Lower Back Pain: Treatment Exercises

Good and Bad Exercises for Low Back Pain

Treatment for Lower Back Pain: Exercises

Exercising is good for the lower back pain, but not all types of exercise are beneficial. If you have any mild discomfort when you first start exercising, it should go away as your muscles get stronger. If your pain is more than mild in intensity and if it lasts longer than 10 or 15 minutes while you are exercising, stop what you're doing and contact your doctor.

Certain exercises can make pain worse. Toe touches, for example, when they are done while standing, increase the stress on the ligaments and spinal discs. Standing toe touches can also overstretch the hamstrings and the muscles of the lower back.

Some people think sit-ups strengthen the abdominal muscles or core, but people tend to use their hip muscles most often when performing sit-ups. Sit-ups can also put a great deal of pressure on the spinal discs. They should be avoided for this reason.

Some people suggest leg lifts as a good exercise to strengthen the abdominal muscles or core. Exercising is a good way to restore the strength in the lower back, but lifting both the legs up while lying flat on your back is not a good idea.

Doing leg lifts this way can make back pain much worse, especially if muscles are not strong because it is very stressful for the core. Try this exercise instead:

Lie on your back with your left leg bent at the knee and your right leg straight
Keep your lower back in contact with the floor at all times
Slowly lift your right leg about 6 inches straight up horizontally off the floor
Hold it up briefly
Slowly lower your right leg back to the floor and relax
Repeat 10 times
Repeat the movements with the left leg, keeping your right leg bent at the knee

Here are some of the other good exercises for back pain:

Good Exercises: Partial Crunches

Certain exercises can make back pain worse and need to be avoided by people who have acute pain in the low back. To strengthen your stomach and back muscles, try partial crunches.

Lie on the floor with your legs bent at the knees and your feet flat on the floor
Cross your arms over the chest or put your hands behind your head
Tense your abdominal muscles and lift your shoulders up off the floor, exhaling as you do this
Don't use your arms or your elbows to pull your head up, and keep your feet, lower back and tailbone touching the floor at all times
Hold the tension briefly, then slowly lower your shoulders back to the floor
Repeat 8-10 times

Good Exercises: Hamstring Stretches

Lie down on the floor or a mat and bring your right leg toward your chest, bending it at the knee. Your left leg is flat on the floor or mat.
Draw a towel under your right foot, and grab the ends of it in your hands
Straighten your right leg, while slowly pulling on the towel toward your chest. Hold the tension for a count of 20 before relaxing and lowering your right leg.
Repeat the movements with your left leg
Repeat 4 times with each leg

Good Exercises: Wall Sits

Stand approximately 12 inches away from a flat wall
Turn around so your back is facing the wall
Lean back until your back is up against the wall and rests flat against it
Keeping your feet flat on the floor, slide your back down the wall slowly, pressing against the wall with your back
Stop sliding when your knees are slightly bent
Hold for a count of 8-10
Slowly slide back to a standing position
Repeat 10 -12 times

Good Exercises: Press-up Back Extensions

Lie on your abdomen
Place your hands underneath your shoulders
Push up with your hands, just until your shoulders begin to raise up off the floor
If you can, move your elbows so they are directly in line with your shoulders
Hold this position for a count of 5-10
Relax
Repeat 10 times

Good Exercises: Bird Dog

Get on your hands and knees
Tense your abdominal muscles
Raise your left leg and extend it back behind you, making sure to keep your hips level
Hold this position for a count of 5
Lower your left leg
Repeat the movement with your right leg
Repeat the movements 10 times for each leg, lengthening the amount of time you hold them each time they are raised.

You can also try lifting and reaching with the arm opposite the leg that is being raised. This is an excellent way to learn to stabilize the lower back while moving the legs and arms. Be sure to not allow the muscles in your lower back to sag while you're doing these movements. Also, only lift your arms and legs to points where you can maintain the position of your lower back.

Good Exercises: Knee to Chest

Lie on your back on the floor or on a mat
Bend your legs at the knees, keep your feet flat on the floor
Bring your left knee toward your chest, keeping your right foot flat on the floor and keeping your low back on the floor
Hold this position for a count of 30
Slowly lower your left leg
Repeat with your right leg
Repeat 5 times with each leg

Good Exercises: Bridging

Lie on your back on the floor or on a mat
Bend your legs at the knees and keep your heels on the floor. Tense your abdominal muscles and keep them tense.
Pressing your heels into the floor and lifting your toes, squeeze your buttocks and raise your hips until your hips, knees, and shoulders are all in one straight line
Hold this position for a count of 5
Slowly lower your hips back to the floor
Relax for a count of 10
Repeat 10 times

While doing this exercise, be careful not to arch your back when you lift your hips. Tensing your abdominal muscles will help avoid this.

Good Exercises: Pilates

Pilates exercise combines strengthening, stretching, and exercises for the abdominal core muscles. Some people who have back pain may benefit from Pilates that are taught by a professional instructor who has experience with back pain. If you decide to try this, be sure to check with your doctor first, and tell your instructor because there may be certain moves you will need to skip.

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Questions & Answers

What is the best way to treat permanent back and neck pain and stiffness?

Age2B

Here are some tips:

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep with a cervical pillow

Orthopedic or cervical pillows are made with special contours to support the space beneath the neck and head. They are also more concave for the head and provide more support to the neck.

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep on your back

The best position to lie to sleep is on your back. If you sleep on your stomach or on your side, make sure your pillow is not too thick. It should raise your head no more than 4 to 6 inches. This will keep your neck and head from turning to either side.

Neck Pain Tips: Position your computer screen at eye level

While you are working at a computer, sit comfortably in your chair with your computer in front of you. Close your eyes and then open them. When you open your eyes, you should see the middle of the computer screen. If your gaze is not in the middle of the screen, adjust the height of the screen using items like books.

To keep your head from gradually drifting forward, take frequent breaks to stretch. Getting up to walk around at least once every half-hour is one of the best neck pain tips.

Neck Pain Tips: Use a telephone headset

Never hold a phone between your shoulder and your ear. Use a headset or other hands-free system to talk on the phone and avoid abusing your neck and spine.

Neck Pain Tips: Exercise your neck muscles

One of the best neck pain tips is using the chin tuck. You can do this often throughout the day. In addition to helping strengthen the muscles that hold the head in alignment over the shoulders, it also helps strengthen the scalene and sub-occipital muscles.

Age2B

4 answers

What is the best treatment for neck pain and shoulder Pain?

Age2B

One of the best treatment for neck pain and shoulder pain is exercises:

Neck Pain Exercises: Neck Extension

To begin this neck pain exercise, sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Looking straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly (starting position)
Place the palm of your hand on the back of your neck, at the base of your head
Apply slight forward pressure with your hand, while resisting the forward motion of your neck and head
Hold for a count of 5 and return to the starting position and relax
Repeat the neck pain exercises 5-10 times

Neck pain exercises: Side bend

Sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Looking straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly (starting position)
Place your left hand, palm down, on the left side of your head (around your ear)
Slightly push your head to the right side with your hand, while resisting the sideways motion of your neck and head
Hold for a count of 5 and return to the starting position and relax.
Repeat 5-10 times
Repeat the neck pain exercises with the other side.

Neck pain exercises: Neck flexion

Sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Looking straight ahead, tuck your chin slightly (starting position)
Place the tips of your fingers on your forehead
Slightly push your head backward with your fingers, while resisting the backward motion of your neck and head
Hold for a count of 5 and return to the starting position and relax.
Repeat the neck pain exercises 5-10 times

More exercises here: Neck Pain Exercises

Age2B

4 answers

How do I reduce the shoulder and neck pain?

Age2B

Here are some tips:

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep with a cervical pillow

Orthopedic or cervical pillows are made with special contours to support the space beneath the neck and head. They are also more concave for the head and provide more support to the neck.

Neck Pain Tips: Sleep on your back

Neck Pain Tips: Position your computer screen at eye level

To keep your head from gradually drifting forward, take frequent breaks to stretch. Getting up to walk around at least once every half-hour is one of the best neck pain tips.

Neck Pain Tips: Carry weight evenly

Many people make the mistake of carrying a heavy briefcase or their purse on their shoulder or on one side of their body. Doing this causes strain in the muscles and leads to pain.

Remove non-essentials from your briefcase or purse. Consider using a backpack to evenly distribute the weight across your shoulders. If you choose to carry a purse or backpack, keep your shoulders level while carrying it.

Neck Pain Tips: Maintain a proper posture

The most common posture contributing to neck pain is the “head-and-shoulders-forward” posture. In this position, the neck slopes forward, putting the head in front of the shoulders.

In this position, the head pulls the upper back forward also in a slumped position. This places a strain on the entire spinal column.

More tips here: Neck Pain Tips: Sleeping, Posture, Exercising, Hydration & Prevention

Age2B

4 answers