Try Core Exercises for Lower Back Pain

Woman with back pain

Many people who are suffering from back pain don't realize they may find relief by strengthening their core muscles. When we speak about strengthening core muscles most people assume we are talking about their abdominals. But a person's core is actually made up from the muscles consist of your abdomen, back, and pelvis pretty well everything on your body that isn’t your legs and arms.

It's very common in the gym to see people focusing on their abdominal muscles and putting minimal to no work on their back creating muscle imbalances and setting them up for a greater chance of injuring themselves. In this article we will be reviewing core exercises for lower back pain which will hopefully provide relief for your lower back pain.

The counter of your abs are the muscles behind the spine (the spinal erectors, mid-trapezius & rhomboids). Ab exercises in conjunction with back and postural muscle exercise will help to develop a strong core while keeping yourself in proper alignment.

The first step for lower back pain not caused by a injury (if you just fell and are experiencing back pain the cause would usually be inflammation and not weak / imbalanced muscles) is to have it checked by a qualified physician to see what movements you can and cannot do.

Another useful tip many don't realize is that if you have bad posture and a natural tendency to sit with a rounded upper back, abdominal exercise may actually exacerbate your bad posture. Also don’t forget to train your abdominal and back muscles in equal proportion to help alleviate persistent back pain.

Types Of Back Pain Exercises

To maintain your health, you should do some exercises that will help in stretching and strengthening your muscles this will also help with maintaining the balance of your whole body. Exercises that strengthen a person's legs and thighs are also beneficial and can help with avoiding any kind of pain in the back.

Simple Exercises Performed At Home That Relieve Back Pain

Woman with back pain

Stretching:

Stretching of the spinal tissues and muscles has a great effect in relieving back pain. Stretching exercises are easy and can be performed at home on a regular basis. Stretching in different forms can be performed in various positions such as sleeping, kneeling, sitting and standing.

 

Walking:

It's a myth that walking is discouraged when suffering back pain. Walking will help blood circulation which is essential in repairing damaged tissues.

Yoga:

Has shown to be beneficial in curbing back pain. There are "asanas" which are different poses of yoga and are especially helpful for the spinal area , they act as form of relaxation for tense muscles.

Water Exercises:

Performing exercises in a swimming pool is also recommended to relieve the symptoms of lower back pain. The benefits of using a pool is that the body floats which helps to relieve the vertebrae from the weight of your body. This allows the part of your back that is affected, to flex with reduced pain intensity.

However these exercises should be undertaken under the guidance of a qualified physiotherapist. Many gyms that have pools will offer water exercise programs that not only help with back pain but are also useful for the elderly. Ask at your local gym for details and offerings.

Light aerobic exercises:

These can be performed at home and are shown to help relieve the body of back pain. Once again consult a physiotherapist or your family physician to determine which exercises are appropriate

  • 10 Core Exercises For Men and Women

  • 1) Planks
  • 2) Side Planks
  • 3) Quadruped Arm and Leg Raise
  • 4) Hip Rotation:
  • 5) Reverse Crunch
  • 6) Oblique Reach
  • 7) Circle Plank
  • 8) Barbell Side Bend
  • 9) Russian TwiatT
  • 10) FLAT Bench Leg Pull-In

In Closing

By focusing on core exercises for lower back pain and improving your core strength, you can proactively treat your back pain, limiting current pain while preventing future problems. Frequent exercise will also benefit your entire body, leading to better health overall. Through regular exercise and stretching, many individuals have dramatically reduced their lower back pain. By performing core exercises regularly, you can have a happier and healthier back, too.

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