Vital Wellness Weekly

Welcome

Did you know that 80% of adults experience lower back pain at some point in their lives? For many, it isn’t due to a sudden injury, it’s the result of years of stiffness, weak core support, and limited mobility.

Your lower back is the foundation of your body’s core. When it gets stiff or weak, it doesn’t just hurt it affects how you walk, breathe, and even how much energy you have throughout the day.

This week, we’re tackling lower back mobility, why it matters, what goes wrong when you ignore it, and how simple daily exercises can keep your spine strong and pain-free.

TL;DR

• Lower back stiffness is one of the leading causes of chronic pain worldwide.

• Poor mobility in the lumbar spine affects posture, breathing, and the nervous system.

• Building stability and mobility through simple drills can protect your spine long-term.

• Featured moves this week: Cat-Cow, Bird Dog, Glute Bridge, and Stability Ball Circles.

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Table of Contents

• Vital Wellness Weekly

  • Welcome

  • TL;DR

  • How Lower Back Pain Develops

    • What It Does to Your Body

    • How Mobility Protects Your Spine

  • Corrective Exercises You Can Do Today

    • Exercise Ball Pelvic Circles

    • Cat-Cow

    • Bird Dog

    • Glute Bridge

  • Weekly Feature

  • Let’s Connect

  • Final Thoughts

How Lower Back Pain Develops

Most people don’t just wake up one morning with sudden, crippling back pain. It builds, quietly, slowly, until one day bending over to grab your shoes feels like a chore.

Think about it:

• Hours at the desk stiffen your hips and compress your spine.

• Slouching on the couch tilts your pelvis forward, pulling your lower back into a constant tug-of-war.

• Your core gets weaker while your hip flexors get tighter, leaving your lumbar spine to carry weight it was never designed to handle.

• Add in stiff joints that can’t move the way they should, and your back is left doing all the work.

The result? A fragile foundation. Your spine isn’t ready when life asks you to lift a box, chase your kids, or twist quickly. That’s when you feel the “tweak” that seems to come out of nowhere but really, it’s been years in the making.

What It Does to Your Body

A stiff or weak lower back doesn’t only lead to pain. It finds a way to affect your whole body.

• Your nervous system: Compressed nerves in the lumbar spine can radiate pain or tingling into your hips, glutes, and legs. Most people think of sciatica.

• Your breathing: Tight muscles around the spine and diaphragm make deep belly breathing harder, keeping tension high and energy low.

• Your posture: Your body compensates, arched lower back, rounded shoulders, or tight hamstrings. Just to get through daily tasks.

• Your energy: Every bend, lift, or twist feels harder, leaving you drained faster than you should be.

Think of your lower back as a control center. When it moves well and is supported by strong muscles, everything else in your body works more smoothly.

How Mobility Protects Your Spine

Mobility is like your spine’s built-in shock absorber. Flexible joints and strong surrounding muscles let your lower back handle daily stress without pain.

Here’s what mobility training does for you:

• Restores natural movement: Makes bending, twisting, and reaching feel easier and more fluid.

• Builds stability: Strengthened core and back muscles protect your spine under load.

• Prevents injury: Controlled movement spreads forces evenly, reducing wear and tear over time.

Stretching alone isn’t enough. Mobility combines flexibility, strength, and control, helping your spine handle real-life activities, not just perform exercises on a mat.

Corrective Exercises You Can Do Today

You don’t need a gym or long sessions. These exercises are simple but effective and can be done at home:

• Exercise Ball Pelvis Circles: Wake up your hips and mid-back to protect your spine during daily movement.

  Cat-Cow: Gently moves your spine forward and backward, loosening muscles and activating your core.

• Bird Dog: Strengthens your deep back muscles while improving balance and coordination.

• Glute Bridge: Engages your glutes to support and relieve pressure on the lower back.

Start with 5–10 minutes a day, focusing on slow, controlled movements. Consistency matters more than intensity, and your back will thank you.

Exercise Ball Pelvic Circles

• Why: Improves pelvic mobility and reduces stiffness in hips and lumbar spine.
  How to perform:

  1. Sit on an exercise ball with feet flat.

  2. Gently rotate your pelvis in small circles clockwise, then counterclockwise.
     
     Reps & Frequency: 10 circles each direction, 1–2 times daily.

Cat-Cow

Why: Loosens the spine, warms up core muscles, and encourages full range of motion.
How to perform:

1. Start on hands and knees, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips.

2. Inhale, arch your back, lift your chest and tailbone (Cow).

3. Exhale, round your back, tuck your chin and pelvis (Cat).
   
   Reps & Frequency: 10–12 slow repetitions, 1–2 times daily.

Bird Dog

• Why: Strengthens deep spinal stabilizers, improves coordination, and balances core strength.
  How to perform:

  1. Begin on hands and knees.

  2. Extend your right arm forward and left leg back, keeping your spine neutral.

  3. Hold for 2–3 seconds, return to start, then switch sides.
     
     Reps & Frequency: 10 reps per side, 2–3 times per week.

Glute Bridge

• Why: Activates glutes to support the lower back and reduce lumbar stress.
  How to perform:

  1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.

  2. Press through your heels, lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.

  3. Hold for 2–3 seconds, lower slowly.
     
     Reps & Frequency: 10–15 reps, 3 sets, 3–4 times per week.

Weekly Feature

In case you missed it last week:

👉 Free Cervical Mobility Guide

Your neck and lower back are closely connected when one is stiff, the other often compensates. This guide walks you through simple, science-backed exercises to restore neck mobility, release tension, and improve posture.

How to use it on Notion:

• Open the guide and follow the step-by-step instructions for each exercise.

• Track your daily progress by checking off completed exercises consistency matters more than intensity.

• Use it alongside this lower back mobility routine to create a full-body reset in just 10–15 minutes a day.

By incorporating these exercises regularly, you’ll start to notice better posture, less tension, and more freedom of movement both at your desk and in everyday life.

Let’s Connect

I’d love to hear from you:

• Have you tried any of these lower back exercises?

• What’s your biggest struggle with back pain or stiffness?

Hit reply to this email, or connect with me on social media.

Final Thoughts

Your lower back doesn’t have to be a ticking time bomb. With just 5–10 minutes a day of targeted mobility, you can restore movement, reduce pain, and build a foundation for lasting health.

Next week, we’ll dive into something that’s often overlooked but critical: ankle stability and how it ties into plantar fasciitis and your body’s entire kinetic chain.

Take care of your spine today, and it will take care of you tomorrow.

See you next week!
Dr. Wesley