Simple Back Exercises to Get You Through the Day!

Have you ever experienced lower back pain? What do you do when you have it? Did you know that, contrary to popular belief, you should be doing movement exercises rather than just resting when you have back pain?

When we experience back pain, it is usually because of a mix of factors: tight muscles around your lower back, a poor postural alignment, and a weakness in core musculature. Here, we provided some exercises that can help you chase away your back pain:

Find Your Neutral Spine
Your spine is in “neutral” when all its segments are in good alignment. This is the most stable and strongest position of your spine, it’s important to practice being in this position to prevent pain and injuries. To find your “neutral” spine, relax and lie on your back on a firm surface. Gently tilt your pelvis forward by pushing your lower back down and flat on the surface, then tilt it all the way backwards by making an arch with your lower back. After doing the pelvic tilt, find your “neutral” by feeling the best and most comfortable position for you in between the tilts. 

Focus on Breathing

There is research linking breathing to good postural alignment and lower back pain. The correct way to breathe is called diaphragmatic breathing. Take a deep breath through your nose making sure that your belly expands and not your chest. You can do this while sitting, standing, or lying on your back. 

Open up Your Hips. Stretch, Stretch and Stretch

A lot of stretching is involved when dealing with back pain. Our muscles tighten up as a way of protecting themselves when they (or we) feel pain. There are three stretches you can do to help with your lower back pain:

1. Knee to Chest - Hug both of your knees to your chest while lying on your back on a flat surface. You should be able to feel a gentle stretch on your lower back and butt muscles. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds while inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. 

2. Rotational Stretch - Lie back on the floor with your knees bent with feet flat on the floor. Make sure your shoulders are flat on the floor while you gently roll both your knees to one side of your body. Again, hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds, don’t forget about diaphragmatic breathing!

3. Runner’s Stretch - this position helps open up your hips and pelvis, it stretches both the front and back muscles of your legs. Step one foot forward and gently bend your knees into a low lunge until you feel a slight stretch on your back leg. It’s kind of tricky to hold your balance in this position, so you can opt to brace yourself on a table or wall. Hold it for 10 to 15 seconds. 

Partial Crunches

You don’t have to do a whole sit up to strengthen your core!  Partial crunches are better and friendlier for your back. Start by lying on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Breathe in deeply, and then as you breathe out, engage your abdominal muscles and slowly raise your head and shoulders to about 2 inches off the ground. Make sure your neck is aligned with your spine to avoid strain. If you’re just starting out, you can put your hands forward as if you’re trying to reach for your knees. As you get stronger, you can then put your hands across your chest, or behind your head. This exercise will help strengthen your core. Your core muscles have a big role in preventing lower back pain. Even though they are located in the front (in your abdomen), they help your back muscles in maintaining your upright posture. 

Bridging

This exercise helps you strengthen your gluteus (butt) muscles. Lie on your back on a firm surface with your knees bent and feet flat. Take a deep breath, slowly exhale, then lift your buttocks off the floor while engaging your abdominal muscles. Make sure your shoulders stay on the floor. Then slowly lower your buttocks back to the floor and rest for a few seconds. Repeat this movement 15 times.

Supermans

This exercise will challenge the whole length of your back. Your position should literally look like Superman himself! Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended in front of the body, and your legs should also be stretched out straight. Now, try to lift both your arms and legs up off the ground. You should aim for about 6 inches gap between your legs and the ground. Keep your head up and look straight forward as you hold this position for 6 seconds.

All of these exercises are safe to do at home, but still, it’s best to see a Physical Therapist first to help you with your back pain. They will provide you with tools that can decrease or completely eliminate the pain, and teach you exercises to keep the pain from returning. 

Click here to find out more information about physical therapy for back pain

About Evolve Physical Therapy in Brooklyn

Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics

There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of bio-mechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!

First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.

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