We’ve noticed a trend in all of our most recent blogs; we keep urging you to remain active and add some workouts to your daily routine. While that’s easy for us to say, sometimes it’s hard for those of you suffering from back pain to know which exercises are safe for you to perform.
Obviously, it’s impossible for us to know through the Internet which exercises are safe for your particular condition, so we want to remind you to consult your physician before beginning a new exercise program, especially if you suffer from chronic pain.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about exercising with back pain. Not only do certain exercises help prevent back pain, but they can also relieve it if you are already suffering. They do so by strengthening your back, stomach, and leg muscles.
Stronger muscles mean less pain while performing daily activities. That seems logical, right?
In addition to the following exercises, adding a stretching regimen to your daily routine can also be extremely effective for those suffering from back pain, or those who aren’t. Stretching is an important, often overlooked, aspect of health.
We recommend repeating the exercises below 8-12 times each, or as many times as you feel comfortable completing. Remember, the more you exercise, the stronger you’ll get. So, it’s important to continue pushing yourself by either doing more exercises or holding them for a longer amount of time.
Partial crunches
Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Cross your arms across your chest or put them behind your head. Then, tighten your stomach muscles and raise your shoulders off the ground, all while slowly breathing out. Hold for one second and lower with control to the ground.
Wall sits
Stand about a foot from a wall and lean back until your back is flat against it. Slowly lower yourself until your knees are slightly bent, pressing your lower back into the wall. Hold for ten seconds before standing back up.
Bridging
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Push your heels into the ground, squeeze your glutes, and lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line. Hold for about six seconds before slowly lowering yourself to the ground again.
We know it can be tempting to rest when suffering from back pain, but doing so for more than a couple of days can actually make your pain worse. So be proactive and start by incorporating one or all of these exercises into your daily routine. You know what they say, every bit helps!
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