Japanese diet for weight loss

Some sports involve impacts, sudden gestures, jumps and twists to avoid when your back hurts.

In case of back pain, there is nothing worse than inactivity! The mistake is to stand still, lie or sit and wait for the pain to go away. What for? Because it can soften the posture muscles as well as the deep muscles, tighten more and accentuate the pain when you re-solicit your back. "Bouger and practice physical activity allow to maintain the musculature of the back as well as that of the abdominal strap, essential to maintain a good posture, strengthen flexibility and prevent the chronicity of back pain, warns Charlene Chéron, chiropractor. So playing sports is good! Provided you choose gentle, symmetrical disciplines, without shock or impact and that do not require back twists, jumps or brutal gestures." 

8 sports to avoid in case of back pain

Tennis: Overall, snowshoe sports are not indicated in case of back pain. "Tennis, badminton or squash are asymmetrical sports that cause twists in the back, require jumps and therefore create impacts that can be traumatic for the back," stresses our expert.  

Riding and especially show jumping is "a practice that, by creating bumps and impacts so great, can compress the back", warns the chiropractor. 

Running causes repeated impacts, especially in the lower back. "Prefer fast walking, which is much less traumatic for the back," advises the specialist. 

Rugby causes impacts between players and is likely to increase back pain. 

Group sports such as basketball, handball and volleyball are not recommended for back pain. "These sports require a lot of jumps, ground impacts, changes of direction and therefore twists of the back. Football also causes impacts between players, twisting and shearing movements at the back during strikes," explains Charlene Chéron. 

Combat sports such as judo, taekwondo or boxing are asymmetrical disciplines: that is, they work more one side of the body than the other and can eventually create imbalances of the spine. "In addition, there are impacts between the two opponents and they cause a lot of twists at the trunk. However, it is important to qualify: all combat sports are different. Among the martial arts least dangerous to the back, there is karate and jujitsu which are a little more symmetrical and allow to work both sides, especially during katas (sequences of codified techniques simulating a fight against imaginary opponents). Before playing any of these sports, always seek the advice of a doctor," she advises. 

Golf has the advantage of having very long and positive walking times for the back. "On the other hand, the movements, especially that of the swing, remain abrupt, traumatic for the back and create twists of the back," warns our interlocutor. 

Motorized sports such as jet skiing or motocross are ultra-violent sports for the back because they create a multitude of impacts. 

Tips to limit the risk of injury

"It's better to play a sport trying to minimize the risks than to do nothing at all!" advises Charlene Chéron. In prevention:  

Before you get physically active, talk to your GP, osteopath, physiotherapist or chiropractor beforehand.

If possible, call on a sports coach and choose disciplines provided by a coach in order to have a physical preparation adapted to his condition: avoid as much as possible to do sports activities alone.

Warm up before exercise.

After each session, remember to stretch. "The stretches seem accentuated by muscle damage. What has been advocated for a few years is a return to progressive calm: we can see it on the Tour de France in particular: once the race is over, cyclists get back on their bikes to oxygenate the muscles and avoid cramps and aches,"
says our interlocutor. 

Drink water before, during and after an effort. 

Wear well-suited, comfortable, foot-holding shoes with good cushioning.