subject: Achieving Back Pain Relief Using Lower Back Exercises [print this page] Lower back exercises are an important component of any lower back pain relief program, and it is essential that that they are carried out correctly if they are not to exacerbate the problem. However, whether these exercises are appropriate for you or not will depend upon the cause of your back pain, and if you are suffering from a herniated disc you will need more specialized treatment prior to undertaking any exercise program.Many people wrongly believe that they should never exercise with back pain, because they feel that will just make the condition worse. It is important that you don't allow your back muscles, particularly those of the lower back, to become progressively weaker thorugh a failure to exercise, or your spine will be insufficiently supported, and your lower back will steadily weaken and become liable to suffer further injury.Exercise, therefore, is necessary for a quick and proper recovery, although it is important that you realize that you must not try to lift anything if you are suffering from, or have recently suffered from, acute back pain of any form. Never try to lift a weight with a bent back, but always with your back straight and lifting using your knees. You should not attempt to lift any weight over 30 pounds until your core strength has been improved.If you have recently suffered a back injury, you should rest for a few days until the acute pain has subsided and then begin with just a few simple stretching exercises. Leave the strengthening exercises until the pain has subsided or you are liable to make your condition worse.A number of people become inured to pain, and think that they have recovered suffiently for them to undertake more demanding exercises, and as a result continue to carry out lasting injury upon themselves. It is very important that the pain has subsided prior to undertaking any lifting exercises or significant stretching, although you can try some simple stretches such as those detailed further below. Your pain will be reduced through the relaxation of your muscles and increased joint flexibility.You must warm your muscles up before carrying out any lower back exercises. This gets the blood flowing through them and enables the muscles cells to contract without doing further damage. A warm bath or shower will help achieve this. The muscles are loosened up by improving the circulation of blood by gentle stretching exercises. This helps to improve your mobility and relieve the pain.Walking is a good exercise to begin with and so is swimming - particularly in warm water. Physiotherapists normally provide hydrotherapy in water at around 40C, close to blood temperature, that helps to loosen up the joints and muscles.The initial lower back exercises provide very gentle but effective stretching, and work on your back indirectly by the movement of other areas of your body. If you lie down with back flat on the floor, and then slowly bend and stretch one knee and then the other with your heel sliding up and down, you will do yourself no harm and will make your back more supple and stronger. Do this 10 times with each leg, and you will impart a gentle stretching motion on your lower back muscles.Then, still lying down, you can try tightening your abdominal muscles with your arms down straight. Make sure you breathe normally doing this to keep your blood oxygenated. This will put slight pressure on your spine and your lower back muscles, stretching them and helping them to recover.Lower back exercises such as these will aid you in finding lower back relief to the extent that you feel capable of carrying more extensive exercises. You will never be truly recovered from back pain, however, until you are able to improve your core muscle strength, and the flexibility of your joints and muscles. All of these will provide stronger support for the bones of your spine and muscles of the lower back.A gentle massage followed later when feel stronger by deeper massaging and stretching offer lower back exercises that will loosen up the joints and muscles and help provide this core flexibility needed for more permanent back pain relief. You can save on the cost of frequent professional massages by using power massage pads that provide the form of deep massage needed to free up the deep joints and relieve deep-seated muscular pain.Once you are able to, more extensive stretching exercises will be needed to offer more lasting back pain relief from chronic conditions, and inversion tables are ideal to provide stretching exercises precisely targeted to the areas that have to be exercised.You can use lower back exercises both to relieve chronic back pain and help strengthen your muscles after acute back pain, but they must target the muscles that have to be strengthened or stretched and must be carried out properly.
Achieving Back Pain Relief Using Lower Back Exercises
