Dead bugs (and back pain)
We’re on a back pain kick around here…so let’s keep going with one of my favorite exercises: The Dead Bug.
Have you ever gone to bed feeling a "little tight" in your back, only to wake up with raging muscle spasms? If you have then you know the near-crippling pain that back spasms can be. It hurts to stand, it's exhausting to get anything done, and there's no position that you can comfortably sleep in.
There are tons of reasons that you could be experiencing back pain. Indeed, if you are experiencing new or worsening symptoms of burning, stinging, numbness, changes in pelvic function (bowel, bladder, sex), or loss of motor function (such as being unable to tap your toes), then this article is not for you. Those can be symptoms of deeper issues that require the attention of a medical professional.
For everyone else who is "just" feeling a ton of pain and/or tension, read on.
So what's going on? Consider how the anatomy of the spine works: You have a stack of 33 bones from the base of your skull to the tip of your tailbone. They are held together by ligaments that run from bone to bone, fascia, and muscles. The bony structure of the spine is not what holds us up. Rather, it is the balance of tension created by the soft structures, particularly the muscles, which maintains our erect posture. We can break the muscles of the back into three major groups: Superficial, Intermediate, and Deep.
Superficial: These are the ones we can see- picture a swimmer or body builder and their massive "V" shape. The superficial muscles such as the lats, the traps, and the rhomboids attach to the shoulder girdle. You will also have the levator scaplulae that runs from the shoulder blade to the base of the skull.
Intermediate: This is a limited group of muscles- the serratus anterior and posterior. The serratus muscles connect the scapula to the rib cage, assisting with shoulder mechanics as well as movement of the rib cage during breathing.
Deep: When we get to the deep layer, there is once again a subdivision into Superficial, Intermediate, and Deep.
Superficial: Only located in the neck (cervical) region, the Splenius muscles function to move the head and neck.
Intermediate: A large group of muscles, conveniently named the Erector Spinae, run along the entire vertebral column, head to pelvis. Just as their name suggests, they are the cords of muscles that pull our spine into extension- it is the ES that supports us as we bend to load the dishwasher and pulls us up as we swing our kid up off the floor.
Deep: The names for these muscles are so fun, I'll say them whenever possible: multifidus, semispinalis, and rotatores. It is a mouthful, however, so they are referred to as the Transversospinales group.
Honorable mentions: Nearly all the trunk muscles contribute to spine stability and movement in some way. The rectus abdominis (6-pack) and obliques create flexion and rotation. The diaphragm, transverse abdominis, and pelvic floor group control relative motion of the pelvis as well as direct intrabdominal pressure. The psoas (a part of the hip flexor group) also plays a critical role in lumbar stabilization.
All that to say, you have big muscles that move your spine and deeper, smaller muscles that stabilize it.
More often than not, back spasms will occur in the Erector Spinae group. One of the most common reasons for this is poor intrinsic stabilization of the spine. The Deep Deep group (Transversospinales) as well as the inner core unit are not engaging properly in order to maintain appropriate spinal and pelvic alignment. When this happens, the more superficial muscles have to work overtime to BOTH stabilize and generate movement.
Ever been asked to take over a coworker or spouse’s responsibilities while maintaining your own workload? Doesn’t go well, does it?
The catch is that stopping the spasm isn’t good enough. Just as taking a break from your job doesn’t mean your coworker will pick up their slack, trying to fix a spasm with stretching, releasing, and/or medications won’t change the lack of intrinsic stabilization.
Enter the Dead Bug Exercise. Hands down, it’s one of my top 3 for training core stability. It’s particularly great for folks who tend to overutilize their neck or back during ab exercises.
Here’s what you do:
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. The more firm the surface, the better.
*Optional: plant a stability ball on your knees, firmly braced with your hands. (Not between your knees, on them).
Find a neutral pelvis to spine alignment. To do so, roll your pelvis down so that your back presses firmly into the ground. Gently ease the tension off, allowing your pelvis to roll back up. Stop at a point where you feel reasonably comfortable while still able to detect tension in your lower abdomen. If unsure, go back and forth between smashing the floor and released a few times until you can find a middle ground between the two.
Maintaining the alignment, on an exhale lift one knee (and the ball) up to 90 degrees of hip flexion. With control bring it back down.
Progressions:
Lift the second knee up to the ball.
Alternate marching- tapping each foot to the ground.
Extend a leg straight, the lower to the ground the more difficult.
Extend the opposite arm at the same time as the leg.
Remember, it’s all about quality, not quantity. The goal is to focus on your control, so only progress to the level where you can exhibit good control AND breathe smoothly. Too much strain = no gain!
Dead Bug Video
Struggling to get it right? Still dealing with a “tight back”? Did you know that you didn’t have to be injured to work with a physical therapist? Schedule your appointment for a movement assessment and expert guidance!
