Lower back pain exercises might provide relief, but the improper actions can aggravate your pain and drive you to the ER. These ten professional ideas will get you back on track…
Is your lower back irritating you? Join the group: According to the American Physical Therapy Association, two-thirds of Americans will experience lower-back pain symptoms at some point in their lives. “Most back pain is mechanical, meaning that day-to-day life stresses lead to overload,” explains Ted Dreisinger, PhD, trustee of McKenzie Institute International and associate editor of The Spine Journal.
“A small number of cases – less than 1% – are caused by something more serious, such as a fracture, spinal tumor, or systemic disease,” he continues. “These require medical attention.”
Consult a doctor if the pain is chronic, keeps you up at night, includes leg pain, or is the result of an injury. Staying active is the best way to keep minor back pain symptoms at bay, according to Dreisinger. “The natural response to pain is to do less,” he says, “but the opposite holds true” with back pain symptoms. This is due to the fact that exercise relaxes muscles and increases blood flow to the area. Here’s what experts say will and won’t work for your back pain issues.
- Do not simply lie there.
It’s tempting to sleep until the pain goes away, but sleeping for more than a day or two may aggravate your back pain symptoms, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Simple activities are better when recovering from pain, according to Dreisinger. “Walking is an excellent activity to start,” he explains. “Walk for 10 to 15 minutes, twice a day, at a moderate pace.”
- Extend your muscles.
“The right stretches help calm low-back spasms,” adds Dreisinger.He recommends doing these back-friendly stretches 8 to 10 times in the morning and evening.
Back-pocket stretch: Stand up and place both hands behind you, as if placing them in your jeans’ back pockets; look up and arch your back. Press-ups: Lie on your stomach with your hands on the floor, as though starting a push-up. Allow your lower back to sag by keeping your hips near to the ground while pressing only your upper body up. Hold for several seconds.
- Determine which movements aggravate lower back pain.
According to physical therapist Rick Olderman, author of Fixing You: Back Pain (Boone Publishing), the most frequent type of back pain is “extension syndrome,” which causes difficulty while standing.According to him, causes include sitting for hours without using your chair’s back rest and standing with locked-out knees (when your knees are straightened to the point that they’re hyperextended backwards, placing pressure on the joint). Here are some symptoms of extension syndrome: For 30 seconds, lie on your back with your legs straight out. Then, after 30 seconds, bend your knees so your feet are resting on the ground near your behind. “If your back feels better with your knees bent, you probably have extension syndrome,” adds Olderman.
Olderman recommends keeping your knees slightly bent while standing. Also, when sleeping on your back, place your feet close to your back or on a chair or bench. Flexion and rotation syndromes are two more primary types of back pain. “Flexion syndrome, which causes pain while sitting, is the polar opposite of extension syndrome,” he explains. It is frequently caused by sitting too close to the back of your chair, allowing your spine to flex forward easily. This causes tight hamstrings as well as weak and lengthened back muscles. To check for it, lie on your back with your knees bent, then straighten them to see if you feel any relief.
If you suffer lower-back pain from extension syndrome, keep your knees bent and up on the bench while performing activities that require lying on your back (such as chest presses) – or skip the bench and lie flat on the floor with your knees bent. According to Olderman, rotation syndrome develops when the spine is permanently rotated in one way. Twisting to one or both sides may cause pain. It is typically caused by repeatedly rotating in a specific direction, such as while looking at a computer monitor or reaching for a desk drawer or other regularly used object located off to the side. Avoid making too many turns in any direction. Avoid sports like tennis or golf, which might exacerbate the imbalance. Also, speak with a biomechanics expert (such as a golf pro) who may advise you on how to change your movements. Additionally, strive to center the spine with core-strengthening activities.
- Avoid working through pain.
“If it hurts to bend backward, don’t,” a chiropractor advises. “Pressing into a painful position can cause further tissue damage and aggravate [existing] damage,” he cautions.
Tinsley recommends focusing on stabilizing techniques like planks if your workouts are hurting. Perform 3 to 5 repetitions of 10- to 20-second holds.
- Sit up straight.
Slumping and slouching are common causes of back pain symptoms, particularly in overweight or obese women, according to a physical therapist and senior fitness specialist at a women’s weight-loss facility. Slumping and slouching can tilt to stabilize greater weight on the skeletal system, causing lower-back muscles to tense.
Practice proper posture if you slouch. Stand upright a few times a day, aligning your head, shoulders, hips, knees, and feet. When you have lower-back pain, this helps to relieve tension. Also, wear lower-heeled shoes.”Wearing high heels may also lead to an unsteady posture.
- Don’t forget to warm up.
Many back pain concerns arise when we apply rapid pressure to the spine without first warming up. Perform some simple stretches before undertaking activities such as resistance exercises or gardening.
“Tip: A yoga motion called the cat-cow is a nice pre-activity stretch: Begin on your hands and knees, back upright, and head and neck in line. Drop your belly toward the ground and look up toward the ceiling on an inhale (cow position). Tuck your tummy in, arch your back, and lower your head to your chest (cat stance) as you exhale. Take it slowly and stop if you experience any discomfort. Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes before any workout with a low-level cardio routine (such as walking). This gets the blood flowing and may help you avoid injury or worsening back problems in the long run.
- Avoid lifting large objects or doing high-impact activities.
Avoid activities that cause pain during or immediately after exercise. (Mild muscular soreness 24 to 48 hours after an exercise is typical and should resolve on its own.)
Tip: When lifting weights, employ proper form and just weights that you can handle. (If you’re novice, weight machines may be easier to manage than free weights.) Running, leaping, step aerobics, basketball, and any other activity that exerts stress on your joints might aggravate back pain symptoms. Avoid them till the ache goes away.
Lifting weights upwards or on your shoulders is not recommended.
Shoulder presses and other overhead weight lifts place strain on the spine and should be avoided if you have back problems. Using weights overhead puts pressure on the spinal discs. He also advises against activities where a weight rests on your shoulders, such as weighted squats.
- Avoid doing only land-based activities.
According to a 2014 study, water aerobics and other pool exercises may help you get back on your feet faster.When 49 inactive individuals with chronic low back pain were randomly assigned to either aquatic exercise or no activity, those in the pool program improved more.
Swimming can help relieve pain. “It’s a good, non-impact aerobic exercise that doesn’t put pressure on the spine,” he explains.
- Do not disregard the pain.
Most back pain symptoms are self-limiting; if you don’t aggravate them, they should go away within a few days or weeks. “But if it doesn’t go away on its own, don’t ignore the pain and continue to work out,” he advises. “This has the potential to cause additional harm.”Furthermore, according to Olderman, excessive activity can just reinforce the movement patterns that contributed to the development of back discomfort in the first place. So reconsider the back exercise you’re performing. Is it overpowering? Could the movements be exacerbating your back problems? Chronic pain should go away if these concerns are resolved, according to Olderman. If it does not, consult a doctor. The doctor will examine your condition and prescribe medications such as Asmanol 100mg and Tapaday 100mg, which are effective pain relievers.
Lower back pain exercises might provide relief, but the improper actions can aggravate your pain and drive you to the ER. These ten professional ideas will get you back on track…
Is your lower back irritating you? Join the group: According to the American Physical Therapy Association, two-thirds of Americans will experience lower-back pain symptoms at some point in their lives. “Most back pain is mechanical, meaning that day-to-day life stresses lead to overload,” explains Ted Dreisinger, PhD, trustee of McKenzie Institute International and associate editor of The Spine Journal.
“A small number of cases – less than 1% – are caused by something more serious, such as a fracture, spinal tumor, or systemic disease,” he continues. “These require medical attention.”
Consult a doctor if the pain is chronic, keeps you up at night, includes leg pain, or is the result of an injury. Staying active is the best way to keep minor back pain symptoms at bay, according to Dreisinger. “The natural response to pain is to do less,” he says, “but the opposite holds true” with back pain symptoms. This is due to the fact that exercise relaxes muscles and increases blood flow to the area. Here’s what experts say will and won’t work for your back pain issues.
- Do not simply lie there.
It’s tempting to sleep until the pain goes away, but sleeping for more than a day or two may aggravate your back pain symptoms, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Simple activities are better when recovering from pain, according to Dreisinger. “Walking is an excellent activity to start,” he explains. “Walk for 10 to 15 minutes, twice a day, at a moderate pace.”
- Extend your muscles.
“The right stretches help calm low-back spasms,” adds Dreisinger.He recommends doing these back-friendly stretches 8 to 10 times in the morning and evening.
Back-pocket stretch: Stand up and place both hands behind you, as if placing them in your jeans’ back pockets; look up and arch your back. Press-ups: Lie on your stomach with your hands on the floor, as though starting a push-up. Allow your lower back to sag by keeping your hips near to the ground while pressing only your upper body up. Hold for several seconds.
- Determine which movements aggravate lower back pain.
According to physical therapist Rick Olderman, author of Fixing You: Back Pain (Boone Publishing), the most frequent type of back pain is “extension syndrome,” which causes difficulty while standing.According to him, causes include sitting for hours without using your chair’s back rest and standing with locked-out knees (when your knees are straightened to the point that they’re hyperextended backwards, placing pressure on the joint). Here are some symptoms of extension syndrome: For 30 seconds, lie on your back with your legs straight out. Then, after 30 seconds, bend your knees so your feet are resting on the ground near your behind. “If your back feels better with your knees bent, you probably have extension syndrome,” adds Olderman.
Olderman recommends keeping your knees slightly bent while standing. Also, when sleeping on your back, place your feet close to your back or on a chair or bench. Flexion and rotation syndromes are two more primary types of back pain. “Flexion syndrome, which causes pain while sitting, is the polar opposite of extension syndrome,” he explains. It is frequently caused by sitting too close to the back of your chair, allowing your spine to flex forward easily. This causes tight hamstrings as well as weak and lengthened back muscles. To check for it, lie on your back with your knees bent, then straighten them to see if you feel any relief.
If you suffer lower-back pain from extension syndrome, keep your knees bent and up on the bench while performing activities that require lying on your back (such as chest presses) – or skip the bench and lie flat on the floor with your knees bent. According to Olderman, rotation syndrome develops when the spine is permanently rotated in one way. Twisting to one or both sides may cause pain. It is typically caused by repeatedly rotating in a specific direction, such as while looking at a computer monitor or reaching for a desk drawer or other regularly used object located off to the side. Avoid making too many turns in any direction. Avoid sports like tennis or golf, which might exacerbate the imbalance. Also, speak with a biomechanics expert (such as a golf pro) who may advise you on how to change your movements. Additionally, strive to center the spine with core-strengthening activities.
- Avoid working through pain.
“If it hurts to bend backward, don’t,” a chiropractor advises. “Pressing into a painful position can cause further tissue damage and aggravate [existing] damage,” he cautions.
Tinsley recommends focusing on stabilizing techniques like planks if your workouts are hurting. Perform 3 to 5 repetitions of 10- to 20-second holds.
- Sit up straight.
Slumping and slouching are common causes of back pain symptoms, particularly in overweight or obese women, according to a physical therapist and senior fitness specialist at a women’s weight-loss facility. Slumping and slouching can tilt to stabilize greater weight on the skeletal system, causing lower-back muscles to tense.
Practice proper posture if you slouch. Stand upright a few times a day, aligning your head, shoulders, hips, knees, and feet. When you have lower-back pain, this helps to relieve tension. Also, wear lower-heeled shoes.”Wearing high heels may also lead to an unsteady posture.
- Don’t forget to warm up.
Many back pain concerns arise when we apply rapid pressure to the spine without first warming up. Perform some simple stretches before undertaking activities such as resistance exercises or gardening.
“Tip: A yoga motion called the cat-cow is a nice pre-activity stretch: Begin on your hands and knees, back upright, and head and neck in line. Drop your belly toward the ground and look up toward the ceiling on an inhale (cow position). Tuck your tummy in, arch your back, and lower your head to your chest (cat stance) as you exhale. Take it slowly and stop if you experience any discomfort. Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes before any workout with a low-level cardio routine (such as walking). This gets the blood flowing and may help you avoid injury or worsening back problems in the long run.
- Avoid lifting large objects or doing high-impact activities.
Avoid activities that cause pain during or immediately after exercise. (Mild muscular soreness 24 to 48 hours after an exercise is typical and should resolve on its own.)
Tip: When lifting weights, employ proper form and just weights that you can handle. (If you’re novice, weight machines may be easier to manage than free weights.) Running, leaping, step aerobics, basketball, and any other activity that exerts stress on your joints might aggravate back pain symptoms. Avoid them till the ache goes away.
8. Lifting weights upwards or on your shoulders is not recommended.
Shoulder presses and other overhead weight lifts place strain on the spine and should be avoided if you have back problems. Using weights overhead puts pressure on the spinal discs. He also advises against activities where a weight rests on your shoulders, such as weighted squats.
- Avoid doing only land-based activities.
According to a 2014 study, water aerobics and other pool exercises may help you get back on your feet faster. When 49 inactive individuals with chronic low back pain were randomly assigned to either aquatic exercise or no activity, those in the pool program improved more.
Swimming can help relieve pain. “It’s a good, non-impact aerobic exercise that doesn’t put pressure on the spine,” he explains.
- Do not disregard the pain.
Most back pain symptoms are self-limiting; if you don’t aggravate them, they should go away within a few days or weeks. “But if it doesn’t go away on its own, don’t ignore the pain and continue to work out,” he advises. “This has the potential to cause additional harm.”Furthermore, according to Olderman, excessive activity can just reinforce the movement patterns that contributed to the development of back discomfort in the first place. So reconsider the back exercise you’re performing. Is it overpowering? Could the movements be exacerbating your back problems? Chronic pain should go away if these concerns are resolved, according to Olderman. If it does not, consult a doctor. The doctor will examine your condition and prescribe medications such as Asmanol 100mg and Tapaday 200mg, which are effective pain relievers.
