Whether it is chronic or the result of an injury, back pain affects most people at some point in their lives. Fortunately this condition can often be relieved by performing fairly simple back pain exercises. In order to ease your back pain, you should choose exercises that stretch your muscles and tissues, improve your strength and flexibility, and enhance your overall physical fitness.
Back pain exercises that stretch the muscles and tissues can provide a rapid sense of relief from aching and soreness. There are many exercises that stretch the back, many which require no special equipment. To choose the right stretch for you, you should first determine whether your pain is located in the upper or lower part of your back.
If your pain is located in your lower back, you might try a knee-to-chest stretch. To perform this move, begin by lying on the floor on your back. Bend your left leg at the knee and draw it up to your body. Hug your leg to your chest, holding the pose for 20 to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat with your right leg.
For pain that is confined to the upper back, you could try a seated shoulder stretch. To start, sit in a chair with your back straight and your eyes directed straight ahead. Next, lock your fingers behind your head. Slowly push your elbows out and backward as far as possible, and hold the pose for ten seconds. Repeat if desired, making sure to avoid tipping your head back or craning your neck.
While the back pain exercises described above can soothe existing aches, they cannot prevent future occurrences of pain. In order to minimize your chances of developing back trouble, you should perform exercises that enhance your strength, flexibility, and overall fitness level. This type of conditioning combined with specific back pain exercises can greatly minimize the impact of back pain on your life.
Weight training is an excellent way to boost your muscle strength, which can in turn increase your back’s ability to support itself. The two arm row is a good exercise for increasing back strength. To perform this move, hold a small dumbbell weight in each hand and bend forward at the waist until your back is roughly parallel to the floor. Slowly draw your elbows up toward the ceiling, hold briefly, and return to the starting position. Build up to ten repetitions.
Increasing your flexibility can also reduce incidences of back pain. Regular yoga and Pilates classes can effectively boost your flexibility and improve joint function. In addition, these workouts are usually low impact and are thus generally suitable for those suffering from pain.
Finally, you should supplement back pain exercises with physical activity that raises your heart rate and improves your overall fitness level, as being fit reduces your susceptibility to injury. Walking, jogging, and cycling are excellent forms of cardiovascular exercise. If you currently suffer from back pain, however, you may want to choose an exercise that puts less stress on the bones and joints. In this case, you may consider swimming.
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