Fascia training for your back

Fascia can trigger back pain

Does your lower back ache or can you only turn your neck with pain? You’re not alone. Back pain is a common problem. One possible cause of back pain is the fascia. Balancing exercises improve the ability of the fascia to slide, make it supple, and relieve tension.

How fascia training works

Despite many studies, it remains unclear what exactly happens in the body with fascia rolling. It's not clear whether the effect is psychological or based on a physiological process.

But scientists agree on one point – in many athletes it seems to have an effect on regeneration and well-being:

• Before training: fascia training before sports training is said to improve flexibility in the short term. According to a summary of several studies, however, fascia rolling before sports training only minimally improves sprint performance and has no effect on jump and strength values.

• After training: fascia rolling after sports training reduces pain and tension in the muscles. It loosens and circulates blood to the muscles, at least in the short term.
  

Fascia training for your back

The following programme helps prevent or reduce discomfort in your back and can be easily integrated into everyday life.

• Duration: around 15 minutes

• Frequency: 2-3x per week

• Length of each exercise: 1.5 minutes
  

Exercise 1

Roll down, vertebra by vertebra, until your fingertips are as close to the floor as possible. Try to bring your fingers towards the floor with slight rocking movements. As an alternative, make small swaying movements to the left and right.

Exercise 2

Go into the lunge position and raise your arms, making sure the shoulders stay low. Push the pelvis forward and hold this position. If you want to increase the stretch, push the pelvis even further forward (see arrow).

Exercise 3

Run your fingers over your upper back to find any area of tension. Take a tennis ball or fascia ball and wedge it between the wall and the tense area. Make small, circular movements with the ball to apply light pressure to the area. Be careful to use the ball only on the muscles and not on the spine.

Exercise 4

Stand hip-width apart and place both hands on a wall. Straighten the knees until legs are fully stretched and transfer some of your weight to the wall. This will give you a pleasant stretch in the back of your legs and back muscles. Switch the position a few times to a rounded back with the head tucked in.

Exercise 5

Place your hand against a wall or door frame. Lean forward a little and turn your upper body slightly away from the wall. Now hold this position in a static pose. For a change, place your hand a little higher or lower – this creates variety and engages the whole fascia.

Exercise 6

Place a fascia roll between the wall and the back of your neck. Now turn your head slowly to the left and right alternately. If you prefer a more comfortable position, do the exercise lying down.