Prone press-ups are not a cure all.
Why this matters:
Back extensions were accidentally discovered by Australian Physio, Robin McKenzie. It started with him forgetting to change the table for his patient, and they lied face down on the table. Upon getting up, their pain was gone.
As a result, physios, chiros, and movement coaches have been prescribing them for every back pain/sciatica patient. But are they as effective as they claim to be? It all depends.
Action steps:
If back extensions help you, keep up with them!
But if they don’t work for you, here are three main reasons as to why they don’t.
- You’re not doing enough. If it is only a temporary help, you may need to do them more often (every 2-3 hours, versus once a day).
- You’re shifted to the right or left. We need to correct our shoulder shifts before anything. This exercise can help you get your shoulders back on the right track. The direction of the shift is dictated by where your shoulders go. If your shoulders are to the right, this is for you. If your shoulders are to the left, this is for you.
- Extensions may not be for you. And that’s totally ok. There are plenty of other options that can help relieve your pain.
