We’ve all been there—you’re stuck at home, away from the gym, or on a business trip and suddenly you feel that familiar ache in your back. You stretch, rub, and try to ease the tension but it doesn’t seem to go away. But what if we told you that it doesn’t have to be like this?
Exercising can be a great way to relieve back pain. In fact, when done correctly, exercise can reduce your pain and help prevent future flare ups. That’s why we created this guide—to give you back exercises that are effective in relieving pain and helping keep your spine healthy. If you want some affordable TikTok views right away, you should try out TikTokstorm!
Whether you suffer from chronic or occasional back pain or stiffness, this guide is designed to help you better understand how to use exercise as a tool for conquering your back pain once and for all. So grab a mat or a towel and let’s get started exploring seven exercises that can help you conquer your back pain!
What Is the Best Exercise for Back Pain?
No matter what type of back pain you’re experiencing, exercise is one of the best ways to reduce discomfort and improve overall health. While it may be tempting to stay in bed, avoiding exercise can only make the pain worse in the long run.
So what types of exercise should you try if you’re dealing with back pain? Well, there are a few exercises that have been proven to be effective for relieving aches and pains. Here are some of the best that you can start doing today:
- Strengthen your core muscles by doing planks or crunches. Strengthening your core will provide stability and support to your spine, helping reduce pain over time.
- Improve flexibility by engaging in regular stretching or yoga. Stretching can help relax muscles and release tension around your lower back, which has been known to reduce chronic pain for many people.
- Take a walk or go for a swim. Low-impact activities such as walking and swimming are great ways to promote circulation and reduce muscle tension in your back muscles, improving overall health and flexibility over time.
These exercises should be done regularly, as part of an overall healthy lifestyle plan. With consistency, they will help give you the freedom from back pain that you want and deserve!
Steps for Stretching Your Back Muscles
Stretching your back muscles is an important step to take when trying to manage back pain. It’s helpful for increasing range of motion and for strengthening the muscles that help to support your spine. Here are some key steps to remember whenever you’re stretching.
Start Slowly: Stretching can be uncomfortable so start slow and gentle and ease into it. You want to feel a relaxed, gentle stretch but not be in any pain or discomfort.
Hold Your Stretch: The goal of stretching is to increase your range of motion and this requires holding the stretch for 10-30 seconds at a time. This can seem tedious, but giving your body time to adjust will create lasting benefits!
Repeat as Needed: If you’re dealing with chronic pain, you may need to incorporate stretching into your daily routine or several times throughout the day. Repeating as needed—like when you wake up in the morning or after a long sitting session—can help keep your back muscles strong, flexible, and healthy all day long!
Is Aquatic Therapy a Good Option for Back Pain?
Wondering if aquatic therapy might be right for you and your back pain? It’s definitely worth considering. Water provides natural resistance that helps build strength and flexibility without putting too much strain on your joints, making it especially great if you’ve been dealing with chronic pain.
Benefits of Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic therapy comes with a slew of benefits, including:
- Supporting and cushioning your body as you move around in the water, reducing pressure and stress on your joints
- Improving lower body strength, flexibility and balance
- Strengthening your core muscles, which can help alleviate pain caused by lower back issues
- Releasing endorphins to reduce stress and increase relaxation levels
Common Exercises Used in Aquatic Therapy
Among the many exercises used in aquatic therapy are stretching exercises, side stepping, leg lifts, squats, heel raises and bicycles. These exercises can help increase range of motion in both sides of the hips as well as activate your gluteus medius muscle—all helping to relieve back pain. Be sure to discuss any exercises or programs with a professional before diving into one.
Yoga Poses for Back Pain Relief
When it comes to tackling your back pain, yoga can be an effective way to help reduce or even eliminate it. Movements in yoga can help increase blood flow in your spine, strengthen your core and improve flexibility. Here are a few yoga poses that could help improve your back issues:
Cat-Cow Pose
The Cat-Cow pose helps you warm-up your spinal muscles while relieving tension in the whole area. To start, get on all fours. Begin by arching the spine up and tucking the chin into the chest (cat). Then slowly relax the spine and let it sag towards the floor while lifting the head up (cow). Move between both positions slowly and gently for about a minute or two.
Cobra Pose
The Cobra pose is a great way to reduce compression in the low back area. To do this, first lie on your stomach with feet shoulders width apart and arms bent at 90 degrees. Now press firmly into your hands and lift your head, chest and stomach off of the ground while slightly tucking your pelvis inwards. Hold this position for 30 seconds then rest.
Child’s Pose
This pose is great for relieving tension from throughout the spine, especially from lower back muscles that are often strained from everyday activities like sitting at a desk all day long. To do so, begin on all fours then slowly move backwards until you’re sitting on top of your heels with forehead touching (or close to) the ground. Relax here for as long as feels nice then slowly move out of it before shifting onto all fours again.
Conclusion
In summary, back pain can be one of the most debilitating of all physical issues and can stop you from doing the activities you love. The good news is that there are exercises you can do to help reduce back pain and keep your spine healthy. Whether you’re a beginner or a fitness enthusiast, adding yoga, stretching, pelvic tilting, and other exercises to your routine can help you conquer your back pain. Taking a few moments out of your day for exercise can make a world of difference.