When you think of lower back pain exercises, what comes to mind? For some people, it may be performing different stretching exercises through the use of yoga or pilates. There are a million different stretches you can find on the internet that are intended to help peoples’ back pain. Even though they may offer some form of pain relief to pain sufferers, stretches alone should not be the sole component to an effective routine of back pain exercises.

Lower back pain exercises that strengthen muscles may in fact be just as important, if not more significant in terms of helping one get rid of pain. The reason for this is because weakened muscles of the spine region and core do not provide any real structural support for the spine or its related components including disks, soft tissue, nerves and bones. Stretching exercises, by themselves, do nothing to increase muscular strength.

There are several lower back pain exercises that may increase muscular strength for back pain sufferers and help provide more of a structural support for the spine. A primary strengthening exercise is the squat. The squat is important for a couple reasons. First, it works several regions in the body at once including the calves, quads, pelvic muscles, glutes, spinal muscles, abdominal muscles and even the upper back and shoulders to an extent. Strengthening these muscles together at the same time allows them to support your entire body, especially the spine and back, much more efficiently as opposed to just strengthening one muscle group. Second, the squat works your low back muscles and the muscles around the lower back in a more indirect manner. This is important because it puts less direct pressure on the muscles of the low back and therefore its related structures including disks that may be susceptible to injury as well as nerves and other soft tissue.

The leg press is another strengthening exercise for the lower back. The reason for this is because it helps build the quads, glutes and muscles of the pelvis. Strengthening these muscle groups will lend strong structural support to the low back region. You probably never thought of the lat pull as being a lower back pain exercise. Technically, it does not meet the criteria however it does provide an indirect benefit to the low back and its related structures. Having a strong set of latissimus muscles or lats provides excellent support for the entire spine including the lower back region.

In conclusion, when doing lower back pain exercises, be sure to include exercises that help strengthen key areas of the body including the quads, pelvic muscles, glutes, low back, abdominals, lats and even shoulders. A good exercise routine should involve both stretching as well as strengthening to add solid support for the back and its related structures.

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If you are suffering from pain in your back with no obvious cause, you are suffering from non-specific back pain. The most common causes are strenuous activity or exercise.

The symptoms are very similar to any other types of back discomfort, that can manifest in any region of the back and may extend down to the lower back and buttocks.

This form of back pain is often easily treated using (NSAIDS) – non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You can buy these over the counter from your local pharmacy or supermarket. You can also use muscle relaxants if you are experiencing spasms. These will require a prescription.

What are the possible causes?

Non-specific back pain is quite common, with many millions of people world wide having experienced it at some stage. Muscle strain tends to be the most common cause.

Other known causes can include:

Pregnancy infection, inflamed nerve, obesity, herniated disc, overworked muscles.

If you gain weight quite quickly, this extra strain can injure your back without you being aware of it being the cause.

Back pain is a common complaint of pregnant women. The increase in their body weight and a shift in their center of gravity are the main causes of this.

A herniated disc can compress nerve roots causing pain in the lower back that can radiate to the extremities, resulting in numbness and tingling.

You should always seek some form of treatment for back pain, especially where it has remained for over two weeks without any real signs of improvement.

Nonspecific back pain usually is of a short duration that can be alleviated with pain medication and rest.

Stretching exercises are also beneficial in getting rid of back discomfort. It can strengthen weakened muscles and reduce discomfort.

How is it diagnosed?

To diagnose this problem, your health care profession can conduct certain tests, such as physical exam, x-rays, CT, and MRI to determine the cause. These tests can come out normal, however, revealing no specific cause. Nonspecific back discomfort usually goes away in a few days with treatment.

Back pain can easily be prevented by learning how to maintain good posture both at rest and when lifting or doing anything physical. You should also exercise to increase mobility and make sure that your weight gain does not place too much stress on your back.

Exercise is one of the most recommended treatment for back pain. Used in conjunction with non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, pain relief and healing can be successful.

Types of exercise for back pain:

McKenzie Exercises:

These back exercises involve stretching the spine and the muscles to decrease painful sensations in the back. These exercises can be done while you stand, sit, or relax on a flat surface. Stretching can reduce the herniation of a disc in the spine. In addition to this, exercise can help in treating degenerative joint disease pain.

Dynamic lumbar stabilization:

These exercises can be paired with McKenzie exercises to cut down pain and tone the back muscles. A physical therapist is well trained in the art of dynamic lumbar stabilization.

Aerobics:

Any form of aerobic activity that increases your blood flow can help speed up your recovery. Some of the activities you can do include bike riding, swimming or walking.

Exercise is performed on the following muscles:

Piriformis muscle, the hamstrings, the psoas muscle and the gluteus muscles, which are the muscles of walking.

By getting into the routine of stretching on a daily basis, you will be helping to strengthen your muscles and to promote oxygen flow to the tissues.

Wear loose clothing for freedom of movement. Loose clothing allows for freedom of movement without restriction. Nothing can hinder you from reaching your full potential for healing exercises of the body.

Physical therapy:

A physical therapists are trained professionals who utilize an assortment of techniques and exercises for treatment of back pain to include heat and range of motion, as well as ultrasound and other modalities to help you reduce back pain.

Chiropractic care involves adjustments to the musculoskeletal system and serves to regain muscle and spinal flexibility. Chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to promote healing and reduction of back pain. It can also be used with physical therapy exercises. It is not for all patients, however, and may be contraindicated in some instances, such as the presence of symptoms of infection. This will need the attention of a medical professional and a prescription for antibiotics.

Exercise also has the benefit of helping you lose weight which can reduce the stress placed on your back, further helping your recovery. Talk to a doctor or other trained professional about an exercise program that can help get your back in much better shape.

Has it occurred to you to include lower back exercises into your workouts? These can be very beneficial to reduce or eliminate any back pain you are experiencing as well as strengthen the back. You will also agree that back aches are a potential hindrance in any activity and they can cause you to slow down.

To find out all the details you need to know about how to strengthen your lower back, be sure to check out: Tips to Ease an Aching Lower Back.

The number of individuals affected by this is on the rise. This is due to back muscles which are unable to support us and get further affected by our attempts at lifting stuff incorrectly. Rather than relying on our legs to help with the lifting, we tend to put the pressure on our backs and this damages those muscles, causing pain.

It?s quite straight forward to improve the muscles in your back through a number of different lower back exercises that can help strengthen it and reduce that annoying pain. The adequate choice will prove far more effective than any painkillers.

PELVIC TILT
Lie with your back supported by the floor. Bend your knees and have your feet flat on the floor. Keep your hands by your side. While engaging the stomach muscles, raise your buttocks and adjust your pelvis for your lower back to be flat against the floor. Hold to a count of 5 and then slowly let go. Try and repeat this exercise between 5 – 15 times if you can.

BACK TWIST
Again, on the floor, keep your feet straight and together and place your arms to your sides so that you look like the capital letter ?T?. After bending your knees, lift them to form a 90 degree angle and keep them there for 4 seconds. When you bring your knees down, slowly direct them to the floor on your right. Try and keep your knees together and get as close as you can to the floor without causing too much pain. Once there, use your core to bring them back up and then do the same movement towards the left. Try and repeat this 5 times on both the left and right sides.

THE BRIDGE
In a lying position bend your knees and keep your feet on the floor. From this position, lift your buttocks off the floor while tightening your abdominal muscles. If you are doing this correctly, between your shoulders and your knees, there should be a straight line. Hold to a count of five seconds and get back to the initial pose. Do this five more times. This routine strengthens both your back muscles and your abs.

DORSAL RAISE
Lie down on your front body with your forehead supported by your hands. Pushing with your arms, lift your head, gazing to the floor. Hold it for three seconds and return to initial position. Do this another 7 times. In time, you will not need to use your hands to hold your head, but you can raise your head and shoulders.

This is it. A few exercises that you can try out straight away that will not only improve flexibility, but increase muscle strength and therefore assist with reducing or eliminating pain. There are a lot more exercises available, so be sure to look around to find what you prefer to do. Don?t forget to warm up gently by perhaps going for a small walk or jogging on the spot. Warm muscles are less likely to tear than cold ones.

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Reducing weight might also contribute to reducing pressure on your back. If this is the case, perhaps involve some cardio routines too. Go gradually, starting from 20 minute routines performed thrice to five times weekly.

The results should be noticed quite quickly, especially when lifting something becomes so much easier than it used to be and the pain levels are small or no longer there. This can not backfire. Often we consider not exercising when we are in pain, but with the lower back, it can do wonders to improve your muscle strength and flexibility.

Remember, it?s advisable to seek professional advice from a doctor before taking up a new exercise regime or diet as each person and scenario is different. Some people might experience negative effects if their condition is not compatible with these type of workouts, so they would be asked to see a specialist or put on some other routine fit for their specific requirements.
If you think this kind of exercise might work for you, listen to your body?s needs. You should notice a big improvement in muscle strength and flexibility. Therefore just give it a shot. You could be quite shocked at the improvement it makes.

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By: Leanne Laker

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Depending on the cause of your back pain, gentle back pain exercises to improve flexibility is often among the first steps toward recovery. Only once the pain is gone or has eased sufficiently should strengthening exercises for back pain begin.

I want to emphasize the importance of knowing the right techniques to apply to your particular problem. Some conditions benefit from forward bends, others are eased by leaning over backward, while still others call for exercise in a neutral stance.

The McKenzie Method – an exercise approach developed by New Zealand physiotherapist Robin McKenzie and taught at branches of the McKenzie Institute worldwide – has gained an enthusiastic following among back pain sufferers over the past few decades.

One of if not the most preferred method of treatment among physical therapists today, the

McKenzie philosophy “promotes the body’s potential to heal itself without medication, heat, cold, ultrasound, needles, or a force introduced by the practitioner.” Trained professionals work to develop the patient’s self-treatment skills, in great part through physical movement and back pain exercises.

The ideal situation is for the patient to be able to recover without the therapist having to put their hands on the patient. McKenzie would say the patient put their back ‘out’ by performing certain movements or getting into certain positions, and, in many cases, we should be able to teach the patient to put their back ‘in,’ so to speak, by utilizing other movements and positions identified during the examination process.

Seven basic exercises for back pain make up the exercise program, with the purpose not to strengthen the back but to abolish pain and, “where appropriate,” restore normal range of motion. To determine whether the exercises are helping, the patient is exhorted to closely observe any changes in the intensity or location of the pain. Even if you don’t use McKenzie’s exercises, monitoring your progress is always good advice.

“If your pain moves to the midline of the spine and away from areas where it is usually felt (a phenomenon called centralization), you are exercising correctly and this exercise program is the correct one for you,” McKenzie writes in Treat Your Own Back, calling centralization “the single most important guide you have in determining the correct back pain exercise for your problem.”

Alternatively, if your back pain moves away from the lower back or increases in the buttock or leg, you are on the wrong track. Another warning sign: pain that continues to increase in intensity after the initial exercise session. Although “new” pains often temporarily develop whenever we move in ways we are not used to, they should soon subside. If any of these occur, or you notice any tingling, numbness, or any other “red flags”, stop performing the new movements and contact a health care professional.

Look for a practitioner who is certified in the philosophies and treatments known formally as the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy. To qualify for the full certification program and credentialing exam, an applicant must first have obtained their credentials as a physical therapist, osteopath, chiropractor, or M.D.

Look for the designation of either Cert-MDT or the more advanced Dip. MDT (Diploma in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy).