Are you experiencing lower back pain? Do you feel it one day then it goes away, only to come back a week after? Then you are one of the about 31 million Americans who go through lower back pain at any given time.
And with the ongoing pandemic, things became even trickier. As more people stay at home or work from home, so do the instances of back pain go up. Hence, more people are searching for back pain relief.
Thankfully, many simple exercises can help keep your back pain at bay. Continue reading below for eight of the best exercises for back pain relief.
1. Partial Crunches
One of the keys to achieving long-term back pain relief is to strengthen your lower back. And when it comes to exercises, partial crunches can help you achieve exactly that. Moreover, partial crunches also fortify your stomach muscles.
To do the partial crunches, begin by lying on the floor. Bend your knees while keeping both your feet flat on the floor.
Slowly raise your shoulders off the floor. As you are doing this, make sure to tighten your stomach muscles. Also, breathe out as you raise your shoulders.
Hold your position for one second then slowly lower your back down. Never use your arms or lead with your elbows to pull your neck.
2. Knee to Chest
You can also enjoy back pain relief through different types of stretches. And one of which is the knee to chest stretch.
Start by lying flat on the floor. Keep your feet flat against the floor while bending both your knees. Take both of your hands and pull one knee toward your chest.
Hold your position for about five seconds. Make sure to tighten your abdominal muscles while holding your position. You also want to press your spine to the floor.
Slowly return to your starting position and repeat with your other leg.
3. The Pelvic Tilt
Flexibility is another goal you should aim for in your lower back. Hence, the pelvic tilt can help increase your flexibility.
Like the first two exercises, begin by lying on the floor while bending your knees and keeping your feet flat. As for the arms, keep them by your sides.
Slowly arch your lower back while pushing your tummy out. Hold the position for about five seconds then relax. Now, slowly flatten your back as you pull your belly button in.
Hold the position for five seconds then relax. Repeat as many as you can until you build enough strength to finish 30 repetitions.
4. The Bird Dog
Stability is another aspect your need to develop to ease your back pain. Stability is essential especially when you’re moving your arms and legs.
To perform the bird dog exercise, get down on your arms and knees. Proceed to then tighten the abdominal area. Lift one of your legs and extend it behind.
Do so while keeping your hips level. Hold the position for five seconds then slowly switch to the other leg. Repeat for about eight to 12 times per leg.
5. Bridging
Bridging or glutes bridges not only help your lower back. It also benefits other parts of the body that support your back like your hamstrings, hips, and glutes.
Commence by lying on your back while bending your knees. As for your feet, it should only be your heels that are touching the floor. Next, you want to dig your heels into the floor.
As you do this, tighten your glutes while lifting your hips. Do so until your hips, shoulders, and knees form a straight line. Hold your position for six seconds then bring your hips down to the floor slowly.
Rest your body for about 10 seconds then repeat. Try to complete a total of 12 reps.
6. Hamstring Stretches
As we mentioned earlier, your hamstrings help support your lower back. But before you start, you will need to prepare a small towel. To begin the exercise, lie on your back while bending one of your knees.
Using both your hands, take the towel and loop it around the ball of your other foot. Slowly straighten your leg while pulling back the towel. For the exercise to be effective, you need to feel a gentle stretch on your hamstrings as you pull the towel.
Hold the position for about 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat the process two to four times on each leg.
7. Flexion Rotation
Another simple exercise that will help stretch your lower back and buttocks is flexion rotation. Lie on the floor but this time on your right side. Make sure both of your legs are straight.
Now, bend your left leg while hooking your left foot behind your right knee. Using your right arm, hold your left knee. Thereafter, put your left hand behind your neck.
For the flexing and rotating part, gently rotate your upper body backward. Do this by touching your left shoulder blade to the floor. Feel the stretch right on your lower back.
Hold each stretch for about three seconds before releasing it. Perform the rotation 10 times on each side.
8. Aerobic Exercises
Last but not least, your favorite aerobic exercises can also help keep those lower back pains away. This means you can continue with your cardio exercises to complement any of the exercises we discussed above.
But since pain is in the picture, there are cardio exercises that work best for your condition. For starters, consider swimming. Not only does it increase your stamina, but it also elevates your heart rate.
Moreover, the water will support your movements while swimming. This means the pressure will be off of your lower back.
But be careful when performing complex swimming strokes. Some of them may require twisting the body.
Experience Long-Term Back Pain Relief
Learning how to perform these simple exercises will go a long way in your bout against lower back pain. As you build your strength and mobility, you will experience fewer instances of back pains. But if your condition is a bit severe, then it’s time to consult a trusted chiropractor.
Thankfully, you came to the right place.
We offer top-notch chiropractic care that yields long-term back pain relief. Connect with us today and schedule an appointment.