Whether it is a mild pain or chronic pain, exercises form a major part of treatment for back pain.
At some point of time, almost 80 percent of individuals suffer from varying degrees of back pain. Back pain is caused by many factors. Yet, inactivity or sedentary lifestyle accounts as the major cause of back pain. Back pain may range from acute pain to intolerable pain that restricts your mobility.
A basic response to back pain is, just take it easy. It can be resolved with ease. You may feel like you want to take some rest and sleep for while to get rid of back pain. Yet, back pain will not subside with rest; rather rest aggravates the pain. Moving and exercising is the best remedy for back pain, it is one of the most effective ways to relieve back pain.
Exercises strengthen the muscles of the lower back, thighs, legs and abdomen. When your pain is intense or if you suffer from any chronic condition that leads to severe pain, you may need to consult with a healthcare professional before doing any exercise for back pain. In case of acute pain or back pain caused due to poor lifestyle, doing some simple exercises everyday reduces the pain and also prevents the recurrence. Here is the list of simple stretches, exercises and tips for lower back pain.
5 Easy Exercises for Lower Back Pain Treatment
Sometimes, staying active is quite sufficient to get rid of the moderate episodes of back pain. Staying active doesn’t mean you should fix a workout routine or hit the gym, etc. Just modify your daily activities so that you can avoid being sedentary. For instance,
- Walking to market or grocery store instead of taking your scooter or car
- Getting down from your bus at a stop before and walk to your place
- Mopping your floor once in two days
- Taking your dog for a walk
- Playing with your child in the outdoors etc.
1. Walk to Reduce Lower Back Pain and Stay Active
2. Wall Push to Strengthen the Core Muscles
- Stand facing a wall
- Place both your palm against the wall
- Gently push the wall and make yourself comfortable in the standing position
- Both your foot should be flat and just lean your body towards the floor
- Push your hands harder on the wall without moving your legs
3. Lunges for Lower Back Pain Treatment
- Stand straight
- Move left leg forward and keep your foot flat on the floor.
- Stretch the right leg back
- The right leg from knee to your toes should touch the floor
- Support this position by holding the left leg on knees.
- Stay in this position for 10 counts and repeat it with other leg.
- Stand on your knees.
- Gradually move the left leg forward as much as you can
- Hold your position for 10 counts
4. Pelvic Lift to Ease Away Lower Back Pain
- Lie flat on your back
- Keep the knees bent
- Place your hands stretched at either sides
- Slowly raise your pelvis (raise the lower back, whereas your torso stay on the floor)
- Don’t support it with your hands and try to stay as longer as you can.
5. Leg lift for Lower Back pain
- Lie flat
- Slowly raise your left leg just to 45 degrees (slightly about the floor)
- Hold this position and count as long as you stay comfortable.
- Repeat with right leg.
- Place a chair with a soft pillow
- Lie down and lift your leg
- Your upper body should stay put on the floor, while the lower body from your thigh should elevate.
- Raise your leg and place the knees on the chair, stretch the legs over the pillow and stay in this position for a few minutes.
- It treats the sore muscles and provides good relief from back pain.
5 Simple Exercises for Chronic Lower Back Pain Treatment
1. Lumbar Exercise for Chronic Lower Back Pain
- Lie on your stomach
- Place your hands near your chest
- Slowly raise your upper body and support yourself with palms pressing the floor
- It’s just like a reflex. When you press your hands hard on the floor, raise your body.
- Lift your body and stretch backwards as far as possible that it doesn’t hurt your back
- Try to retain in this position for a minute
2. Spinal Twist
- Lie on your back with knees bent and foot on floor.
- Stretch your hands either side
- Tuck in your chin and watch the ceiling
- Don’t move your torso
- Lean your lower body left side from your hips
- Your left leg (it should be bent on knees) should touch the floor and right leg placed over the left leg.
- While the upper body remains erect, the lower body should incline on the left.
- Stay in this position for a few counts as long as you feel comfortable.
- Slowly raise your legs and come back to normal posture.
- Repeat it with right side.
3. Ankle over Knee
- Lie on your back and bend your knees
- Place the right ankle over the left knee
- Stay in this position for 10 minutes (yes 10 minutes without any change)
- That’s it.
- Repeat it and place left ankle over right knee
4. Abdominal Contractions
- Lie on your back and place the hands below the rib cage
- Bend your knees and this ensures comfort
- Just contract your abs and pull it inside
- You should feel that you are squeezing your ribs towards the back
- Hold contraction for 10 seconds or less as long as you are comfortable
- Slowly expand your abs
- Repeat it for 10 times.
- Don’t forget to breathe while you constrict your abdominal muscles
5. Wall Sit – Modified version of Squat
6 Simple Stretches for Lower Back Pain Treatment
- Static exercises – Holding a certain pose for a few seconds to a few minutes
- Dynamic exercises – Involving a range of stretching movements
In most cases, static stretching exercises are sufficient to reduce the lower back pain. Let us see about the simple stretches for lower back pain.
1. Knee to Chest
- Lie flat on your back.
- Keep the left knee bent and place the feet flat on the floor.
- Keep the right leg straight flat on the floor, where the ankle touches the floor.
- Bend the left knee and bring it to your chest. (You may not be able to do it perfectly or bring it closer to chest initially for few days)
- Hug the bent leg and stay put for 10 counts.
- Repeat the same for right leg.
2. Hamstring Stretch
- Lie flat on your back
- Hold the left leg around your knees with both hands.
- Gradually lift your leg and straighten it.
- Hold your leg in this position for 15 seconds and repeat the same with other leg.
- Lie flat on your back
- Place a towel or any other cloth behind the knee or feet on your left leg. Hold both ends of the cloth in both hands
- Gradually raise your left leg and adjust the supporting cloth to lift the leg.
- Stay in this position for 10 seconds.
3. Chair Stretch
- Put a chair near the wall.
- Place your left leg on the chair
- Slowly bend on your left to stretch your body and try to touch the feet without moving your legs
- If you feel too much strain, stop it and return back to standing position.
- Repeat it with other leg
- Sit on a chair with legs placed wide apart (you would need an arm-less chair)
- Take your right hand and try to touch the left leg (You may not be able to touch the left leg. Once you practice it regularly, you can master this stretching workout)
- Return back to normal and try it with left hand and right leg
- Sit on floor with legs placed straight and make sure the heel touch the floor
- Hold your left leg with left hand and try to touch the left knee with your head
- You will feel a lot of pressure on your calf muscle
- Try not to bend your knees and stretch your lower back
- Stay in this position for 10 counts and repeat with other side.
4. Side Stretches
- Stand straight
- Place the right hand near the lower abdomen and the left hand above your head
- Gently bend right side
- Don’t stretch yourself too much
- Stretch and bend as long as you are comfortable. When you feel strain near your hips stop it.
- Hold in this position for 10 counts and repeat the other side.
5. Back Stretch
- Stand straight with legs slightly placed apart (not too close or not too wide)
- Place your hands supporting your back at hips. Just hold the hips at either sides
- Slowly bend backwards
- Make sure you tilt the head and can see what’s on your back by bending.
- Don’t stretch too much.
- Hold the position for 10 counts and gradually move back to standing position.
Do this for 5 times. You can combine the side stretches and back stretches together to refresh your strained muscles.
6. Piriformis Muscle Stretching
- Lie flat on your back
- Bend both your legs and keep the foot flat on the floor.
- Raise the left leg and place the right leg over the left knee. (Check the image)
- Hold your legs to support this position.
- Stay in this position for 10 counts and gradually release it.
- Repeat it with other leg
General Tips for Lower Back Pain Treatment
- Start mildly and don’t overdo the exercises. Spine is a delicate organ. Over exercising hurts it further. So, if you are beginner to exercise, start at a slow pace and exercise for no more than 20 minutes a day.
- Do stretching exercises to get some flexibility. In fact the major cause of pain is poor flexibility in the body. Stretching warm up the body.
- If you have chronic back pain, consult with your doctor before starting with any exercise routine. Chronic back pain is often linked with spinal deformity, which ranges from bulging disc to sciatic pain or inflammation of the spine.
- Don’t do any sit-ups or forward bending exercises when you have moderate to severe back pain. It may lead to aggravation of pain and inflammation of spine. Also, take adequate steps to prevent back pain while working at computer if you need to sit for longer periods in front of the equipment.
- Besides, these exercises for lower back pain, stability ball exercises and swimming is recommended. It works at its best and more effective over other types of exercise. However, you need a guide to help you learn swim (if you haven’t learned it) and to do stability ball workouts. You may even consider doing these water exercises for low back pain.
- Don’t overdo these exercises as they may overstretch your muscles and tendons.