Back Pain Exercises to Relieve, Stretch and Strengthen
The right exercises for back pain can loosen, stretch, and strengthen your back muscles to reduce pain levels, improve range of motion, and eliminate chronic back pain. Take it from a fitness expert, although back pain is a common problem, simple exercises and gentle stretches are a great way to keep your entire body pain-free!
Back pain is incredibly common. This used to be something we only thought about when we thought about older people, but now it affects almost everyone. Studies show that approximately 80% of people will experience low back pain at some point.
This frustrating pain affects many different lifestyles. Both sedentary and overly active lifestyles can cause back problems.
Overly sedentary and low-activity lifestyles tend to spend much of the day sitting at a desk. Not exercising regularly causes back pain. This contributes to tight hip flexors, poor posture, weak abdominal muscles, and tight stabilizer muscles. Who would have thought that your workday could be the cause of pain?
On the other hand, active people also face problems. These people do a lot of physical activity and tend to follow strict exercise schedules. They run and jump on a repetitive schedule, which puts heavy pressure from their body weight on their lower spine. Skipping a good post-workout stretch usually makes the problem worse.
If you don’t fit exactly into any of the categories, you’re not completely safe. Many people suffer from back pain problems that arise from common aspects of their lives. There is a good chance that you will run some of these risks. Examples include bad mattresses, poor walking posture, standing too much, sitting too much, playing too much golf or tennis, and the list goes on.
In a world where almost every activity puts us at risk for back pain, it’s time to find the solution! The good news is that adding back pain exercises and simple stretching exercises to your weekly routine can help relieve current pain and prevent future problems with your lower back muscles.
Common causes of back pain.
There are many common causes of back pain. The pain can also become acute or chronic. Acute pain is short-lived (lasting six months or less), while chronic pain lasts more than six months. If you are experiencing a severe level of any type of back pain, we recommend seeking professional medical advice.
Some of the most common causes of back pain include:
- Arthritis
- Disk problems
- Lifestyle triggers
- Scoliosis
- Sprains, strains and muscle spasms.
Causes of low back pain.
Low back pain is the most common. There are many spine-related conditions that cause low back pain, including: arthritis, ruptured discs, osteoporosis, pinched nerves, scoliosis, torn or pulled muscles, and spinal pain.
It may also be due to unresolved problems in the hips or pelvis. The lower back, glutes and pelvis work together. If there is a problem in one of these parts, it can cause symptoms elsewhere.
Causes of upper back pain
Upper back pain tends to be less common. Sitting at a desk or other uncomfortable place for long periods of time with poor posture can lead to upper back and neck pain. Office workers tend to experience this. When we have a forward slouched posture, additional stress is placed on the bones, discs, muscles and ligaments of the upper spine.
Upper back pain can also come from the shoulders. Rotator cuff tears, bursitis, and scapular dyskinesia are the main contenders.
How to relieve back pain
If you want to get rid of your back pain, you are not alone. 80% of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives, whether caused by chronic low back pain or an injury. It’s so common that we’ve created a complete guide on how to get rid of back pain.
Some of the most common ways to treat back pain are:
- Yoga postures
- Foam roller
- Massage ball
- Hot or cold therapy
- Infrared light therapy
- Physical exercises
How exercise can help treat back pain
Moving your body may be the last thing on your mind when you have back pain. But the truth is that exercise is the first prescription for many cases of back pain. If you suffer from chronic pain or pain due to poor posture, or are simply getting older, exercises for back pain may be a good idea.
Exercises for back pain have a magical effect by helping to:
- Promote disc health
- Reduce stiffness
- Muscle strengthening
Adding simple back pain exercises to your routine can help strengthen your back muscles and the surrounding muscles that help support your back. For example, the stomach muscles and hip flexors help improve posture. In fact, the muscles in our legs are what support our back while we move. All of our muscles work together, so doing the right low-impact exercise is essential to keeping them strong.
The best exercises for back pain.
Whether you’re trying to treat or avoid back pain, we’ve got the five best exercises for you.
Regardless of the cause, back pain can be relieved by two things:
Stretch your back and legs.
Strengthen the entire core.
Use proper form to do the following 5 exercises for back pain weekly or every two weeks and get rid of back pain.
Before starting any new exercise, we always recommend consulting with your healthcare provider of choice if you have any concerns.
Full Body Roll
A full body twist strengthens your core with a slow, controlled movement. It teaches you how to articulate your spine and stretches the muscles in your back and legs that cause tension in your back.
Don’t let back pain control your life! These five exercises are the best exercises for strengthening and relieving pain! #exercise
How to do a full body workout:
Lie on your back with your arms extended above your head.
Inhale with your arms toward the sky, exhale and slowly rise up, forming a “C” curve until you reach your toes. (Think about connecting your belly button to your spine to activate your transversus abdominis.)
Inhale and begin to slowly return to the C curve.
Exhale as you lower your body one vertebra at a time toward the mat.
Make sure to keep your feet on the ground as you move slowly. Perform 6-8 laps.
Bird dog exercises teach your body to use the core for stability. Strengthens abdominal and lumbar muscles and lengthens the spine for better posture.
Don’t let back pain control your life!
These five exercises are the best exercises for
How to make a bird dog:
To get to the starting position, kneel on the mat on all fours.
Extend one arm, engage your abdominal muscles, and extend the opposite leg behind you.
Repeat on the other side.
Perform 8-10 per side. Move slowly and steadily, keeping your arm and leg extended for a moment before switching.
Forearm plank
The forearm plank strengthens all your core muscles. Activate your stabilizers while lengthening and improving posture.
How to do a forearm exercise:
Start by lying on the floor with your forearms resting on the floor, making sure your elbows are aligned directly below your shoulders.
Engage your core and lift your body off the floor, keeping your forearms on the floor and your body in a straight line from head to toe. Keep your abdominal muscles tight and try not to let your hips rise or fall.
Hold your forearm for 30 seconds to start and try to progress to 60 seconds.
Swimming exercise
Swimming exercises strengthen the back extensor muscles while teaching the core muscles how to grip during the movement. It’s a great way to get your heart involved!
How to do swimming exercise:
Lie face down with your legs and arms extended. Engage your abdominal muscles until you feel the transversus abdominis contract.
Raise your arms and legs off the floor and keep your nose above the mat. Move your arms and legs, starting from the hips and shoulders (not the knees or elbows) as if you were swimming.
The goal is to keep the body stable while the limbs move quickly. Try for 30 seconds and work your way up to 60 seconds.
The position of the child.
Child’s pose is the best way to promote relaxation while stretching your back. It’s technically overkill, but you won’t regret it!
Don’t let back pain control your life! These five exercises are the best exercises for strengthening and relieving pain! #exercise
How to do child’s pose:
Start by placing your hands and knees on the mat, with your knees away from the outside edges of the mat.
Sit your tailbone down, your back between your heels, and your belly between your thighs.
Extend your arms in front of you and rest your forehead on the mat. Breathe deeply and hold the position for as long as you want.
Technically, this is a stretch and not an exercise, but you don’t want to leave it off your list. The relief looks amazing. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Adding back pain-specific exercises to your weekly routine is one of the best ways to help treat current back pain and prevent future injuries. This simple adjustment to your exercise routine can help you maintain a healthy, active lifestyle for years to come.
