5 Components of Physical Fitness
Many text books talk about the 5 components of physical fitness; these are the health related fitness components. If you are looking to manage your lower back pain by improving your physical fitness l
evels then they are a good place to start. There are in fact other components of physical fitness but they are skill related and in my opinion less important in the management of lower back pain.
- Fitness for your heart and lungs (cardiovascular fitness).
Improved cardiovascular fitness means a stronger heart, pumping greater volumes of blood with a slower heart rate. It also means a greater lung capacity and an improvement in the exchange of oxygen in the tissues. Circulation is improved, in all the tissues of the body, including ligaments and muscles. - Flexibility – the ability to move and bend your body.
I have talked about the importance of having a strong flexible spine and have suggested some exercises for stretching here. - Strength – Strong, supple muscles
Strong muscles get tired less easily, are better able to perform tasks whether that is supporting your spine for long periods when sitting or when you are doing more energetic activities like gardening or manual work. See some core stability exercises here.
- Endurance – The ability to keep going.
If your muscles tire after a short while they are not able to give you the support you need so you are more vulnerable to injury.
- Fatness – having greater lean, or muscle, body mass.
This is important as the more you exercise the greater the chance that your body composition will change and you will have more muscle and less fat. This is a bit controversial with lower back pain as many doctors often blame weight for back pain problems when there are often many reasons for it. However, there is some evidence that being very overweight contributes to lower back pain.
