subject: Back Strenghtening Exercises [print this page] If you dealing with back pain sometimes your best way to reduce this pain is to strengthen the muscles in your back through exercises that target your core muscles. These back strengthening exercises are not only for increasing your strengthen though, they can also increase your flexibility, and range of motion. By doing this your back is better able to support not only the spine but the rest of your body and this can lead to a reduction in how much pain you are in.
Please be aware, if you have back pain, back strengthening and neck strengthening exercises should only be done if you have the consent of your doctor or physical therapist. This is because not all exercises and stretches can be used and it will depend on your underlying issue that is causing your back pain.
When doing any of these exercises you will want to keep in mind a few things so that you do not injure yourself further.
All exercises and stretches should be slow and fluid, never want to bounce
Do not overdo it, only do the exercises that you are told to do, anymore than that and you may injure your back further
Do not neglect your exercises or stretches, it will do you no good if you are only doing them a few times a week
Start at the top and work your way down, that means start with the neck and work down your body
For your exercises make sure you do at least 5 reps and for your stretches make sure you hold them for at least 10-20 seconds
When stretching make sure you are slow and gentle, while you might already have back pain it should not increase in severity due to stretching
Dont stretch just one side of your body and then the other, mix it up a bit
Dont hold your breath while you stretch, try to inhale before you stretch and exhale as you hold your stretch
Try and incorporate low impact aerobics into your routine so that you do not neglect the rest of your body
If you are at all unsure whether you are doing your exercises correctly consult with a physical therapist
Do not expect instant results, it may take weeks or even a month or two before you start to notice a difference in your back strength and flexibility
Remember that this should be just a part of your treatment plan for dealing with your back pain. You may also need to rely on other treatments and therapies such as, oral medications, massage, acupuncture, ice therapy, heat therapy and the most important thing, time. It may take you a few weeks to notice a change in your back pain and you must give your back enough time to begin healing. So keep in mind that most back pain will resolve itself within a few weeks time and as long as you adjust your lifestyle and take the time needed to follow up on your treatment plan you should start to see results.
