Ultimate Exercises

Some of the most effective back pain exercises can be carried out at home, this is ideal for those who are unable to attend a gym.

Stretching the back by lying on the stomach and using the arms to push and lift the upper body up, away from the floor and holding this position for five seconds before returning to lie on the floor is an effective and simple back pain exercise which should be repeated ten times, in a gentle smooth action without straining.

An alternative exercise is to lay on the back with both legs out straight, bring one leg up onto the chest and push the small of the back into the floor, hold this position for five seconds and return the leg to the floor. This exercise should be carried out in repetitions of five for each leg.

If the back pain is not too severe a pelvic tilt is an ideal back pain exercise. Begin this exercise by lying on the back with the knees bent, then tighten the abdominal muscles so that the small of the back presses against the floor, hold this position for five seconds and repeat five times to begin with and gradually build to ten repetitions.

Various back pain exercises which can also be carried out without a gym such as walking and swimming. Swimming can be of particular benefit as the weight of the body is supported by the water, if swimming itself is too uncomfortable gentle exercises carried out in the water can be beneficial to help ease back pain. By holding onto the side of the pool, gentle knee to chest exercises can be carried out.

Walking can be started at a slow pace, the duration and length of time walking can be relatively short and gradually increased over time. It is important to try and walk with the back as straight as possible to stretch the spine; hobbling and hunched shoulders may make the back pain more intense.

All back pain exercises should be carried out in a rhythmic way, without snatching the muscles as this may exaggerate the back pain further. Any additional sharp pain experienced during the back pain exercises is an indication that the exercise is either being carried out too fast or for too long, if this occurs the exercises should be stopped and the body given sufficient time to recover before attempting the exercises again.

Any sudden, severe back pain should be discussed with a physician prior to starting back pain exercises, to ensure that they are suitable to carry out without causing further aggravation to the back.