Back Extensions

Of course, no DrTri Exercise list would be complete without perhaps the single best exercise for human beings in our modern world. If that sounds like some crazy outrageous claim, simply look at the literature and injury rates among people (especially Americans). Low back pain is beyond epidemic level and there are Chiropractors, Back Pain Clinics, Physical Therapists, Alternative Healers, etc. etc. on almost every corner. Their results are all very similar; mediocre at best (again, look at the research!). Still to date, the only treatment/exercise that has been shown to be VERY effective at treating and/or preventing low back pain is the static and dynamic versions of the "Biering-Sorensen" exercise. In other words, the Back Extension Bench exercise. Starting in 1984, with a landmark study by Biering-Sorensen that won the Volvo Award for Excellence in Research, a plethora of studies have found that this exercise is still the most effective for all phases/aspects of low back pain.

Here it is:



Have Fun!

References:
1. Good endurance of the low back prevents first-time occurrence of Low back pain in men. Also, men with over flexible low back are more liable to contract Low back pain. (Biering-Sorensen, 1984)
2. A home exercise protocol of back extension holding twice a day for 6 weeks significantly increase endurance capacity of the low back. (Moffroid, et al 1993)
3. Endurance training of the low back was found to expedite recovery from sub-acute (7-49 days duration) low back pain. (Chok et al, 1999)
4. Patients with a history of low back pain have less endurance muscles in their lower back than those without low back pain. (Mannion, et al 1997)
5. Posture has no correlation to low back pain. (Tuzun et al, 1999)
6. Tight hamstrings do not correlate to low back pain. (Hellsing, 1988)
7. Among workers with a history of low back pain poor performance on low back endurance tests predicted future back pain. (Takala et al, 2000)
8. Low back static endurance capacity is a strong predictor of risk of future low back pain. This test validated the Biering-Sorensen test of 1984. (Alaranta, Luoto, et al 1995)
9. Low back muscles in people with chronic low back pain have less endurance capacity than controls. This test validated the Biering-Sorensen test of 1984. (Ito et al, 1996)
10. The glute muscles in people with chronic low back pain have less endurance capacity than controls. (Kankaanpaa et al, 1998)
11. Poor endurance capacity of the low back is a risk indicator for low back pain. This test validated the Biering-Sorensen test of 1984. (Biering-Sorensen et al, 1989)
12. The low back endurance test can discriminate between people with and without low back pain. This test validated the Biering-Sorensen test of 1984. (Latimer et al, 1999)
13. Low back endurance capacity performance was significantly less in golfers with chronic low back pain. (Suter et al, 2001) 14. Stronger abs than low back was found to be a risk factor for low back pain. (Lee et al, 1999)
15. Low back pain patients have less endurance capacity of the low back muscles. This test validated the Biering-Sorensen test of 1984. (Taimela et al 1998)
16. A home exercise program aimed at increasing low back endurance capacity decreased low back pain as effectively as an intensive clinical program. (Kuukkanen et al 1996)
17. Range of motion tests with the back extension test predict the those with low back dysfunction and those at risk for future low back pain/dysfunction.(Allaranta, et al. 1994)