by Amy93 at 3:00 PM on September 5, 2023

What grog said about rowing and lifting technique. I will bet your back is strong enough for the task, but you may using incorrect form, putting strain on your back muscles. Keep your back straight, lift with your legs and not your spine, and you should be good.

If you are already doing that, then my next bet would be your stabilizer muscles, which don't tend to get a workout on machines, but do get a workout with free weights and tasks like moving furniture.
posted by zippy at 6:51 PM on September 5, 2023

Here I go again recommending Pilates, but… Pilates.
posted by matildaben at 10:20 PM on September 5, 2023

You should not be lifting with your back. You should be lifting with your legs.

I am not a physiotherapist but I think the following two scenarios are most likely:
* You lifted with poor technique and strained your back
* Your hamstrings or other muscles in your legs/hips became tight and you got referred pain in your lower back from that.

I would suggest that you see a physiotherapist for as assessment and get a list of recommended exercises from them to add to your routine.

I personally do Pilates daily and only need to see my physio occasionally.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 2:24 AM on September 6, 2023

Rolling in with kinddieserzeit. Spin classes and Soul Cyle-type workouts are notorious for allowing people to default to using only muscles that are already pretty good and not actually working out anything that needs work. Personal trainers like to mix up for this reason - your body is very efficient, and will do as little work as it can. It that means letting your quads take the load and leaving the core alone, you body will do that.
See also Tabita routines that leave you sweating and feeling breathless... for about ten minutes because your limited your range of motion to the point of barely exercising any muscles.
Put some variety in your workout so that super efficient body doesn't cheat.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 8:26 PM on September 6, 2023