Back to School Means Back to the Bleachers… And Your Back Is Already Complaining

Ahhh, September.

The kids are back in school. Football is back. Volleyball is back. Soccer is back. Marching band is back.

And so is one of the most technologically advanced pieces of seating ever invented:

A cold, flat piece of aluminum with absolutely zero concern for your comfort.

Yes, folks. Bleacher season is officially here.

And every year I hear the same thing:

“Doc, I sat on those bleachers for two hours and my back was killing me!”

I believe you.

But here’s the interesting part:

The bleachers might not actually be the problem.

The Bleachers Aren’t Crooked. You Might Be.

Most of us spend our days sitting in chairs designed to accommodate us. Office chairs have padding. Car seats are contoured. Recliners practically swallow you whole.

Over time, we get pretty darn comfortable sitting however we want — leaning to one side, crossing the same leg, slouching, twisting, shifting onto one hip, or basically sitting like a pretzel while watching Netflix.

Then you arrive at your kid’s football game and sit down on a perfectly flat aluminum bench.

No contour.

No lumbar support.

No cushion.

No mercy.

And suddenly your back says:

“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?”

A hard, flat bleacher doesn't necessarily cause a crooked pelvis, nor does it magically straighten one out. But it can make asymmetries in the way you're sitting or loading your pelvis a whole lot more noticeable.

If you're accustomed to shifting your weight onto one hip, rotating your pelvis, or sitting in a position your nice cushy chair happily accommodates, that unforgiving bleacher may expose it.

In other words:

The bleacher isn't necessarily creating the problem. It may just be tattling on you.

Grandpa Wise and the Board Under the Mattress

When I was younger, my grandpa used to say:

“If your back hurts, put a board underneath your mattress.”

I thought that sounded ridiculous.

A board?

Under the bed?

What was next, walking uphill both ways to school in the snow?

But as I've gotten older — and spent a career treating back painn — I have to admit there was a little wisdom hiding in that old-school advice.

Not that everyone with back pain should go home and shove a sheet of plywood under their mattress. Please don't tell your spouse Dr. Wise told you to remodel the bed tonight.

The bigger point is support.

Sometimes an overly soft surface lets your body sink, sag, rotate, or settle into positions that may feel comfortable initially but aren't necessarily comfortable after several hours.

A firmer surface gives you less room to mold into the bad postures.

And bleachers?

They might be the ultimate firm surface.

My Grandpa would have loved them.

So Why Do Bleachers Hurt So Much?

There are actually several reasons.

First, you're sitting on a hard surface with very little cushioning underneath the pelvis. That alone can get uncomfortable quickly.

Second, there's usually no back support, so the muscles supporting your lower back and trunk have to work harder to keep you upright.

Third, you're probably sitting there much longer than you realize.

And fourth — and this is the part I find interesting — your body isn't accustomed to sitting on something that flat and unforgiving.

If you have pelvic asymmetry, limited hip mobility, tight muscles, poor core endurance, or you're simply accustomed to sitting crooked, a bleacher gives you nowhere to hide.

So after 30 minutes, one hip starts hurting.

Then your lower back gets tight.

Then you shift.

Then you cross a leg.

Then you lean forward with your elbows on your knees.

Then you stand up.

Then you sit back down.

And by halftime you're wondering if your child's athletic career is really worth all this.

Firm Doesn't Automatically Mean Bad

We've somehow gotten the idea that softer always equals better.

More cushion. Bigger chair. Softer mattress. Extra padding.

But comfort and support aren't always the same thing.

A firmer surface can sometimes make you more aware of your posture and how evenly you're distributing your weight.

That doesn't mean I recommend replacing every chair in your house with aluminum bleachers.

I'm a chiropractor, not a monster.

It simply means that when a firm surface suddenly makes your back uncomfortable, the answer isn't necessarily:

“These bleachers ruined my back.”

A better question might be:

“Why does my back hate sitting on a flat surface this much?”

Now we're getting somewhere.

Surviving Bleacher Season

If you're headed to football games, volleyball tournaments, soccer matches, band competitions, or any other event involving America's least comfortable furniture, use some common sense.

Change positions occasionally. Stand up between quarters or sets. Walk around at halftime. Keep your feet supported when possible. Avoid spending three straight hours twisted toward one side.

And yes, a thin bleacher cushion is perfectly acceptable.

We're trying to improve your back, not prove how tough you are.

But if every time you sit on a bleacher you develop significant lower back, hip, or pelvic pain — particularly if it lingers afterward — it may be worth figuring out why.

Because sometimes the bleachers aren't the problem.

They're just the world's most uncomfortable diagnostic questionnaire.

So welcome back to school.

Pack the backpacks.

Find the uniforms.

Grab the water bottles.

And prepare yourself for another glorious season of watching your children play sports while sitting on a piece of aluminum apparently designed by someone who hated parents.

And somewhere, Grandpa Wise is smiling and saying:

“See? I told you to put a board under that bed.”

— Dr. Wise
Core Wellness Centers, Inc.