Exercises to Strengthen Your Lower Back and Reduce Pain

HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BACK, WHILE REDUCING PAIN.

Anyone who’s ever experienced lower back pain is fully aware that it can be both excruciating and debilitating. In severe cases, you can have a hard time moving around and may not even want to get out of bed in the morning.

Not engaging your muscles, however, will only make the situation worse. Here are some simple exercises to strengthen lower back muscles while simultaneously reducing and preventing potential injuries.

THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF BACK PAIN

Millions of people across the United States suffer from lower back pain. Many of them suffer from severe cases that result in limited mobility, depression, and other problems.

Here are several of the most common causes of lower back pain:

• Back Injuries
• High Stress
• Weight Gain
• Hormones
• Pregnancy
• Bad Sleep
• Gastro Issues
• UTI

HOW EXERCISING HELPS RELIEVE LOWER BACK PAIN

When you strengthen your core or any muscle group, you’ll effectively reduce the chances of injury of those particular muscles. By building up the muscles in your lower back, this can alleviate and even prevent back pain from occurring and/or worsening Plus, it’s also believed that exercise increases blood flow to your lower back, which results in less stiffness and a more expedient healing process.

EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN LOWER BACK MUSCLES

If you’re experiencing lower back pain, then you’ll definitely want to obtain a medical diagnosis. Your doctor will go over with you precisely the types of exercises to strengthen lower back muscles and improve your overall health.

There are quite a few different exercises to choose from and here are some of our favorites:

PARTIAL CRUNCHES

Start with knees bent, feet flat, and either your arms crossed over your chest or hands behind your neck. Tighten your abdominal (stomach) muscles as you raise your shoulders and exhale. Resist the urge to use your elbows or arms to pull your neck off the floor. Hold for a second and then return to the starting position.

Duration: 8-10 reps

HAMSTRING STRETCHES

Start by lying on your back with one bent knee. Loop a towel beneath the ball of your foot and then straighten your knee while slowly pulling back the towel. If you’re doing it properly, you’ll feel a gentle stretch in the back of your leg.

Hold this for 15-30 seconds.

Duration: 2-4 reps for each leg

GLUTES BRIDGE

Start on your back, knees bent, feet flat, and hands at your sides. Raise your hips off the floor and try to create a straight line from hips to shoulders. Lower your hips to the floor, rest for 10 seconds, and repeat.

Duration: 8-12 reps

Pelvic Tilts

Lie back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Tighten your stomach as if you’re getting ready to be punched in the gut. This will push your back against the floor, with your hips and pelvis rocking back. Hold this position for 10 seconds while you breathe normally (deep breaths aren’t needed).

Duration: 8-12 reps

Bird Dog

Start off on your hands and knees while tightening your stomach muscles. Lift and extend your left leg behind you, keeping your hips level, and hold this position for 5 seconds. Then, switch to the other leg and repeat. To improve this exercise, lift and extend your opposite arm each time.

Duration: 8-12 reps

Quad Superman

Start in the tabletop position, drawing your navel in toward your spine. Raise an arm and the opposite leg straight up to the level of your shoulder. Slowly lower your arm and leg, and then repeat with the opposite arm and leg.

Duration: 8-10 reps

Lifting Weights

Whether or not lifting weights is a good exercise for your lower back pain will depend on the advice of your doctor. If you have acute back pain, he or she may advise against it. However, lifting weights can relieve chronic back pain in many people.

Yoga & Pilates

The gentle stretches involved in yoga and Pilates can be very beneficial in reducing lower back pain. However, if you’re experiencing lower back pain, be sure to tell your instructor because there are certain moves that he or she may want you to skip just to be safe.

VISIT FITNESS 360 TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN LOWER BACK MUSCLES

If you’re experiencing lower back pain, always be sure to consult your physician before beginning an exercise routine. Once you’ve done that, Fitness 360 will work closely with you to create a focused regimen of exercises to strengthen lower back muscles and relieve pain. If you would like additional information or are ready to sign up, give us a call at (727) 797-5100 today to join our fitness community.