Back Pain Exercises

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Back pain is something that we all struggle with at some point in our lives. Young kids can throw out their back during play, young adults can strain themselves getting used to the working world, and middle aged adults seem to always be pulling back muscles some way or another.

The back includes the spine and a huge portion of the body’s muscle mass. It’s extremely important for almost any type of movement. Walking, running, dancing, crouching, bending - even pushing down on your gas pedal can strain your back since the nerves running from your spine extend all over your body.

Fortunately, there are many methods you can practice to limit the pain you feel in your back.

1.    Stretching

What? Yep! Simple stretching. It’s a miracle cure for a number of strains, pains, and injuries. Stretching is the basis of yoga, which has been used for centuries to treat strained muscles and joints.

Why? Stretching helps to improve the range of motion and flexibility of your joint muscles. There are two basic types of stretching.

• Static stretching involves you striking a pose and holding it for a set amount of time to help the muscle or tendon gain flexibility.
• Dynamic stretching involves moving a set of joints or muscles through a specific range of motion, which opens your joint flexors to new movement ranges that they may not be accustomed to.

Both types of stretching are great for expanding the functionality of your muscles and joints, allowing you to exert yourself further without hurting yourself.

How? A good back stretch is a half lunge. Stagger your feet, and put your left foot to the front. Bend your forward knee as close as you can to ninety degrees and lower your back knee towards the floor. If you push your right hip forward, you’ll feel a solid stretch along the front and side of the hip. Hold this for five slow breaths and then do the other side. This allows a greater range of motion in your lower back which is good for bending and lifting at odd angles.

2. Partial Crunches

What? There are a lot of exercises people try that can actually aggravate back pain. One of the few that are beneficial for back pain are partial crunches! A partial crunch is just a regular crunch except you don’t need to stretch the whole way towards your knee.

Why? Partial crunches work the abdominal muscles and the lower back muscles. These are absolutely vital for core strength. Having a weak core is largely responsible for a huge amount of back injuries, so doing a regular routine of partial crunches will ensure that your core maintains its strength.

How? Lie with your knees bent and your feet flat against the floor. With your arms crossed over your chest, clench your abdominals and lift your shoulders up off the floor. Exhale while doing this. Try not to use your elbows in a partial crunch, or use your arms for momentum. Hold this position for a second, then gradually lower yourself back down until your back touches the ground.

Do this between 8 and 12 times for your first set of repetition. As you get stronger, you can increase the reps.

3. Wall Sits

What? Wall sits have a funny name, but they describe the action quite accurately. A wall sit is basically imitating the action of sitting, while leaning against a wall.

Why? Wall sits are similar to squats, in that they work the leg muscles. Using a wall as support allows you to perform more wall sits than you would be able to perform squats, which can allow for a greater growth of muscle tissue.

How? Standing about a foot away from the wall, lean back until you’re touching it. Keep your back flat, then slowly slide down until your knees are bent just about to a ninety degree angle. Hold this position for five breaths, then slowly rise back up. Repeat this between eight and ten times for your first set, and continue to increase repetitions as you get stronger.

4. Strength Training

What? Traditional resistance training is an exercise method that uses only your body without extra weights like dumbbells or machines. This eliminates the need to find the optimal weight and size of exercise machinery, and your body automatically caters to its own maximum ability.

Why? Strength training, using traditional resistance training, strengthens your entire body. Back pain can happen even as a result of muscles that are far from the back. A seized leg can result in an imbalance that could send you sprawling, straining your lower back.

How? Try a body squat. These are great for your legs and your core, two crucial areas to strengthen if you want to prevent back injuries. Keep your feet hip width apart. Bending your knees, shift your hips back as if you were about to sit down. Lift your arms in front of you. Hold this for a breath, then return to your original position. Do this 8 to 12 times for your first set of repetitions, and increase as you get stronger.

5. Knee To Chest

What? This is a simple exercise. You simply lie on your back and attempt to bring your knees towards your chest.

Why? This improves flexibility in your legs, and engages the muscles connecting your back to your glutes and thighs. This allows for improved coordination between these muscle groups which will help prevent injuries.

How? Lying with your back and feet on the floor and your knees bent, raise one knee towards your chest. Keep your other foot on the ground. With your back staying on the ground, bring your knee as close as you can to your chest and hold for five breaths. Repeat with the other leg for 4 to 5 times for each leg.

Conclusion

Back pain can strike anyone at any time. Fortunately, these simple exercise methods are a great way to prevent the danger of injuring your back. If you apply these to your daily or weekly exercise routines, you’ll lower the chances of straining yourself.

Author Bio:

Kelly is the founder of RegularityFitness, where she and associates blog about the best fitness exercises, weight loss methods, diet, muscle building. That will help you get a good shape and healthy. You can also connect with Kelly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kellyregularit1

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