Common exercises to reduce back pain

by admin | December 12, 2020 6:45 am

Pain in the upper and lower back, if occurring frequently, can restrict your movement, limit your activities and affect your lifestyle. Without costly treatment or physiotherapy[1], you can relieve back pain through simple exercises that you can perform at home.

Here are some common exercises to reduce back pain. If you have access to a trainer or physiotherapist, he/she can teach you some more exercises. We will also touch briefly on exercises that you should avoid.

Partial Crunches

• Lie on your back and keep your feet flat on the floor, bend your knees
• Put your hands behind your head or cross them on your chest
• Raise your shoulders from the floor, and make sure your stomach muscles are tight
• As you raise your shoulders, breathe out, hold for a second.
• Lower yourself back to the floor slowly and steadily
• Do 8 to 12 repetitions.
• Ensure your feet and lower back[2] are pressed firmly against the floor throughout

Trunk Rotation

• Lie on your back, bend your knees and bring them toward your belly as if you’re sitting on a chair.
• Extend your hands out on either side and keep your palms face-down on the floor
• Keep your knees together and hands on the floor, then gently bend both knees over to your right side, hold for 15–20 seconds.
• Return to the original position and perform the above step by bending your knees to the left side, hold again for 15–20 seconds.
• Do 5-10 repetitions on each side.

Hamstring Stretches

• Lie on your back and bend your right knee slightly
• Take a towel and wrap its center around the ball of the left foot and hold the loose ends of the towel with your hands
• Pull the towel towards your chest so that the left leg is raised in the air
• Straighten the left knee; so you can feel a gentle stretch in the back of the left leg.
• Hold the stretch for at least 15-30 seconds.
• Switch legs and repeat the exercise
• Do 5-10 repetitions on each leg.

Wall Sits

• Stand with your back against a wall
• Lean into the wall till your spine is flat against the wall
• Slide down the wall slowly till your knees are bent at a right angle, as if you are sitting on a chair
• Keep your lower back pressed against the wall.
• Hold this position for 10 seconds and carefully slide back into your original position
• Repeat 10 to 12 times

Press-up Back Extensions

• Lie on your stomach. Pull your hands closer to your shoulder and position them directly below your shoulders. Your upper hand and lower hand form a perfect right angle now
• Press down on your lower hands which are resting on the floor.
• You should feel your shoulders starting to lift slightly, and some stress in your shoulders
• Hold this position for several seconds; then relax your hands
• Repeat 10 to 12 times

Bird and Dog Stretch

Dog stretch

• Get on your hands and knees as if you are going to walk on all fours
• Tuck in your abdominal muscles.
• Lift one leg and extend it behind you without dropping your hips
• Hold this position for 5 seconds
• Now switch to the other leg, repeat 10 to 12 times on both legs.

Bird stretch

• Do steps 1, 2, and 3 as above
• Lift the hand opposite to the leg that is lifted, and bring it in front of you straight and parallel to your torso and lifted leg
• Don’t let your lower back muscles or hips to sag
• Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds
• Switch hands and legs now and repeat the exercise
• Do 10 to 12 repetitions on both hands/legs

Cat and Cow Stretch

• Get onto your hands and knees as if you are going to walk on all fours
• Keep your knees hip-width apart. This is the starting position
• Arch your back up, as if you are pulling your belly button up toward your spine
• Drop your head forward. This is the cat portion of the stretch
• Hold for 5–10 seconds. You should feel your back muscles stretching
• Return to the starting position
• Raise your head up and drop your pelvis, so that your back curves down toward the floor. This is the cow stretch
• Hold for 5–10 seconds, and then return to the starting position
• Repeat the exercise 15–20 times

Knee to Chest

• Lie on your back. Keep your feet flat on the floor and bend your knees.
• Raise the right leg and bend it such that the right knee is close to your chest.
• Keep the left foot and your lower back flat against the floor.
• Hold for 15-30 seconds.
• Lower your right knee; repeat the exercise with the left leg.
• Do 5 to 6 repetitions on both legs

Glute Bridges

• Lie down on the floor, on your back
• Keep your hands on either side with the palms pressing against the floor
• Bend your knees and ensure only your heels are touching the floor.
• Press your glutes (buttocks) down and lift your hips such that your shoulders, hips, and knees make a single, straight line at an angle to the floor
• Hold this position for 10 seconds.
• Gently drop your hips back to the floor and rest for 10 seconds
• Do 10 to 12 repetitions

In addition to the above, you can also do pilates with the help of a trainer, and aerobic exercises such as swimming, as long as you don’t twist your back. Avoid exercises like standing toe-touches, sit-ups and leg lifts as these can strain your lower back muscles and increase the pain.

 

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