SAN ANTONIO — Leaning into the excitement of game days from bleacher seats (or even comfy couches at home) can trigger lower back, neck, and bottom pain and be a real pain in the, well, butt!
That’s what the physical therapists at Texas Physical Therapy Specialists in San Antonio call “Bleacher Butt.” They have put together a game day guide to keep the cheering going while keeping the pain at bay.
Gameday Rescue routine:
- Seated Spinal Twist: While seated, cross your right leg over your left, place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee, and twist to the right, holding for 15-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side to keep that spine flexible and happy. You’ll also feel this in the glutes.
- Hip Flexor Stretch: While standing, take a large step forward with your right leg and bend your right knee to lower your body towards the ground. Touch your left knee to the ground but try to keep it as straight as possible. This provides a good stretch along the front of your left hip. Add a lower back stretch by reaching your left arm over your head and leaning to the right. Hold for 15-30 seconds and switch sides.
- Standing Hamstring Stretch: Stand up tall and hinge at your hips. While hinging forward, reach your hands toward your toes. Hold for 30 seconds and slowly come up. This will help lengthen your spine, glutes, and hamstrings after sitting for an extended period of time.
Guide to Avoiding Bleacher Butt:
#1 Supportive Seating Solutions: Recommendations on ergonomic seating aids such as a cushion or bleacher seat that distributes weight evenly, reducing pressure on your sit bones.
#2 Move Around: Your best posture is your next posture. If you notice you’re becoming uncomfortable in your current position, switch it up. Shift side to side, lean forward, cross your legs, and stretch occasionally. Also, use time outs or commercials as an opportunity to stand and move around to increase blood flow to the muscles. Don’t want to miss any action? March in place to keep the back and hips limber.
#3 Post-Game Activity: By moving your body and getting in some light exercise after the game, you can ward off muscle stiffness and pain from prolonged sitting.
Nealy 65 million Americans are battling lower back pain!
- On average, we spend four hours watching live sports per week, with many spending more than five hours doing so.
- 60 million kids are actively participating in youth sports, and 90% of parents show up weekly to cheer them on.
- According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 82% of American’s discretionary time is spent sitting, to the tune of an average of 9.5 hours a day.
The recent surge in NFL viewership, known as “The Swift Effect,” where Taylor Swift fans are tuning into football to catch a glimpse of her, increases the number of people sitting for a prolonged period. NBC’s Sunday Night Football matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets averaged 27 million viewers, the second highest for Sunday programming behind Super Bowl 57.