Back pain exercise involves exercise of both your back muscles and those muscles that support your back, such as the abdomen and thigh muscles. You will want to exercise both groups to avoid or alleviate back pain.

Back Pain Exercise You Can Do At Home

A good physiotherapist or chiropractor will be able to teach you many useful exercises for reducing back pain, but these 3 will get you started. Before beginning your back pain exercise, talk to your physician about these.

1. Back, hip, and leg muscles. Stand with your back against a wall. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, your hands on your hips. Inhale and exhale deeply and evenly as you gently slide your back down the wall until your knees are at an angle of about 90 degrees. Count to five, and then gently and slowly slide back to your original position. Repeat five times. This will stretch and strengthen important back, hip, and leg muscles.

2. Abdomen muscles. Lie on your back on the floor. Firmly place your feet flat on the floor. Your knees should be bent and raised toward the ceiling. Lean forward until your head and shoulders leave the floor, trying to touch your knees with both hands. Hold the position as you count to 10. Relax and repeat 5 times. This will strengthen the abdominal muscles that help support your back.

3. Back muscles. Stand with hands on hips, feet slightly apart. Move your hand backward onto the small of your back. Keep your knees straight. Gently bend backwards at the waist as far as you can. Be careful not to bend so far that you increase your back pain. Hold the bend for 2 to 3 seconds. Return to your normal position. This back pain exercise will strengthen the muscles in your back itself. It will also loosen tight back muscles.

CAUTION: Back Pain Exercise Demands Warm-up!

Back pain exercise demands warm-up, so schedule at least five minutes at the start of your exercise period for that. Warming up lowers blood pressure, improves blood flow to the heart, increases muscle temperature and makes muscles more pliable. Warm up with some type of slow, rhythmic movement. Walking is a good warm-up for your back pain exercises. Use an easy walking pace, inhaling and exhaling evenly and deeply to send oxygen to your muscles.

Back pain exercise has benefits for the rest of your body also. Think of your back as the main core of a healthy body. By giving it simple, low impact exercise each day or every other day, you will strengthen your muscles, preparing them to protect and support the painful area throughout the day.

THREE KEYS

Three keys to lower back pain exercise are:

* begin slowly
* be consistent
* build habits

Your lower back pain exercise should begin slowly and gently. Back muscles damage quickly, rebuild slowly. Ensure muscles get the full benefit of your lower back pain exercise by beginning slowly.

Be consistent with your lower back pain exercise. Set aside time for careful exercise at least 3 times weekly. Then hold to your schedule. Lower back pain exercise needs to be consistent.

As your lower back pain exercise begins to strengthen your muscles, work to build “lower back pain exercise habits” into your life. Add aerobic activity such as cycling, swimming, or walking.

Proper Lower Back Pain Exercise

Before you begin lower back pain exercise, meet with your physician and discuss your exercise plan. Your doctor may teach you additional exercises. Once your doctor gives the word, you can begin lower back pain exercise at home.

Begin with Warm-up

Lower back pain exercise demands warm-up, so schedule at least five minutes at the start of your exercise period for that. Use some type of slow, rhythmic movement. Walking is a good warm-up for lower back pain exercise. Use an easy walking pace, inhaling and exhaling evenly and deeply.

Try these lower back pain exercises

1. Back, hip, and leg muscles. Stand with your back against a wall. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, your hands on your hips. Inhale and exhale deeply and evenly as you gently slide your back down the wall until your knees are at an angle of about 90 degrees. Count to five, and then gently and slowly slide back to your original position. Repeat five times. This will stretch and strengthen lower back, hip, and leg muscles.

2. Back and hip muscles #1. You may want a mat under you for this. Lying facedown on the floor, tighten the muscles in one leg and raise it from the floor. Hold the leg up while you count to ten, and then lower it slowly to the floor. Lift the other leg, count to 10, and lower it slowly to the floor. Repeat 5 times with each leg to give added strength to lower back muscles and the hip muscles that support them.

3. Back and hip muscles #2. Use a straight back kitchen or dining chair for this exercise. Stand behind the chair, holding the chair with both hands. Lift one leg up and back, keeping its knee straight. Return it slowly to position, and lift the other leg up and back in the same way. Repeat 5 times with each leg. This lower back pain exercise will strengthen hip muscles that support your back, as well as back muscles themselves.

Secret

Think “slow” and “gentle” for successful lower back pain exercise. Inhale before every repetition. Exhale during the action.

End with Cool-down

Lower back pain exercise times should always end with a cool down. Use gentle stretching and breathing exercises, relaxing your muscles.

Doctors Recommend Back Pain Exercise

Back pain exercise is highly recommended by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. They advise that you do regular back pain exercise to strengthen and condition muscles supporting your spinal column.

These back pain exercises can be done at home, with no special exercise equipment, but check with your doctor before starting a back pain exercise program.

What are the exercises to stop the back pain now?

Beginner’s Back Pain Exercise Routine

Begin your back pain exercise routine with an easy walk or gentle stretching to warm up your muscles. Then follow this beginner’s back pain exercise routine.

1. Slippery Heels - Lie on your back on the floor, legs straight. Slowly slide your left heel toward your body, bending your knee upward. Then slide the heel back away from your body until your leg is straight again. Do the same with the right heel. Repeat 10 times for each leg.

2. Slippery Lap – Stand with your back touching a wall, feet about 12′ away from the wall. Tighten your abdominal muscles, hold them tight, and slowly bend both knees, sliding down the wall until you form a lap. Hold the position about 30 seconds, and then slowly slide up the wall until you are standing straight. Repeat 10 times.

3. High Heels - Stand facing a wall, as far from the wall as the distance from your fingertips to elbow. Balance your weight evenly on both feet. Slowly lift up only your heels – as though wearing high heel shoes. Then lower your heels slowly back to the floor. Repeat 10 times for each foot.

4. High Legs - Picture a pink flamingo with one leg up. Lie on your back, keeping your left leg straight, and the right leg bent like a flamingo’s. Tighten your abdominal muscles, and keep them tight. Slowly lift your straight leg high (6 to 12 inches), keeping it straight. Hold for 5 seconds, and then slowly lower the leg to the floor. Do the same with the right leg. Repeat 10 times for each leg.

5. Reverse High Legs – Do “high legs” while lying on your stomach on the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, and slowly lower the leg to the floor. Repeat 5 times for each leg.

6. Brake Pedals – Lie on your back on the floor, legs straight. Push your toes away from you as though pushing on 2 brake pedals. Pull the toes back toward your body, as though letting up on the brake pedals. Work your brake pedals up and down. Repeat 10 times.

When you have completed your back pain exercise routine, be sure you cool down with another brief walk or gentle stretching.

Back pain exercise will minimize problems in your back, and should be done regularly.

One of the best back exercises to strengthen lower back muscles is the alternate superman exercise. This back exercise is especially helpful in restoring lumbar curvature to people who have developed flat backs.

How to Do This Back Exercise

* Lie flat on your back on the floor or other hard surface.
* Extend your arms at a forty-five degree angle, with your two thumbs pointing up.
* Slowly raise the left arm and the right leg.
* Hold the position for a slow count of 10.
* Slowly return to the original position.
* Keeping arms at a forty-five degree angle, and thumbs pointing up, slowly raise the right arm and the left leg.
* Hold the position for a slow count of 10.
* Return gradually to the original position.
* Do 10 repetitions of this back exercise to begin.
* As you gain strength, increase the length of time you hold the position and the number of repetitions in each back exercise period.

Superman Back Exercise

The straight superman is another good choice among back exercises to strengthen lower back.

How to Do This Back Exercise

* Lie flat on your stomach on the floor or other hard surface.
* Extend your arms straight down along your body.
* Slowly raise your trunk and legs from the floor as far as you can, making your body into a bow.
* Try to hold the position for a slow count of 10.
* Return gradually to the original position.
* Do 10 repetitions of this back exercise to begin.

Extension Back Exercise

If you are serious about back exercises to strengthen lower back, you will want to invest in an exercise ball. This ball can be used for a variety of exercises, but you will use it this way for back exercise.

How to Do This Back Exercise

* Lie backwards over the exercise ball, arms extended over your head.
* Arch your back as though doing a reverse sit up.
* Relax, and let the ball support your back.
* Hold as you feel your back stretching slightly.
* In place of an exercise ball, you might choose an extension chair made specifically for this back exercise.

Set aside three times a week for back exercises to strengthen lower back. Make an appointment with yourself, and keep it every time.

Low Back Exercises for a Healthy Back

Low back exercises are vital for strengthening the muscles that support the spinal column. Without that strength, the body is much more subject to injury from sports and other physical activities. Low back exercises strengthen muscles that might be strained with lifting or moving heavy objects. They are important to pregnant women, who find that pregnancy makes extra demands on back muscles. Strengthening the abdominal muscles in front is often touted on TV commercials. Strengthening back muscles through low back exercises is more important for a healthy spine to support those “abs of steel”.

Low Back Exercises as Back Therapy

Low back exercises are essential to good back therapy, too. If you are suffering acute back pain, your physician may want you to avoid low back exercise until the pain subsides. Eventually, however, he or she will likely advise exercise for spinal health. It is important to ask what type of low back exercise is recommended for your particular back pain. You should also ask for clear directions to be sure you are doing the exercises properly. A physical therapist can help you develop the techniques needed to realize maximum benefit from your low back exercise.

Types of Low Back Exercises

Different types of low back exercise give different results. Your doctor will probably recommend the following.

* Stretching: These low back exercises are designed to improve the muscle and soft tissue extension. They stretch out your muscles as you would gently pull a piece of elastic. They make them able to move more easily. Stretching can reduce stiffness and increase range of motion. In this category, you might be asked to lie on your back and raise each leg to your chest. You might be taught to do bridges and hamstring stretches.

* Extension: Extensions are low back exercises that involve bending backward. They open up the spinal canal in planes. They develop specific muscles that support the spine. Your doctor may recommend extensions to reduce radicular pain, i.e., pain that radiates out to other parts of the body. This category of low back exercises includes movements such as leg lifts and raising your trunk from the floor.

* Flexion: Exercises that call for you to bend forward, widening the spaces between vertebrae, are called flexion exercises. If you have pressure on nerves, your physician may recommend these low back exercises. They stretch and strengthen muscles of the back, abdomen, hips, and legs.

* Aerobic: Most people recognize this term. Aerobic exercise elevates the heart rate for a period of time. It may involve walking or running on a treadmill. It may be done on a bike or other exercise machine. You may do aerobics for 30 minutes at a time or, if your fitness level or other health does not permit that, you may try three 10-minute periods of low back exercise.

Cautions Regarding Low Back Exercises

With every low back exercise, it is important to seek advice from your physician. You do not want complications because you injured a disc. You want to do the best exercise for your condition.

When choosing aerobic low back exercises, avoid exercise that requires twisting or vigorous bending, such as aerobic dance or rowing. Contact sports such as football, soccer, hockey, and rugby should also be avoided – especially if you have disc disease or injury.

Helpful Tips

Elsewhere on this website, we offer specific instructions for a variety of low back exercises and other back exercises. Most of these require no special equipment. Most are free and can be done at home.