108: Prof. Stuart McGill - Biomechanist & Lower Back Pain Expert

In episode 108 of The Physical Performance Show Brad Beer brings you an expert edition and has a conversation with Prof. Stuart McGill - Biomechanist & Lower Back Pain Expert.

In this episode we get very practical, we talk about what lower back pain actually is and what other common conditions that we can experience across the lifespan with our spines. We discussed why assessments need to be thorough for back pain suffers. Professor McGill debunks the many lower back pain myths including is stretching of the hamstrings of any use.  We discuss the concept of core stability and Professor McGill gives us a true and accurate definition and why he believes it is fundamental to human movement in an absolute non-negotiable for athletic best performance. Professor McGill refers to examples of stifling athletic development through not allowing rest. We discussed the 2 and half year rehabilitation of Brian Carroll Champion weight lifter who succumbed to a very serious lower back and sacral injury and how Professor McGill helped Brian return to competition and how he became the first man to squat more than 50 times in competition a weight greater than a thousand pounds. It's an incredible example of a very nasty injury, it should give anyone listening hope that they too can look forward to enjoying pain free best performance from their lower backs no matter what the degree of injury is that they may have been incurred. We touched on what is important for lower back pain sufferers to determine if they able to have a good day in amongst the bad days.

Professor McGill shares with us his big 3 non-negotiable exercises, the McGill curls, the Bird Dogs and the Side Planks. Finally we talk about why Professor McGill does not believe that drawing in activating transverse abdominous is of any use when it comes to creating stiffness of the spine and finally if you are sit up or a crunch lover for your abdominals we discuss why it is fundamentally doing you harm if you are performing crunches for your spine that is. 

There is a whole lot in this episode as we speak with this incredible connoisseur of knowledge when it comes to all things lower back health and ultimate performance of the spine.

Listen in as we delve into the following:

• Studying at university
• Back Pain 101
• The use of MRIs
• Back conditions that are prevalent
• Movement of the disc
• Myths about Back Pain
• Restoring careers of high level Athletes
• Bone Callusing
• Back Extensions
• Spine hygiene
• Spine Stability and Core Stability
• Unpacking Sit-ups
• Advantageous Exercises
• Back Fit Pro – Book
• Back Stiffness and variations

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