Lifetime Fitness 4 Men

Beat That Pain With Low Back Pain Exercises

Low back pain has been estimated to have affected roughly 80% of the Western World population at some point in their lives.  Quite a problem but, it can be helped by practicing low back pain exercises.  Most cases are not serious and are resolved within 2 to 3 weeks.  However, 3 in 4 sufferers will experience reoccurring pain within 12 months. 

The most common type is called ‘simple low back pain.’  The use of the word ‘simple’ does not mean that the pain is necessarily mild because it can be very bad.  It means that the pain is not caused by any underlying disease.  Usually, the pain is centred in one area of your lower back, but can affect your thighs or buttocks.  Pain relief can usually be found by lying down flat whereas; some movements, coughing or sneezing can intensify the pain.

It is very common amongst adults and is often the result of overuse of the muscles, muscle strain or injury.  In most cases, the practice of low back pain exercises may help to relieve the pain and can help speed your recovery.  Try and avoid activities and positions that may increase your low back pain but, continue with normal life as far as possible.  You may find that non-prescription pain relievers are helpful.

Another type of low back pain is nerve root pain where a nerve from the spinal column is pressed on or irritated.  Commonly known as a ‘trapped nerve’ the pain may be felt down a leg.  Sciatica is an example where the sciatic nerve is affected in this way.

When the acute pain you have been suffering has diminished, you may feel able to attempt some low back pain exercises.  One exercise that helped me get relief when I suffered from simple low back pain is a back stretching exercise called ‘The Cat.’ 

Position yourself on all fours with your knees directly under your hips and hands directly under your shoulders.  Now as you inhale, drop your stomach towards the floor and at the same time look up over your head.  Pause for a moment, then exhale, draw your stomach back up and round your back as you tuck in your tailbone and chin.  Pause once again and then slowly repeat the exercise another five times.

Your spine is supported by muscles of the abdomen, back and buttocks, so if these muscles are weak, low back pain can be the result.  By introducing low back pain exercises into your daily routine, you can help yourself. 

By stretching and strengthening the muscles of your abdomen and spine, you can provide better support for your spine and so less susceptible to injury.  Swimming, walking and yoga will also help.

If your low back pain becomes worse, persists beyond four to six weeks, or your symptoms alter, then you must consult your doctor for advice.

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Get Relief From Back Pain With Simple Lumbar Exercises

Lumbar or back pain can be an extremely debilitating condition and is one of the most frequent complaints with about nine out of ten adults experiencing back pain at some point in their lives.  It usually originates from the muscle, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine. There are a number of different treatments for lumbar back pain such as heat therapy, medications, massage and lumbar exercises.

Although lumbar back pain can be a sign of a serious medical condition, the vast majority of cases are due to inflammation that typically lasts between two and thirteen weeks.  It is essential that you seek professional medical advice before embarking on any form of treatment.

Although the performance of lumbar exercises varies with each patient, try to achieve a smooth gentle movement throughout the exercise and hold for a few moments at the end.  You can expect to experience some pain when practicing these lumbar exercises, but it should last for a short time only and be of a moderate intensity.

 
The first lumbar exercise is simply lying down on your front in a prone position.  This is especially useful with restricted ability to extend your spine.

Next is a spinal exercise that I personally used when I suffered from low back pain, so it could be used in conjunction with other low back pain exercises.  It is a yoga exercise and starts in the kneeling position.  Now slowly stretch your back out over your bent thighs until you reach a curled up position with your face as near to the floor as comfortable.  Hold for a few moments and then relax.  Spinal exercises tend to stretch the whole of your spine.

Another lumbar exercise you could do is to lie on the bed, grasp one knee and slowly and gently pull it up towards your chest whilst keeping your other leg flat down.  When you reach the furthest position, hold it there for a few moments and then lower back down.  Repeat with the other leg.
Finally, whilst lying on the bed, slowly and gently pull both of your knees up towards your chest.  Hold for a couple of seconds and then gently lower back down.

Recovering from back pain is a slow business and for spinal exercises to be successful, they have to be repeated daily over a long period.  I must repeat again that before commencing any exercises, you must seek advice from your doctor.

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