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Back muscles play an important role in the human body. First of all, they protect the spine, which is the most important organ of movement. For this reason, it is worth taking care of their good condition and efficiency, i.e. strengthen them with exercises. Unfortunately, tense back muscles cause pain and make it very difficult to function normally. Why is it worth taking care of your back muscles? What to do to keep them functional?
Back muscles – structure
The back muscles are quite complex. They are divided into two groups: deep muscles and superficial muscles.
The superficial muscles of the back
The superficial muscles of the back – these are the spine-costal muscles, which include the superior posterior toothed muscle and the inferior toothed muscle, as well as the spine-brachial muscles, which include the trapezius muscle, the latissimus dorsi muscle, the parallelogram muscle and the levator scapula muscle. The trapezius muscle, which is located around the nape of the neck and upper back, is one of the most important back muscles (called the hood). Its functions are very important for proper posture and human movement, as it is responsible for lifting and lowering the shoulders, as well as for straightening the cervical spine and bringing the shoulder blades closer to the spine.
While the main functions of the parallelogram muscles of the back They are close to the levator of the shoulder blade, which means that they direct the shoulder blades up, back and in. This back muscle is located under the trapezius while the levator scapula muscle extends from the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae down to the scapula. In turn, for example, the posterior toothed muscle is the inspiratory muscle responsible for lifting the ribs during inhalation.
Deep back muscles
Deep back muscles – they are mostly symmetrical and can be seen, for example, around the lumbar spine. This group of dorsal muscles works like the extensor muscles. The deep back muscles can be divided into the medial girdle, the lateral girdle, and the suboccipital muscles. They can also be divided into:
- long back muscles – belong to them:
– the lobar muscle of the head – thanks to it, we can bend the head back, and when it works to one side, we can turn the face in a given direction;
– neck flap muscle – allows you to tilt your head back and turn your neck;
– sacro-dorsal muscle – it is a very strong extensor of the back;
– ilio-costal muscle – it can be divided into the lumbar, thoracic and neck parts. The first part is attached to the six or nine lower ribs, another to the six or five upper ribs, and the last to the third to sixth rib surfaces;
– the longest muscle – it has a rather complicated structure, because it is divided into the longest muscle of the chest, neck and head. It extends to the occipital or temporal bone and extends to the sacrum or iliac bone;
– spine muscle – divided into the spine muscle of the chest, neck and head. It allows the spine to bend to one side or to bend the spine backwards;
– the semicircular muscle of the chest and neck – when it acts on one side, it allows the thoracic and cervical spine to bend to one side and allows the spine to rotate in the opposite direction. On the other hand, when it works bilaterally, it enables the spine to be straightened in the cervical region;
– the hemispheric muscle of the head – this is the flat and thick muscle responsible for the extension of the head;
– torsion muscle – this is a very strong muscle in the chest area that allows the head and neck to turn;
- short back muscles – these are:
– the interspine muscle – it is located between the consecutive vertebrae of the cervical and lumbar spine. They connect the closest to each other vertices of the spinous processes and their task is to straighten the cervical and lumbar spine;
– the transverse muscle – they are located in the same places as the interspine muscles, and their task is to bend the spine to the sides;
– levator ribs muscle – these are flat, triangular muscles that connect to the external intercostal muscles. They are involved in straightening, sideways tilting and rotating the spine;
- suboccipital muscles of the back – these are:
– upper oblique muscle of the head – this is probably the highest posterior transverse muscle of the neck;
– posterior rectus minor muscle of the head – this is a small and flat back muscle triangular in shape;
– the posterior greater rectus muscle of the head – this is the flat muscle that is located directly on the vertebrae of the spine;
– oblique inferior muscle of the head – it is a strong rotating muscle of the back;
– lateral rectus of the head – allows the head to be pulled back and the head to be turned to the sides.
Check it out: What are back pain?
Back muscles – functions
The back muscles are the most important group of muscles in this system. They take part in all activities that the human body performs, especially when we are standing. The back muscles together with the abdominal muscles make it possible, above all, to keep a straight figure and ensure the safety of the spine. Therefore, if the muscles become too weak, they can start to contract and tighten under the influence of small overloads.
Unfortunately, too much tension in the back muscles means that less blood, nutrients and oxygen flow to them. Appropriate gymnastics is necessary to keep the back muscles flexible and fit.
Back muscles – training
Back muscle training should be a permanent part of training plans not only for professional bodybuilders, but also for everyone complaining about back pain. It should be remembered that back exercises tailored to our abilities and needs are also an important element of rehabilitation.
At the beginning, it is worth using the professional help of a trainer or even going to a physiotherapist. Only in this way will we be sure that the exercises performed will not harm us and will bring results.
A well-structured training for a strong back should engage the back muscles on various planes. In addition, exercises must be performed regularly. That is why it is so important that the back training plan is professionally arranged, because it is very easy to injure and overstrain.
To avoid this, do some warm-up exercises before doing your back exercises. In the case of exercises for the back, ordinary torsions and twists of the torso, arm swings, exercises stretching the joints and tendons are enough. Over time, you can add weight to the warm-up, which will improve the blood supply to the muscles.
Check it out: Back training – what is it?
Back muscles – exercise
There are many exercises that can help us strengthen our back muscles. One of them is pulling up on a bar with widely spaced arms. This exercise guarantees a very comprehensive development of the back muscles, but requires quite strong arms from the exerciser.
Pulling up the barbell in the slope and lifting the dumbbell in the slope are also very effective exercises, which are also very engaging for most of the back muscles.
If we have the opportunity to go to the gym, it is worth doing exercises on an exercise machine. After some time, you will be able to add exercises on the exercise bench to your training plan.
Many effective exercises can also be done at home. Back muscle training involves fairly simple exercises that do not require specialized equipment. First, at home, try the following exercises:
- exercises in a sitting position, e.g. on a stool – raise your arms high, taking in as much air as possible, lower your arms as you exhale and lean forward slightly;
- standing exercise – raise your arms high and tilt your torso back, when you lower your arms, tilt your torso forward;
- bends to the right and left in a standing position;
- while standing or sitting, try to look far, sometimes through the left and sometimes through the right shoulder – we do the exercises at a fast pace;
- kneeling exercises, hands resting on the floor – bend the spine once upwards, hiding the head down between the arms, i.e. cat’s back, then we bend the spine down and we lift our head up high and look up.
Back muscles – tips for exercising
People exercising the back muscles should always remember about the technique and quality of the movements performed. It requires focusing on training, thanks to which our exercises will be more effective and we will avoid injuries and injuries.
During training, it is good to remember about:
- performing a thorough warm-up before training and stretching exercises at the end;
- performing the prescribed exercises carefully and slowly;
- starting back muscle exercises with stretching exercises, such as bends, twists or arm swings;
- performing a few breathing exercises – in this way we will improve blood supply and oxygenation of the muscles, increase flexibility and temperature in the muscles;
- variety of exercises – it is worth doing the so-called slow back muscle exercises and strength exercises for each part of the back muscles, moreover general fitness exercises and cardio exercises. The training plan should also include swimming, dumbbell training, runs, marches and isolated exercises with the use of gym equipment;
- adjusting the training to our current possibilities.
Back muscles – relaxation
When you feel that your back is tense and aching, it is worth considering stretching exercises. A visit to a physiotherapist may help. He can perform massage and manual therapy, thanks to which he will relax tense muscle strands and stretch the long muscles of the back. Importantly, a thorough massage allows you to relax tense muscles, and the effects are noticeable immediately.
At home, it is also worth relaxing the back muscles by rolling a tennis ball or a soft roller. Such a slow “massage” along the spine (remember never to massage the spine) will make you feel relaxed quickly and the places of pain will be slightly broken.
Professional treatments for the back muscles will also help. It is worth trying, for example, hydrotherapeutic treatments, dry needling and massage with a massage gun.
Above all, it should be remembered that the pain caused by the tension in the back muscles is often the result of a lack of proper regeneration after training. Therefore, properly selected supplementation may also be helpful, which will help reduce inflammation in the muscles, which are the main cause of their tension.