A Guide to Exercises for Lower Back Pain

A Guide to Exercises for Lower Back Pain	04.08.2009 10:45
Pain in the lower back is very common among adults, and is usually caused by the muscle injury or strain. Repeated or continued back pain is not dangerous or surprising, and treatment can help you stay active. Having lower back pain is not a disease, but it is a symptom that can occur from variety of other processes. Some of the most common lower back pain causes are poor posture, being overweight, problems with spinal column and some diseases such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Few Exercises for Lower Back Pain There are few exercises that are helpful to decrease the lower back pain, prevent the re-injury to the back, help in faster recovery and reduce the risk of disability caused by the back pain. However, before you start any exercises for lower back pain, take your doctor’s advice. You don’t need any special equipment to perform these exercises for lower back pain, and these are quite simple to do. One of the good exercises for lower back pain is to lie flat on your back, and ping your chin to your chest. At the same time, hug your knees to your chest and hold for 15 seconds. Another exercise is to lie down on your stomach, and use your arms to push the upper body off the floor. You need to let your back relax and sag, and hold for 5 seconds. It is quite beneficial to do swimming, walking and bicycling for 20-30 minutes, thrice a week. Avoid any exercise that requires twisting the hip, or any bouncy or quick movement. If you already suffer from lower back pain, avoid lying down on your stomach and lifting both legs together. Cat and cow is a very effective exercise for lower back pain. You need to get down on your hands and knees, with your back parallel to the floor. Your hips and shoulder should be square. Lower your chin towards the floor while arching your back upwards to perform the cat, and without stopping, lift your chin upward while sinking the back so that the belly hangs down to perform the cow. Side plank is yet another effective exercise for lower back pain, where you need to lie down your side. Rest your bodyweight on the left elbow, and sides of the feet. Now, lift your body, but make sure to keep your spine straight, and lift your hips off the floor. The body should now be resting on your hand, elbow, forearm and feet. Slowly, lower your body to the starting position. Repeat few times. If you already have back pain, avoid leg-lifts, bike racing, dead lifts, golf, windsurfing, in-line skating, tennis, football, basketball and racquetball.