Exercises for Back Pain

Remember the number of times you’ve complained of back pain? Innumerable times, we bet! And that is irrespective of your age. You bend to pick up something or sit at your desk for hours together or while picking weights at the gym, you feel a sudden sharp pain. Most of the times you don’t expect it to be there and often fail to realise how it even happened. That sharp sensation gradually becomes a niggling pain with every activity that you undertake throughout the day, and in no time, it may grow to become a constant source of discomfort.

Pain relief gel or spray, did you say? Yes, a solution for minor back pain for sure. But for back pains of a serious nature, it might not be the best solution, at least definitely not as an effective long-term solution. In fact, if your back pain is of a serious nature that needs more attention than gels and sprays, it might get aggravated if not taken care of right from the start.

You apply your spray, and maybe try a gel or medicine if the pain persists, and if it doesn’t disappear even then, you might think of a concrete solution like exercises for back pain or visit a doctor who can suggest an effective exercise routine.

It may occur more frequently with increasing age, but young age does not do away with the chances of back pain altogether. Age is not the sole reason behind back aches. It may occur due to a host of different factors like bad posture, wrong inclination of your mattress, tired muscles, over-exertion, etc.

Rather than being lazy about following a disciplined routine for exercises for back pain from the beginning or placing it way down your daily to-do list, how about nipping it in the bud? Here we’ve put together a list of exercises for upper and lower back pain for you.

Let’s discuss some most effective types of exercises for back pain.

Partial Crunches

Steps:

• Lie on your back with the knees bent upwards and feet flat on the ground.
• Next, either cross your arms across the chest or place your hands behind the head.
• Raise your shoulders from the ground while keeping your stomach muscles tight and then breathe out gradually. Make sure that you do not pull your neck off the ground with your arms or lead with your elbows.
• Hold this position for one second and then slowly go back to the original position from where you had started.
• Repeat this rep 8 to 12 times unless advised differently by your professional fitness trainer.

Benefits:

This exercise for back pain serves as one of the key core-strengthening workouts for stomach muscles and your lower back, relieving you from back pain. This is a great option for those suffering from spondylosis. However, make sure that you don’t lift your feet, lower back and tailbone off the floor. Maintaining the right posture is important for ensuring best results and preventing injuries or aggravated pain due to excessive stress on your back.

Hamstring Stretches

Steps:

• Lie on your back and bend one of your knees upwards and feet flat on the ground.
• Place a towel or use a fitness band under the ball of the foot of the other leg.
• Gradually pull back the leg with the unbent knee, along with the towel, and then straighten your knee. This step will ideally make you feel a stretch at the back of the knee.
• Hold this stretch for a minimum of 15 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat this rep 2 to 4 times for each leg, unless advised otherwise by your personal fitness trainer.

Benefits:

Hamstring stretches are effective for exercising the back of the leg, which comprise of some of the muscles that are responsible for the smooth functioning of the lower back.

Wall Sits

Steps:

• Stand at a distance of about 10 to 12 inches away from a wall with your back towards it.
• Lean on the wall slowly until your back is placed flat against it.
• Slide down the wall gradually until your knees are slightly bent, making sure that your lower back is consistently pressed against the wall throughout this exercise for back pain.
• Maintain this position for a count of 10, and then gradually slide back up against the wall.
• Do this rep about 8 to 12 times, unless your fitness trainer recommends otherwise.

Benefits:

This is one of the most recommended exercises for back pain among people leading a sedentary lifestyle. Back pain caused to spending long hours sitting at the work desk is a recurring lifestyle problem. Doing this exercise for back pain in between regular breaks at work ensures much-needed relief from back pain. Maintain the right posture for this exercise for back pain for ensuring maximum relief and keeping yourself away from injuries, and aggravated pain that are often caused due to overexertion on muscles.

Press-up Back Extensions

Steps:

• Lie on your stomach with your hands exactly below your shoulders and palms placed on the floor.
• Exert pressure against the floor with your hands to lift your shoulders off the floor.
• Once you are able to perform this step easily, place your elbows exactly below the shoulders on the floor.
• Then, hold this position for a few seconds, after which you can return to the original position.

Benefits:

Yet another exercise for back pain that’s such a stress buster for your back. Do the steps gradually and without overexerting yourself to avoid increasing the pain or causing an injury.

Bird Dog

It is a bird and a dog – all rolled into one exercise!

Steps:

• Get down on your hands and knees and tighten the muscles of your abdomen.
• Lift one of your legs off the floor and extend it backwards, so that it is parallel to the floor. Don’t move your hips.
• Hold this position for five seconds and then bring the leg back to the original position to complete one rep.
• Repeat the step with the other leg as well. Do this step about 8 to 12 times for each leg, unless advised differently by your professional trainer.
• You may gradually increase the holding time for each lift to make this exercise for back pain more challenging.
• To further increase the difficulty level to enhance the effectiveness of this exercise for back pain, you might try extending the arm opposite the leg that you have lifted during a rep. Extend the arm forward and ensure that you keep your abdominal muscles tight throughout this exercise for back pain.

Benefits:

Bird dog improves stability of your lower back during limb movements. However, you have to maintain the right posture for controlling your back pain. Lifting your arms and legs beyond your comfort level will do you more harm than good. It may increase your back pain or may even lead to a muscle injury.

Knee to Chest

Steps

• Lie on your back and bend your knees upwards, keeping your feet flat on the ground.
• Pull up one knee till your chest, while keeping the other knee and foot as it is.
• You will have to hold this position for about 15 to 30 seconds, ensuring that your lower back does not get raised off the floor.
• Gradually lower your knee back to the original position to complete one rep. Repeat this rep with the other leg.
• Perform this rep 2 to 4 times for each leg, unless your fitness trainer has advised differently.

Benefits:

Exercising your legs works some of the muscles situated at your lower back, thus, addressing the pain effectively.

Pelvic tilts

Steps:

• Lie on your back, placing your head on a book or a small pillow.
• Bend your knees upwards, keeping your feet straight and hip-width apart, and tighten your abdominal muscles. Make sure you keep your upper body relaxed with your chin gently tucked in.
• Tilt the pelvis towards your heels to form a gentle arch in your lower back.
• Return to the original position to complete one rep.
• Tilt your pelvis back and forth 10 to 15 times.

Benefits:

This exercise for back pain works like magic, provided you do it correctly and follow the right posture. Don't press down through your feet, shoulders and/or neck. When you can feel your muscles in your abdomen and back area working while you perform this exercise for back pain, you will know that you are doing it correctly. Do it right and make it work wonders for your back pain.

Bridging or Bridges

Steps:

• Lie flat on the floor, with your knees bent and only your heels touching the floor. Tighten your muscles of the stomach.
• Draw your heels towards your buttocks and then lift your hips up, so that your shoulders, knees and hips form a single, straight line. Ensure that your lower back does not leave the floor while you are arching your hips.
• Maintain this position for about 6 seconds.
• Slowly return to the original position and rest for 10 seconds to compete one rep.
• Repeat this rep 8 to 12 times, unless advised otherwise.

Benefits:

This exercise for back pain features a bit high on the difficulty level as compared to the other exercises enlisted here. Hence, it is essential for you to maintain the right posture to prevent overstressing your muscles, which can also lead to muscle injuries. Make sure that, while arching your hips, your lower back is still not lifted off the floor. You should also prevent overarching your hips by tightening your abdominal muscles right from the start of this exercise for back pain and throughout the exercise.

Below are some effective exercises for your lower back:

Hamstring Stretches

Steps:

• Lie flat on your back and bend one knee upwards, keeping the foot flat on the floor.
• Place a fitness band or a towel under the ball of the foot of the leg that is not bent.
• Slowly pull back the unbent leg, along with the towel.
• Next, straighten the knee. You are expected to feel a stretch at the back of the knee if you are doing the exercise right.
• Maintain this stretch for a minimum of 15 to 30 seconds and then return to the starting position. That’s one rep.
• Repeat this rep 2 to 4 times for each leg.

Piriformis Muscle Stretching

The piriformis muscle stretches from the back of your thigh bone, referred to as femur, to the base of the spine, known as sacrum.

Steps:

• Lie flat on your back and cross your legs.
• Place both your hands together under the knee of the lower leg.
• Gradually draw the lower leg towards your chest and keep your thighs together until you feel a stretch around the area of your buttocks.
• Return your arms and legs to the starting position to complete a rep.

Press-up Back Extensions

Steps:

• Lie on your stomach and keep your hands exactly below your shoulders. The palms should face the floor.
• Use your hands to push your body away from the floor to lift your shoulders.
• When you get comfortable with the above steps, try pushing your limits by placing the elbows exactly below the shoulders on the floor.
• Maintain this position for a few seconds and then return to the starting position.

Wall Sits

Steps:

• Stand with your back towards the wall, maintaining a distance of about 10 to 12 inches.
• Gradually lean on the wall to ensure that your back is placed flat against it.
• Slide down the wall slowly until your knees are slightly bent. Ensure that your lower back is pressed against the wall throughout this exercise for back pain.
• Hold this position for a count of 10, and then slide back up against the wall gradually.
• Perform this rep about 8 to 12 times.

Bird Dog

Steps:

• Get down on your hands and knees, tightening your abdominal muscles.
• Lift one of your legs off the floor, extending it backwards, so that it is parallel to the floor. Remember that only your legs should move off the floor and not your hips.
• Maintain this position for 5 seconds and then bring the leg back to the starting position. That’s one rep.
• Repeat this rep with the other leg and perform it about 8 to 12 times for each leg.
• To make this exercise for back pain more challenging, you can slowly and steadily increase the holding time for each lift.
• To increase the difficulty level a notch higher, you might try extending the arm opposite the lifted leg. Extend the arm forward while tightening your abdominal muscles.

Pelvic tilts

Steps:

• Lie flat on your back, keeping your head on a book or a small pillow.
• Bend your knees upwards, keeping your feet straight and hip-width apart. Tighten your abdominal muscles, keeping your upper body relaxed and chin slightly tucked towards your chest.
• Tilt the pelvis towards your heels to create a slight arch in your lower back.
• Return to the starting position and tilt your pelvis back and forth 10 to 15 times.

Knee to Chest

Steps

• Lie flat on your back and bend your knees upwards, with your feet flat on the ground.
• Bend one knee till your chest. Keep the other knee and foot straight and relaxed. Ensure that only your knee, and not your lower back, should be lifted off the floor.
• Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Lower your knee back to the starting position to complete one rep. Repeat this step with the other leg and perform it 2 to 4 times for each leg.

Bridging or Bridges

Steps:

• Lie flat on the floor, with your knees bent. Only your heels should touch the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles and keep it that way throughout this exercise for back pain.
• Pull your heels towards your buttocks and then lift your hips, so that your shoulders, knees and hips form a straight line. Ensure that your lower back does not get lifted off the floor while arching your hips.
• Hold this position for about 6 seconds, gradually return to the starting position and rest for 10 seconds.
• Repeat this rep 8 to 12 times.

Here are some popular exercises that will relieve you of upper back pain:

Pectoralis Stretch

Steps:

• Stand in front of an open door or corner and place both your hands slightly over your head on the wall or frame of the door.
• Gradually lean forward until you feel a stretch in the front area of your shoulders.
• Maintain this position for 15 to 30 seconds to complete one rep and repeat this thrice.

Thoracic Stretch

Steps:

• Sit on the floor and straighten your legs in front of you.
• Use your hands to hold your mid-thighs.
• Tilt your head and neck slightly towards your belly button.
• Hold this position for a count of 15 and repeat this step thrice.

Thoracic Extensions

Steps:

• Sit on a chair and hold both your hands together at the back of your head.
• Slightly arch backward and look up at the ceiling.
• Repeat this rep 10 times and try doing this exercise for back pain several times every day at frequent intervals.

Mid-trap Exercise

Steps:

• Lie on your stomach and place a pillow below your chest.
• Keep your arms straight at your sides with the thumbs facing the ceiling.
• Gradually lift your arms upwards towards the ceiling while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Bring your hands down to the starting position slowly.
• Do 3 sets of 15 reps each.
• Once you become comfortable with this, you can make it more challenging by holding small weights in your hands.

Arm Slide on Wall

Steps:

• Stand or sit with your back towards a wall, and elbows and wrists against it.
• Gradually slide your arms straight upwards, without moving your elbows and wrists off the wall.
• Perform 2 sets of 8 to 12 each.

Quadruped Arm and Leg Raise

Steps:

• Get down on your hands and knees.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles and pull in your belly button to control the flexibility of your spinal cord.
• Lift one arm and the opposite leg and extend them away from you.
• Maintain this for 5 seconds.
• Bring back your arm and leg gradually and repeat the same step with the other arm and leg.
• Repeat this rep 10 times on each side.

Scapular Squeeze

Steps:

• Squeeze your shoulder blades together while you are siting or standing with your arms by your sides.
• Maintain this for 5 seconds.
• Do 2 sets of 15 each.

Let’s take a look at some valuable tips you need to keep in mind to enhance the effectiveness of exercises for back pain.

• Focus on overall good health – One of the foremost requirements for exercises for back pain to be the most effective is to keep your body weight under control. Excess pounds exert stress on your back, leading to pain. And what do you need to keep your body weight under control, apart from a disciplined fitness regimen? Yes, you guessed it right! Eat healthy and half of your body weight issues will disappear into thin air.
• Tightening your muscles during exercises for back pain – It is important to tighten your abdominal muscles while performing the exercises for back pain to prevent overexertion on your spine. These muscles protect your spine from shocks and injuries, and not tightening them may cause pain to the spinal cord. It might even lead to injuries, thus, nullifying the purpose of performing exercises for back pain.
• Focus on good posture – Maintaining the right posture while performing the exercises for back pain cannot be stressed on enough. Take the assistance of a professional fitness trainer, understand the correct postures for all the exercises, have him/her oversee you doing these exercises for at least a few fitness sessions and follow them judiciously every time you perform them. One tip for good posture you cannot ignore is to sit or stand up straight rather than slouching.
• Stretch your muscles – Stretching exercises minimise the pressure on your pelvis, preventing hamstrings and ensuring relief from back pain. Hamstrings are known to be one of the leading causes of lower back pain. Stretching exercises should be compulsorily performed before every fitness routine or heavy lifting to prevent muscle pain and injuries. Simple stretching exercises like bending forward, backward and sideways will do the trick for you. However, make sure that you do these under the recommendation and keen observation of expert fitness professionals only.
• Lift gradually and carefully – While picking up heavy weights, bend slightly at the knees, keep the weight close to your body and do not twist your body. This will enable you to prevent shocks and excessive stress on your knees and muscles, which may lead to pain and injury. It is recommended that you use a fitness band, especially during heavy weight lifting, to prevent overexertion.

Exercises for back pain aren’t rocket science. All you need to do is perform the right exercises for back pain as per your fitness requirements, under the strict supervision of your professional fitness expert, for saying goodbye to back pain, and strengthening your back and core muscles. And you thought that complete relief from your niggling back pain is a distant dream? Ha!

*Disclaimer: The tips & exercises suggested are the personal opinion of the writer. Kindly consult a licensed physician/dietitian/practitioner before implementing the same.