If your lower back is screaming for help, you might want to go to bed and stay there. However, it’s usually not your best option. Even if an exercise regimen won’t fully eliminate your pain, it will frequently reduce it and increase your general mobility and fitness. Additionally, studies have shown that regular exercise can help in preventing recurrent episodes of back pain.
How to Strengthen the Lower Back
The most effective method for treating your lower back pain depends on a few factors.
Firstly, consult a healthcare professional before trying to stretch yourself if your discomfort is the consequence of trauma, such as a fall or an accident. The same holds for back discomfort that is accompanied by vomiting, a cough, or other symptoms of a sickness.
However, if you’ve been sitting in an uncomfortable chair for a long time or have exerted yourself excessively doing yard or housework, gentle stretching, and exercise can be exactly what you need.
Best Stretches and Exercises for Lower Back Pain
1. Trunk Rotation
- You may perform this lying twist while lying on your back. Pick a surface—the floor or a bed—that seems the most comfortable for you.
- With your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, lie on your back. As near to touching as is comfortable for you, your knees should be in contact.
- Your knees should be moved to one side slowly and gently. Make an effort to keep your upper back and shoulders rigid. Feeling a slight stretch on the side opposing the direction your knees are going is the aim.
- Hold for five to ten seconds after you feel the stretch.
- Return your knees to the center with gentleness. Next, move them across to the opposite side.
- Repeat 3-5 times on each side (or whatever feels good)
2. Supported Cat-cow
- Your spine will become more flexible when you do the cat-cow yoga stance. It’s usually performed on your hands and knees, beginning on a table. Similar advantages can be obtained with this change, but your sore back won’t suffer as much.
- Keeping your arms straight at your elbows, place both of your hands flat on a counter, desk, or tabletop.
- Gently round your back, pushing on your hands and bringing them down to your chest (cat).
- Lower your torso, draw your shoulders in towards one another, and tilt your head upwards (cow).
- Move very carefully and pass through the cow and cat three to five times at a slow pace.
3. Side Bend
- Your back and sides of your abs are the focus of this standing stretch.
- Try gripping a counter or table with one hand while you stretch to the other side if you have trouble maintaining your balance.
- Arrange your arms straight above your head as you stand.
- Firmly plant both of your feet about hip-width apart on the ground.
- Extend your upper torso and arms to one side. When you stretch, try to maintain a straight hip position rather than lifting or extending your hips out to the side.
- Take a three to five-second hold.
- Go back to the middle.
- As you extend to the opposite side, repeat.
- Repeat three to five times on each side.
4. Bridge
The Bridge Pose helps in stretching your spine back into neutral and using your glutes to relieve lower back pain.
- For this stretch, begin on the floor if it is a safe and comfortable place for you to be. If it’s more convenient, try it in bed.
- With your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, lie on your back. Maintain a knee distance of roughly hip breadth. Align your arms with your body’s sides.
- Raise your hips by using your buttock muscles. Take it easy. Don’t feel like you need to go too high too fast. Just lift until you feel the stretch.
- Hold for three to five seconds then lower
5. Standing Child’s Pose
- Similar to cat-cow, a child’s pose is usually performed on the ground. To be gentler to a sore back, a modified version can be on a countertop or other elevated surface.
- Keeping your arms straight at your elbows, place both of your hands flat on a counter, desk, or tabletop.
- Retrace your steps, maintaining a hip-width distance between each foot.
- To bring your ass back, hinge at the hips. Maintain a flat back. Your hands should be in a straight line that ends at your tailbone. Let your neck unwind.
- Give this stretch a five- to ten-second hold.
6. Traditional Child’s Pose
- On the floor or a bed, begin in the tabletop position (on your hands and knees).
- Spread your knees and touch your big toes together.
- Reposition your hips such that your heels are supporting your buttocks. Reaching forward, your hands and arms should be on the ground beneath you, on either side of your head.
- Keep the position for ten to thirty seconds.
7. Walk
When your lower back flares up, walking can help.
Your activity level and your body’s tolerance for walking will determine how far and how often you walk to ease your back discomfort. Work your way up from a short starting distance. That might entail going two houses down your block and then turning around. Proceed two houses in the opposite direction if you feel alright. Remaining close to your home base is the aim. Keep in mind that you must walk farther to return the farther you travel in one direction.
8. Bird Dog
- Get down on all fours, placing your knees behind your hips and your hands under both shoulders on the ground.
- Lift your left leg straight behind you and your right arm forward until they are both parallel to the floor, keeping your head in alignment with your spine.
- Stop, then take a step back to where you were before.
- Continue with the right leg and left arm.
- Throughout the workout, make sure to maintain your hips level, your back flat, and your abdominal muscles taut.
- Repeat ten times on each side.
Changes: Instead of placing both hands and feet on the floor, lean forward over a bed with your hands on the bed and your feet on the ground.
9. Double Stretch from Knee to Chest
- With your feet flat on the ground and both legs bent, lie on your back.
- Raise your feet, bring your knees close to your chest, and give them an embrace with your arms.
- Maintain this posture with your back relaxed against the floor for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Let go.
- Do this stretch several times.
Modifications: Pull in one knee at a time for a less taxing stretch that targets the same muscles. If you find it difficult to raise your knee up, try pulling it in your direction by hooking a towel or little strap behind it.
10. Twist Supine
- With your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent, lie on your back.
- As you progressively roll to the right side of your body, keep your knees together and your shoulders flat on the floor.
- After a five-second pause, carefully bring your knees back to the beginning position.
- After that, slowly let your knees move to the left side of your body.
- After a brief five-second break, resume your original posture.
- On each side, repeat this numerous times.
Adjustments: Try lowering your knees to roughly half of their height on the floor rather than to the floor.
11. Extension (extending your lower back)
- Begin a lying down position and slowly lift and stretch your lower back.
- Instead of holding this, repeat the exercise 10 times, 3 sets each.
- If it feels too intense, you can modify this stretch by lying on your forearms.
FAQs
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What is the best exercise to relieve lower back pain?
Partial crunches, knee-to-chest stretches, bird dog, and bridge poses are some exercises or yoga poses to relieve lower back pain.
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What is the fastest way to cure lower back pain?
Therapy with heat and cold temperatures generally reduces edema and inflammation. You can help your muscles relax by applying heat. You can attempt cold or heat therapy for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day, depending on the symptoms of your lower back pain, until the discomfort subsides.
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How can I relieve back pain in 5 minutes?
Stretch – each stretch should be held for 30 seconds, or for as long as it is comfortable. Reaching your toes: Bending forward to touch your toes can assist in releasing the muscles in your lower back and stretch your hamstrings.
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How can I cure my back pain at home?
Hot and cold treatments. When treating a back injury, it is recommended to apply cold compresses or an ice pack instead of heat, since this can prevent or lessen swelling and ease pain by numbing the affected area.
Restricted time in bed.
Engaging in physical exercise.
complementary medicine.
