If you have chronic problems with a stiffy, achy back, welcome to the club. Your membership fees are due on the first of the month.
Back pain is a common problem. In fact, I don't have a single client who doesn't complain of back pain from time to time and I know that one culprit is too much sitting. Another? Weak abdominal muscles and tight hips and hamstrings can also contribute to pack pain. You should always see a doctor, of course, but if you don't have any major issues, stretching and strengthening the back on a regular basis (as well as standing up as much as possible), can help. Below are a few of my favorite exercises for strengthening and stretching the abs and back.
Standing Cat Stretch
Lower into a squat with the hands on the thighs, back arched.
Pull the abs in and round the back up towards the ceiling. Lower
and repeat 15 times.
Lie face up with knees bent and hands at your
sides. Slowly, uncurl your spine off the mat, one vertebrae at a
time until you're in a bridge position, body in a straight line from
knees to head. Lower by slowly uncurling the spine onto the mat.
Repeat for 5-10 reps.
Bring the knees up and bend them to 90 degrees, shins parallel to
the floor and arms out to the sides. Contract the abs and rotate
the torso to lower the legs to the right, bringing them down to the
floor. Bring the knees back to center and lower to the left
side. Repeat for 10 reps to each side.
What about you? Do you have chronic back pain and, if so, how do you deal with it? Leave a comment and tell us about your favorite back exercises. And for those of us who will experience back pain after digging out of a blizzard, a hot bath and even a hot toddy can help too.
I have a problem with upper back is there exercise for that ?
For back pain, I take a number of pain pills.
Anyone with any type of chronic pain should Mind Body Prescription by Dr John Sarno MD. Take a look at all the comments on Amazon. I have 3 bulging discs in my lumbar and reading Dr Sarno saved my life. No pain, no surgery.
There is a great book called “Treat Your Own Back” by McKenzie that gives very effective exercises for back pain and sciatica. (Doctors often treat back pain as if it were a codeine deficiency, and that is worse than useless.)
I am recuperating from sciatic nerve injury-related pain and numbness in my right thigh. This has been my longest down time, two weeks and days, from exercise. I have been fortunate in that in the last five years of regular vigorous exercise, my longest involuntary time off due to injury has been two days.
I have refrained, for the time being, from my kettle bell and abs exercises, and backed off time and intensity in my workouts in deference to the intense pain and early reduced mobility. The pain is finally subsiding, and resuming my workouts should quicken and facilitate the healing.
I believe my conditioning has provided the source of strength and resolve that has allowed me to resume normal activity at an accelerated pace.
And thanks to Paige for the caring and helpful support.
I have tight hamstrings. Once they are stretched, my back pain disappears.
Great article for people with back pain. It’s always good to know these kinds of exercise.
These exercises are very useful for people looking to exercise at home.
great pics
Ten years ago at age 46, I was diagnosed with severe degenerative osteoarthritis in my lower lumbar spine (birth defect) and three years later, I fractured the disc at L4-5 and found out that it’s inoperable. I’ve been in pain management for over ten years, doing physical therapy now and then, exercising (mostly walking) and eating right. But then I developed hypothyroid disease and am taking an Rx for that; regardless it’s very hard to lose weight now. Having a desk job doesn’t help. Of course I take prescription pain medicine but I’m so sick of those pills! I know I will have to do all of these things for the rest of my life and my back will still ache all the time. Giving up is not an option nor is feeling sorry for myself. I’ve learned to cope with my limitations and celebrate my accomplishments (I’m still here!).
I truly appreciate all that I have learned from Paige’s weekly newsletter and have put many of her exercises to good use. Thanks especially for the back exercises!
This has been so helpful! The standing stretch was new to me. I have to be better about doing my physical Ther. exercises/stretches. Reading everyone’s comments is so helpful also – it’s good to know what others do to help back pain. Mine is piriformis syndrome/sciatica. I have had to cut way back on my exercise for now to let it heal since it flared up after being released from PT and being told to”go back to regular activities, including running”. It is getting better thankGod and I can’t wait to work out!!! Thanks Paige for everything!!
I have a really bad pain in my lower back. It feels like its Under the bone connected to my hip. I’ve tried a hundred different stretches and exercises and even asked a few athletic friends what to do and nothing seems to work. Even ice or those heat patches work. HELP!
Dear,
Find out some lower back exercises without weight and do it 4 times a week.Until it become ok do not do any weight training and running.
I presented with spondyloarthropathy in my sacro-iliac and lumbar spine 4 years ago and have learned a lot about back exercise since then. You’re first call should be to a physio/ biokineticist who can tell you what exercises will aggravate an injury or condition or not. I do low impact cardio (swimming, cycling, elliptical) roughly 2 hours a week. I have to change routines frequently because my condition leaves me prone to tendinitis and repetitive strain injury. I do an hour pilates class once a week and supplement this by doing the exercises on my own for 15 minutes at least twice a week. Sometimes I want to feel like a normal young person and do some high intensity cardio which I always loved before, but I pay for it for a few days after. The exercise really has helped me manage my condition better, sneezing coughing or sudden moves caused severe pain, now my stronger core protects against that. I also rarely need pain drugs. My advice to anyone with chronic or recurring back pain is to be very patient, gentle and kind to yourself and seek medical help but don’t give up on exercise, something will work and it really helps.
Oh also with knee drops, if you have bad lower back/ pelvic problems don’t drop you’re knees all the way to the ground and be sure to keep you’re knees stuck together throughout the movement so you’re reaching out of the top hip.
I have had lower back pain since 4 month a go , it started from my right side moved to the midle , went to to left hip extending the pian to my left leg to my finger foot . I have visited 3 different physisians ( chriropractor, acunpuntirist , sport medicine specialist ) and as up to date my pain still there moving form one side to the other in my lower back . It is worth to tell that my life since I started with the pain has not been the same . I’m doing all kind of exesrcises to try to reduce the pain impact however has not been enought and now I do not know what to do or where to go . If any of you have a good advise . It will be very wellcome since I’m really tired of this phyisical condition . I’m 44 years old and I thing that I’n not that old to be limmited as I’m now.
About 15 years ago I was suddenly afflicted with a horrendous bout of sciatica. I had never had it or any back problems before. The doctors I went to cautioned against doing exercise – prior to the sciatica I had been doing a one-hour aerobics class every morning, except at weekends – and said the only thing for it was to take painkillers. The pain got worse and worse and the painkillers got stronger and stronger but didn’t make the pain go away. Finally, in desperation I went to an aquarobics class one afternoon. It didn’t make matters worse so I went again the next week. Things started to improve. I went for a third time – sciatica all gone!! And so far, touch wood, it has never come back. I would recommend aquarobics to anyone suffering from sciatica or back pain.
Exercises or pills? I am so lazy