5 Effective Exercises to get Relief from Back Pain

The ever-changing human lifestyle has given rise to significant issues in our lives. One of the common complaints is back pain. Back pain is a concern that is increasingly affecting all age groups. The severity of back pain can range from difficulty in performing basic physical movements to hampering daily activities. Some of the known causes of back pain are:

• Sitting for long hours with the wrong posture
• Lifting heavy weights without precaution
• A ruptured disc in the spinal cord compressing the surrounding nerves
• Poor posture or abrupt movements while sleeping
• Osteoporosis – spine deterioration with time
• Kidney stones or associated problem

If the issues remain unattended, the condition deteriorates over time and cure may require extensive treatment and possibly surgery.

BACK PAIN RELIEF EXERCISES

Depending on the degree of discomfort, there are various kinds of treatment available. You can also get relief from back pain and improve the body’s overall endurance by including various types of exercises into your daily regimen. Here are a few exercises for back pain relief (with images for reference):

A. Glute Bridge

This lower back pain relief exercise is a simple way to strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, hips, transverse and abdomen. The way to do it is as follows:

• Lie down on your back on the floor, with your knees bent and only the heels touching the floor.
• While keeping the heels on the floor, raise the hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a single and straight line. The glutes must be tightened for better grip.
• This position should be held for 8 to 10 seconds, after which the hips are slowly brought back to the floor with a rest period of 5 seconds.
• The cycle should be repeated around ten times in 3 sets.
• Avoid overarching and do not arch the lower back while hips are off the ground.

B. Hamstring Stretches

This exercise relieves tension in the back of the leg, which is connected to the lower spine. It should be performed as follows.

• Lie down on your back with one knee bent.
• Use a towel for locking it around the toes of the straightened leg.
• Extend back slowly on the towel while straightening the knee. One should feel a mild stretch on the back of the leg. Be cautious and don’t overstretch.
• The position should be held for about 30 seconds and should be repeated five times for each leg. Perform three sets to improve endurance.

C. Knee to Chest

This is another simple and safe exercise for lower back pain which also improve one’s posture:

• Lie down on your back with feet on the floor and knees bent.
• Bring your right knee to your chest while maintaining the keeping the other leg flat against the floor.
• Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, ensuring that the lower back is on the floor.
• Lower the right knee and simultaneously repeat the routine with the left leg.
• For every leg, perform the exercise 5 times in 3 sets.

D. Light Aerobic Exercise

Short sessions of cardio-vascular exercise improve the blood circulation in the body. This includes Swimming, Walking, Running and other functional exercises that elevate heart rates and heat the body. Preferably, such exercises should be done in short durations in the presence of a professional trainer. Over time, the sessions can be lengthened as stamina will improve.

Take precautions to avoid any swimming strokes requiring the body to twist, or overexert.

E. Wall Sits

This is one of the simple back pain exercises, but it will definitely improve your seated posture, which is considered a primary reason for back-related ailments. This exercise involves simple steps:

• Stand straight with your back against the wall at a distance of 6-8 inches.
• With great care, lean against the wall until the spine is flat against it.
• Slowly, slide against the wall until knees are bent slightly. Try to get into a position where the hips and knees are in a straight line.
• Hold this position initially for 30 seconds, then carefully slide back up against the wall. This can be done in 5-6 sets. After more practice, one can start placing some weights as well on their thighs while performing the exercise.

These are some of the back pain relief exercises which you can perform.

One should also note that there are certain exercises and habits which one should try to avoid such as:

• Toe-touching exercises, as they can aggravate Sciatica by overstressing ligaments and spinal discs.
• Sit-ups as they can damage the discs in the long-run. They are only preferable to strengthening the core muscles.
• Leg raises apply pressure on the lower back muscles.
• Avoid lifting weights in the gym or even in regular activities as it can hurt the spinal cord.

CONCLUSION

These exercises, apart from helping you with your back pain, also help in increasing your stamina and strengthening your back. They can do wonders for your endurance and health, as well as boost your productivity.

Another thing that can aid back-pain relief is the new Moov Diclofenac Gel. The topical cream incorporates Diclofenac, which is the most-recommended pain-relieving ingredient. The cream when applied acts quickly providing immediate relief from back pain.