The Biomechanical Advantage of the Chinese Method of Weightlifting for Spinal Injury Rehabilitation

The Biomechanical Advantage of the Chinese Method of Weightlifting for Spinal Injury Rehabilitation

Although there are many forms of rehabilitation methods for spinal injury, I have found most to be relatively ineffective. I suffered a severe spinal injury over a decade ago while playing Lacrosse in upstate New York. I damaged and severely herniated two discs as well as fractured my L-5 vertebrae, while advancing a stage 2 spondylolisthesis (/spon·dy·lo·lis·the·sis/ (-lis´the-sis) forward displacement of a vertebra over a lower segment, usually of the fourth or fifth lumbar vertebra due to a developmental defect in the pars interarticularis.) a full grade to a stage 3.

I spent the better part of the following decade in a state of constant pain and irritation resulting from these injuries. I was forced to give up sports and other like activities, subsequently my quality of life over this period of time deteriorated considerably. After trying virtually all forms of rehab excluding spinal fusion surgery and finding no relief, I took it upon myself to become educated in human anatomy in hopes to find an effective treatment.

My voyage down the rabbit hole of anatomy and physiology led me to try all different types of treatment, some more extreme and some conventional. I finally found that my answer was not  just one treatment but a combination of treatments that have greatly helped my condition. I was so changed by my experience that I decided to leave a career of 10 years in finance and begin anew to become a chiropractor so that I can help people that find themselves in a similar situation.

First, I’ll begin with a brief description of some common spinal injuries. The single most common complaint amongst people today is low back pain & almost all of it can be attributed to some form of spinal injury/deficiency.  The most common injury is the “subluxation” of the vertebral spine. Each of your vertebrae work together to give your spinal cord the flexible protection that is needed for day to day life. However, each vertebrae is its own bone separate from each other by a liquid filled disc that acts as a cushion. These vertebrae are subject to misalignment causing a “subluxation” at times due things like impact, twisting or jarring. Basically our daily life can shift these bones out of place at almost any time.

Much like a kinked garden hose will only dribble out a small amount of water, your spinal cord will only dribble out diminished signals to your body if and when you are subluxated. The only way to correct this is to “re-adjust” the vertebrae so that the bone is re set and the full potential can be sent from your brain through your spinal cord into your body to run efficiently and effectively. Correcting this condition is not to be taken lightly, do not let your friend “crack your back” as this can severely or permanently injure your spine. Only a trained Chiropractor or Osteopath has the knowledge and expertise of the spine and its functions to correct a subluxation.

The other common spinal injury we typically see is a herniated disc. Our spinal discs are fluid filled discs that act as a shock absorber between our vertebrae and give us the mobility and flexibility in our spine. Over time we can injure these discs and even gravity will erode these discs as we age. Once herniated, these discs will “bulge” out, much like if you squeeze one end of a water balloon. This “bulging” will press on your nerves and cause a pinch, almost always directly related to severe pain and nerve damage.

The common rehabilitation methods of today treat certain symptoms of these injuries often supplementing or masking the original pain with powerful pain medication. The problem with this is twofold, first, you are constantly chasing symptoms while never truly “fixing” or “solving” the original cause. Secondly, by using powerful pain medications you are subject to long term addictions and drastic side effects on your body, and in your kidneys and liver.

You also run the risk of doing even more damage because you are numb to the pain signals being sent to your brain. Your body uses pain sensors to trigger important mechanisms to correct dangerous situations or signal the need for immediate help, and anything that dulls or blunts that response only can lead to serious and long term injury.

The most effective way to fix common spinal problems is to first identify the cause, correct the imbalance while dealing with the symptoms and to restore proper alignment to the spine. At the same time, you need to also begin to rebuild the tissues surrounding your spine in order to support it and keep it in a good position and safe.

Weightlifting fits this second requirement perfectly, as it focuses and encourages proper posture and technique of movement. Its ever changing host of exercises strengthen the entire body which gives stability to the spinal column. To better explain this, try to imagine a loose fist (acting as the musculature around your spine). If you put a pencil (acting as your spine) inside your fist, it will move around freely, therefore your “pencil” will be unstable just like your spine is unstable with weak muscles around it.

Now imagine that your fist is tightly squeezed around that pencil,  it has become very stable and supported, just as your spine is well supported with a strong musculature around it. This is a very basic rundown of just how some of the benefits of Weightlifting will directly affect your spinal health. It promotes good form, strength and stability and provides immediate and long lasting spinal rehabilitation.

There are many different methods of Weightlifting at this current time, all of which have their own benefits and contributions. For the sake of this article I will be discussing the Chinese Method of Weightlifting. The reason being is that I have a spinal injury and I train in this modality with one of the premier coaches of this discipline today. I have found this method to be the most effective in regards to supplementing my chiropractic care and rehabilitation to date.

The Chinese have been climbing the ladder of the Weightlifting world and seem to have found the “secret to success” when it comes to winning titles and medals. Up until recently the Chinese methods and techniques have been a mystery to most. Thanks to well versed coaches and students of this method such as Kirksman and Stephen Powell to name a few, we are now starting to understand just how this method works and how we can adapt to it for our benefit.

The biggest problem I have had in Weightlifting prior to learning this method is that in America, it is generally taught that the athlete performs a “jump and shrug” to get the weight up over head. To accomplish this the athlete often over extends at the low back and is so busy trying to “muscle” the weight up, that it often crashes down on them before they are in a prime receiving position. From a mechanical standpoint this is not only very inefficient, but also very dangerous as the shearing force on the low back under load is extreme.

The Chinese method is more of a straight line, originating in the mid foot and using the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and lats to pull the load into your hips. At the hips there is a transfer of power or explosion, propelling the load upward thus the weight becoming momentarily weightless. As soon as the transfer of power happens at the hips, the athlete pulls him/herself down under the bar fast, catching the bar on the rise. With this method, there is virtually no shearing forces on any major or minor joint as well as the athlete is meeting the load on the rise instead of letting it crash down on them while trying to muscle it overhead.

This straight line technique has a great biomechanical advantage for the body, as it carries the load evenly and takes advantage of the bodies strongest natural position. This positioning also minimizes any shearing force on the bodies levers thus reducing any chance for injury.

Another added benefit in the Chinese method is the open mindedness at the center of it. Top Chinese coaches encourage their athletes to seek out extra supplementary exercises as well as borrow from other sports like gymnastics that have significant carry over to their sport. It is with these additional exercises that when used in tandem with the classic lifts (Snatch and Clean & Jerk), that I have personally experienced the most effective rehabilitation of my spinal injury.

The brains behind lifthard.com, Kirksman Teo, puts this concept into an easy to understand concept. He says "that there really are many ways to skin a cat and being open to those different ideas can teach us quicker than condemning other alternative ideas." Sage advice by someone who has submerged himself in this methodology to the point where he has become one of today's foremost expert on the Chinese method.

My coach has explained that the Chinese have deconstructed the classic lifts and taken a  good mechanical look at how the body is put together in order to find the best methods to increase efficiency. The Chinese are never content with their methods and are always looking to improve upon their programs and ego plays absolutely no role in their ever changing methodologies. For this reason alone, they are light years ahead of conventional weightlifting programing as well as spinal rehabilitation programs.

The proof is in their athletes and the incredible feats of strength that they perform on a regular basis. Take for instance Lu Xiaojun, a 77kg lifter (169 pound body weight) lifting 205kg (451 pounds) and making it look easy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzDdktDWExQ

Also, representing the women, we have Li Yajun, a 53kg lifter (116 pound body weight) lifting an unofficial world record of 105kg (231 pounds), again making it look easy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8uXc4MQ4nA#t=22

These great athletes and many more like them are strong and only getting stronger while doing it all safely by following the Chinese Method of Weightlifting. If you have an interest in lifting more weight efficiently or if you are looking for a great program for spinal health & rehabilitation, I recommend you start here. I have found through my long road back from injury that the best prescription for health and well being  is a strong body.