The Southeastern Spine Institute

Why Do I Need a Personal Trainer?

A certified personal trainer can design an exercise program centered around your individual needs and physical limitations. Such a program maximizes your results while minimizing the risk of injury. The physical therapists at the Southeastern Spine Institute teach you the proper form for each movement, motivating you to continue to exercise for your health and wellness. They offer positive support by:

  • Providing honest assessments and feedback
  • Helping you build physical strength
  • Boosting your self-confidence

A physical therapist, in conjunction with a personal exercise trainer, focuses on improving your range of motion and increasing your mobility. If you have a pre-existing back pain or spinal abnormality, proper exercise techniques alleviate your pain without the use of prescription pain medications and their dangerous side effects. Having a personal trainer for back pain helps by:

  • Improving your technique
  • Correcting your posture
  • Improving your strength
  • Strengthening your core
  • Promoting flexibility
  • Instructing you on a diet for weight loss

What Are the Benefits of Having a Personal Trainer for Back Pain?

If you live with chronic back pain or experience back pain from an injury or ongoing spinal condition, remember you aren’t the doctor. The benefits of having a personal trainer for back pain include:

  • Expert knowledge and guidance
  • Individualized, need-specific, workout plans
  • Goal development
  • Accountability and motivation

Resting the muscles in your back gives them time to heal, but rest doesn’t always decrease your back pain or restore mobility. At the Southeastern Spine Institute, doctors have done extensive research to that prove that exercise and movement produce better results. Having your own personal trainer for back pain pays off by reducing the amount of pressure on your spine. It also eliminates the risk of:

  • Muscle strain or tears
  • Increased pain
  • Hyper-extension
  • Overexertion
  • Injury

What Exercises Should I Do to Ease My Back Pain?

A personal trainer can provide you with several exercises designed to help promote healing and to relieve symptoms of back pain. Any time you begin a new exercise program, you can expect your muscles to be sore. The Southeastern Spine Institute physical therapists recommend simple exercises to improve your spinal health, such as:

  • Crunches and partial crunches
  • Muscle-stretching exercises that include your legs, hamstrings and thighs
  • Wall sits
  • Press-up back extensions
  • Body planks
  • Chest-to-knee stretches
  • Angling your pelvis bone
  • Core tilts
  • Bridging your gluteus muscles
  • Aerobic or cardiovascular exercises
  • Practicing proper posture

There are also specific exercises that cause back pain to worsen. Trying an exercise plan on your own can put you at serious risk of injury. Exercises that may aggravate your back pain problems include:

  • Lifting excessive weight
  • Twisting exercises
  • Side-bending exercises
  • High-impact sports
  • Repetitive movements
  • Excessive walking or running

How Do I Choose the Right Personal Trainer?

Having a personal trainer for back pain enables you to learn new exercises, stretches and specialized movements that will increase your quality of life. Choosing the right person means finding someone who meets your physical, mental and emotional needs while being sensitive to your limitations. Consider factors such as:

  • Education and certifications
  • Maintaining professionalism
  • Respect for boundaries and limitations
  • Mutual compatibility
  • Attentiveness to your needs
  • Shared respect

Ask your Southeastern Spine Institute doctor or physical therapist for a recommendation for a personal trainer’s qualifications. They can also offer nutritional consultation, diet plans and ways to improve your overall health. There’s freedom in remaining active and pain-free. The secret is exercising without risks, and that’s the value of a personal trainer for back pain.