Back pain is one of the most common medical conditions today and its expensive treatment makes it far worse. Its costs are estimated to be $100 billion in the United States alone. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology’s review of 16 prior studies, people who exercise regularly are 33% less likely to develop back pain.
Back exercises are quite often necessary to rehabilitate the spine and help alleviate back pain. Chronic back pain is debilitating and an extremely painful medical condition. Researchers have time and again demonstrated that staying physically fit is the most effective way to deal with backaches.
Lower back pain is common
In the United State, lower back pain stands as the 5th most common reason people visit orthopaedists. Weak muscles, mainly those in your pelvis and core, can once in a while lead to back pain or injury.
Doing regular exercise to give strength to your lower back helps in building your back muscles that protect against such ailments. Exercising on a regular basis also increases blood flow, thus reducing stiffness in the lower back area and speeding up the healing process.
Attempt these simple, equipment-free exercises that give strength to the lower back and are beneficial in treating lower back pain:
Joining knee and chest
This helps in relieving tension, and pain in your lower back.
- Starting Position – Lie with your face upwards and bend your knees, keeping both feet parallel to the floor.
- Hold a leg under the knee with both your hands and pull it towards your chest.
- Maintain this stature for 5 seconds and relax your legs, hips and lower back.
- Return to the first step by letting go of your knee slowly.
- Repeat the same with your other leg.
- Now repeat the above steps at least 2-3 times.
- Repeat this exercise 3 times, separated by 30 seconds of the cooling period.
Cat Stretches
This exercise helps you in easing lower back muscle tension and increases the flexibility of your back.
- Starting Position – Get onto your hands and knees.
- Slowly bridge the back upwards, drop your head forward and pull your belly button up towards your spine.
- Hold for 5 seconds, breathe out and let your abdomen slowly fall towards the floor in its normal position.
- Return to the initial position.
- Perform this exercise 3-5 times twice a day.
Superman
Get ready to fly, this exercise strengthens lower and upper back and increases your core strength.
- Starting Position – Lie with your abdomen touching the mat, your legs straight and arms outstretched in front of you.
- Raise both your feet and hands at the same time so that they are 10cm off the surface and relax your head to align it with your spine.
- Stretch both your hands and your feet outwards.
- Hold this position briefly for 5 seconds.
- Gently inhale, lowering your legs and arms back towards the initial position.
- Perform this exercise 10 times.
Drawing-in maneuver
Drawing in is one of the several core stabilization techniques and it helps in supporting the spine column and abdomen.
- Starting Position – Lie face up on a mat with your feet flat on the ground.
- Ease your hands by your sides.
- Take a deep breath, breathe out, simultaneously pulling your stomach in towards your spine, thus engaging your body core muscles.
- Hold for 5 seconds at that point.
- Perform this exercise 5 times.
Partial Curls
Powerful abdomen muscles play a very crucial role in holding up the spine. This exercise helps in building strong core strength and stability.
- Starting Position – Lie face up on the ground, twist the knees and keep the feet flat and hip-width separated.
- Fold your arms over the chest.
- Take a deep breath, and then breathe out while simultaneously engaging the abdomen muscles by pulling in the stomach.
- Gradually raise your head and shoulders a few inches off the ground while keeping your neck in accordance with the spine.
- Hold for 5 seconds at that point then come back to the initial position.
- Perform this exercise 10 times.
The bottom line
Back pain is a dire condition that affects many people. Doing regular physical activities and stretching are ways to help reduce lower back pain and prevents them from re-occurring.
The wall sits, press-up back extensions, trunk rotation, pelvic tilt, and supported bridge are a few other exercises that will also help soothe the back pain.
Living in a healthy lifestyle is the most ideal approach to prevent back pain. Maintaining a fit body, building physical strength, and keeping yourself away from unusual risky activities will help reduce back pain as you age.
Exercise is key to long-term relief of back pain.
