WASHINGTON 鈥� The Olympics bring together the world鈥檚 best athletes every two years to compete on the international stage. And while we marvel at sprinters鈥� powerful thighs or butterflyers鈥� massive shoulders, there is one crucial component to every Olympic body that largely goes ignored until it fails and knocks someone out of competition: the back.
Mark Alexander knows this only too well. As a former athlete, he experienced some fairly severe back pain back in 2001 and 2002. As the physiotherapist 鈥� similar to an American physical therapist聽鈥斅爁or the Australian Olympic Triathlon Team, he鈥檚 worked hands-on with elite athletes enough to know that they often suffer many of the same back issues as your average office worker.
Lower back pain is the , and Americans spend at least . But most of that is at the doctor鈥檚 office. After the appointment, patients are often sent home with instructions to just use a tennis ball, golf ball, rolling pin or some other substitute that didn鈥檛 achieve the same result as the tools used in therapy.
That鈥檚 why , a portable self-treatment device designed to relieve back pain and stiffness, and improve posture. He created a device to be used by patients between rounds of therapy to help reinforce good habits and strengthen key areas of their backs.
鈥淭here was nothing on the market that was a professional product,鈥� said聽Alexander. 鈥淣othing was replicating the same sensation.鈥�
BakBalls can be used in a sitting position, between a person鈥檚 back and his chair, to help support and improve posture, preventing slouching. They can be used on the floor to at the top of the spine or neck area, as well as on legs and feet, helping release tightness.
Alexander said he believes not simply in treating the symptoms once they occur, though. He also is an advocate for trying to root people out of inactivity, which can contribute heavily to weakening backs, even in the athletes seen on TV.
鈥淭he main issue is that our lifestyle is so sedentary,鈥� Alexander said. 鈥淓ven the life of an elite athlete is still very sedentary.鈥�
What he means is that outside of the hours of training, even athletes spend much of their time sitting. This causes a weakening of the stability muscles that help keep us upright, including those in the lower back.
For regular folks, the combination of lack of exercise, prolonged sitting and poor posture can create a slow-motion disaster. Alexander compares it to a bucket with a very small leak in it, one that聽you don鈥檛 notice until it鈥檚 suddenly empty.
As for athletes, there鈥檚 often plenty of attention paid to developing specific muscle groups inherent to each sport, while the back often goes overlooked.
鈥淢ost teams are still heavily focused on the strength component, not focused on stability in the abs and back,鈥� Alexander added.
But some teams have already caught on and invested. Both the athletic program at Army West Point and the St. Louis Cardinals use Alexander鈥檚 product, the latter for the past couple seasons. That allows them to manage issues as they arise among the players, without having to resort to physical therapy treatment, all while trying to instill better habits moving forward.
鈥淵ou can get a hundred treatments a year,鈥� said聽Alexander. 鈥淏ut if the cause is still there, you鈥檙e not going to get better.鈥�
