Best Exercises for Low Back Pain
Houston Chiropractor Comments: A common question that I get from patients is “What are the best exercises to prevent low back pain?” The problem is most people want to start performing the exercises before their back is ready for them to begin.
Typically, you do not want to start exercises, besides light walking or swimming, before the pain and muscle tightness begins to go away. A common statement in rehabilitation is that movement is medicine. Slow walking, even just up and down a hallway or around a room, or swimming is very beneficial. This allows the small muscles of the spine to move which helps to minimize any swelling and reduce soreness.
The next step to reducing your back pain is to begin stretching it. The best low back stretches can be found on our website @ Videos – Beecher Chiropractic : Houston, TX Chiropractor .
After you begin to regain or improve your flexibility, you can now begin to strengthen your low back with exercises. The best exercises are bridges, pelvic tilts, leg raises, Supermans, and planks.
Bridge
- Performed by lying on the ground and bend the knees, placing the feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
- Press the feet into the floor, keeping the arms by the sides.
- Raise the buttocks off the ground until the body forms a straight line from the shoulders to the knees.
- Squeeze the buttocks with the shoulders remaining on the floor.
- Lower the buttocks to the ground and rest for a few seconds.
- Repeat 15 times and then rest for 1 minute.
- Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
Pelvic Tilt
- Lie back on the floor with knees bent and feet flat, keeping the arms by the sides.
- Gently arch the lower back and push the stomach out.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then relax.
- Flatten the back and pull the bellybutton in toward the floor.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then relax.
- Increase the number of repetitions daily, building up to 30
Leg Raises
- Lie on your back with the legs together.
- Keep the legs straight.
- Draw the bellybutton into the spine to engage the core muscles.
- Raise the legs about 18 inches, keeping it straight and extended.
- Hold the position for 2 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
- Perform 3 sets.
Supermans
- Lie face down on the ground and stretch both arms out in front of the body, keeping the legs stretched out and flat on the ground.
- Raise both the hands and feet, aiming to create a gap of about 6 inches between them and the floor.
- Try to pull in the bellybutton, lifting it off the floor to engage the core muscles.
- Keep the head straight and look at the floor to avoid neck injury.
- Stretch the hands and feet outward as far as possible.
- Hold the position for 2 seconds.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat 10 times.
Plank
- Lie face down on the ground and either place your hands or elbows on the ground in a push-up position.
- Press your body up just like you were doing a push-up
- Try to pull in the bellybutton and tighten the buttocks to engage the core muscles.
- Keep the head straight and look at the floor to avoid neck injury.
- Hold the position for as long as you can. Your ultimate goal is 2 minutes.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat 3 times.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
