Photo Courtesy: Dr. Ryan Weisgerber, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
Many things can cause you to experience pain in your lower back. These include repetitive and heavy lifting, poor posture, stress and awkward movements. Back pain is incredibly common and about 90 percent of people experience it at some time in their lives. Luckily, there are easy to perform exercises that can be done at home to significantly lower back pain and make your back stronger.
Always see your doctor to talk about solutions to your back pain problem and discuss the exercises you plan to do before you get started. When you perform these or any exercises, wear comfortable clothes that allow you to move freely. Also try to find a workout location that has plenty of room for you to perform the exercises properly.
When doing these exercises, focus on making your movements deliberate and gentle. If you experience a lot of pain, stop doing the exercise and consult a chiropractor for advice on how to perform the exercise with less pain or for alternative exercises you can do.
Knee Rolls
This exercise is great for giving your spine a good stretch and increasing flexibility:
- Lie face up on the floor and place a rolled up towel or pillow underneath your neck.
- Lift up your knees so that your feet are planted on the floor. Your shoulders should remain flat on the floor as well.
- Lower both knees to one side and hold the position for up to ten seconds.
- Lower your knees to the other side for another ten seconds.
- Repeat this exercise up to three more times.
Back Extensions
This exercise works to stretch your spine and improve backward motion:
- Lie face down and use your elbows to hold yourself up.
- Your neck and shoulders should remain down as you slowly arch your back. There should be a gentle stretching sensation felt in your stomach area.
- Hold the pose for up to ten seconds. Make sure to breathe normally.
- Return to the first position and repeat the stretch up to ten more times.
Deep Stomach Muscle Reinforcement
This exercise strengthens the muscles that support your spine:
- Lie face up and place a rolled towel or pillow under your neck.
- Put your feet flat on the floor and place your legs at hip-width distance.
- Breathe out and tighten your abdominal muscles as you do so.
- Repeat this for up to ten breaths. Avoid tensing up your shoulders, legs or neck.
- This exercise can be repeated up to five times.
Pelvic Tilting
This exercise is good for making your back stronger and it provides a good stretch. When you do this exercise properly, it can be very effective:
- Lie face up and place your feet flat.
- Pull in your stomach.
- Use a rocking movement to also move your back, pelvis and hips towards the floor at the same time.
- Hold the farthest position for about ten seconds. Be sure to breathe normally.
- Return to the starting position and repeat this exercise up to twelve times.
The easiest exercise you can do that relieves back pain is good old fashioned walking. Even though your natural inclination may be to sit or lie down, walking regularly often helps to resolve back problems faster than almost anything else. Avoid stretching too much, because this may cause more damage and pain.
Other lower back exercises involve light movements that can relieve tightness, soreness and areas of tension. These movements will also help to make your back stronger and improve your flexibility. Your spine is supported by the muscles in your stomach, legs and back. Exercises that work these areas will help to strengthen these muscles.
Citations:
Geoff Roy writes for Luck’s Yard Clinic, a chiropractic clinic based in Milford, Surrey, UK.
Leave a Reply