If your back is tight or painful, you’re not alone!
 
As many as 80% of people experience back problems during their working life. Too often, the diagnosis and treatment conflict, and the treatment results are poor. I had a slipped disk at 26, even though I was active and involved in many sports. I eventually found the solution through studying. My back is now stronger than it ever was. I can, for example, deadlift double my bodyweight without a belt, despite the slipped disk. I’m not talking about weightlifting now, though, but about how I rehabilitated my back.
 
My name is Jukka Harju. I live in Ylöjärvi, Finland, with my daughter and spouse. When I was young, I was very active. In addition to weight lifting ,I played ice hockey and went boxing. I studied to be a professional personal trainer, and that was my job. Even then, my back was always so tight, that I had to move around and shake my limbs every hour even just to function normally.  I got massages, rested, applied the cold gel, and tried medicine for inflammation…
 
After the slipped disk diagnosis, I kept doing a couple of exercises recommended by a physio.
 
 
Journey of discovery through the different treatment options
 
I wanted to get my back into shape. I didn’t just want to cope with everyday life, stay at the level where I could do my daily tasks. I wanted to play and lift weights the way I used to.
I started studying everything I could get my hands on. I attended pilates and yoga training, studied how the deep muscles work, got familiar with the nervous system and fascia, and combined this knowledge with what I knew about strengthening muscles. I had a lot of experience with it. I noticed that the information I had previously learned about healthy muscles and stretching was not complete. Many exercises were done in the wrong way if you think about the back, and there wasn’t enough emphasis on the stabilising muscles, mobility, and control exercises.
 
“I realised that each method was good, but only one part of the equation - You need the whole package”
 
Some people recommend strengthening the muscles when it comes to treating the back. I used to deadlift over 500 lb and I still had a slipped disk. How strong does the back need to be? Just strengthening alone clearly won’t work.
 
Others recommend mobility exercises and stretching. Still, many gymnasts suffer from back pain, even though they have plenty of mobility. So that alone isn’t enough either.
 
Third, the newest thing to add to the mix is motor control exercises. A recent thesis found that they are more effective in treating back pain than general strengthening of muscles. But does this single thing help if the fascia are tight or the muscles are just too weak?
 
Surgery and medicines don’t improve mobility, control, or strengthen the muscles. Still, they are often prescribed nowadays, and for no reason in too many cases. At least, that is what many top researchers think. Often the cause of the problem is not even determined beforehand. Of course, if a severe structural problem causes 24/7 pain and there is no way you could ever do any training, an operation is the right option.
 
All of these are great treatments when used in the right situation, but too often, those struggling with back pain receive only one type of partial instruction. The real solution is training, that combines all the different training methods in a training programme that moves along systematically.
 
The view that we need a combination, lead to results and a new method
 
You can combine all the methods by starting with exercises for motor control and support and then continuing with exercises that train your mobility with dynamic movement in a controlled way. From there, you can strengthen your core together with the rest of the body. Then you are on the right path, and often the results are outstanding.
 
I managed to rehabilitate myself, and now at over 40, my back is in better shape than when I was 25 before I had the slipped disk. I deadlift over 350 lb without a belt, train floorball, kickboxing and live a full life. You don’t have to aim to lift weights, this method is for anyone who wants to be healthy and invest in their wellbeing.
 
This idea of combining methods has created a lot of interest in other circles. For example, I have trained professionals on the method at rehabilitation centres and Helsinki University Hospital. Over 1200 healthcare and fitness professionals have attended my training, and I have consulted for athletes like NHL player Patrik Laine.
 
I know how to rehabilitate back problems (I have used a large part of my life on thoroughly understanding it). Remember to learn these movements and do them one to five minutes, three to five times a week. Do everything so light, that you don’t cause pain.
 
- Jukka Harju