How to Do Back Exercises for Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most frustrating and debilitating forms of pain that can plague us. Oftentimes, what starts out as a mildly sore back can turn into a chronic problem that prevents us from enjoying life. Fortunately, there are a few simple exercises you can do to strengthen your back and relieve back pain at the same time.

Stretches that Straighten and Lengthen the Spine

The best back exercises for back pain are those that straighten and lengthen your spine, as opposed to those that curl or curve your back. For instance, straight leg hamstring stretches while laying on your back are a good way to keep your spine flat and build the supporting muscles, whereas standing up and bending to touch your toes actually causes you to curve your back and could be counter productive.

Another good example is performing wall sits, which support your back and keep your spine straight, while also helping to improve the muscles of your abdomen so that your back doesn’t have to work as hard. This is better than planks or leg lifts, which put too much strain on your lower back without enough support.

Slow and Gentle Stretches

Another important part of doing back exercises to reduce back pain is making sure that you are choosing slow and gentle stretches and exercises over rapid movements. For instance, laying on your stomach and slowly raising your chest off the ground until you are in the serpent pose is good, but rapidly wrenching yourself up and back could cause damage. In addition, laying on your back and bringing your knees up to your chest one at a time, holding for a moment, and then releasing is a very effective back exercise, while sit-ups and crunches tend to invite rapid, jerky movements that strain the back.

As you can see, reducing back pain with back exercises is possible and recommended, but you must choose the right exercises for the job. It is also important to remember that back pain can be reduced by strengthening your core muscles and your leg muscles, because those areas provide additional support that takes strain off of your lower back. Choose a good mix of exercises that will work on all of these areas for the best result. To learn more, contact Royal Spine today and we can help you find the right exercises for your body.