Back pain may be caused by degeneration of the spinal discs or due to any injury sustained during an accident. Although back pain is common among adults, very few take the initiative to prevent back pain or prevent aggravation to an existing condition. Back pain relief exercises are one of the common methods to prevent as well as recover from back pain. Here are some exercises that are very useful in helping a person recover from back and neck pain.

Listed below are some excellent ideas for back pain relief exercises

1. If your back aches, the best position is to lie on your back on the floor and keep your hip and knees bent slightly by placing a pillow under your knees. You may also bend your legs on a chair kept at your feet. This helps to reduce the pain.

2. Strong back and stomach muscles help to reduce the chances of back pain and provides protection against future back injury. A useful exercise to strengthen the abdominal and back muscles is to sit on a chair and lean forward and stretch yourself by keeping your head down in a relaxed position. Stay in this position for 10 to 20 seconds and gently revert back to your starting position. Repeat this three times.

3. Another helpful exercise to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles is the Cat Stretch where you are required to get down on your hands and knees on the floor and arch your back upwards. Contract the muscles in the stomach and drop your head, holding on for five seconds. Then, raise your head and drop your back downwards trying to avoid pushing the pelvis forward. Hold onto this position for 5 to 15 seconds. Repeat this exercise three times to get the best result.

4. Lying flat on the back hold your left knee with your hands and slowly pull it towards your chest. Hold that position for five to ten seconds, and then release your leg to stretch out. Do the same thing with your right knee. Do this exercise three times with each leg. You can also do this exercise by pulling both your knees towards your chest, and then hold them for five to ten seconds.

5. The half sit up is one of the useful back pain relief exercises to strengthen the back muscles. Here, you have to lie on your back with your feet on the ground and knees bent. Bring your chin towards the chest and touch it. Lift your shoulders slowly off the ground, and then stretch your hands to the knees. Keep in this position for three to five seconds, breathing normally. Then, slowly go back to your starting position, lying flat on the floor, and relax. Repeat this exercise three times.

6. A unique exercise for removing any stiffness of the muscles is to stand with your feet apart, holding your hips with your hands. Bend to the right at the waist, turning your head over the shoulders to look away. Hold on to this position for three to five seconds, breathing normally. Do the same thing turning to the left. Repeat three times each to the right and left.

7. For strengthening the hip joints, the lunge exercise is very useful. Put your left leg forward with the right leg stretched backward. Sink slowly in a lunge position stretching the right leg as far as possible. Slowly regain to the standing position. Do the same with the right leg forward. Repeat this exercise three times on each leg.

8. Using an exercise ball will be very helpful in making your muscles and joints stronger. Lie with your back flat on the floor before bringing both the hands under the head and stretching the left leg straight, and then bend the right leg over the exercise ball. Try to move the ball slowly. Keep to this position for five seconds. Do it again with the left leg. Breathe normally, and repeat this process three to five times.

Regular back pain relief exercises will prevent low back pain while strengthening the muscles and soft tissues that will allow the joints to move freely.

Here are two excellent videos from Jesse Cannone that discuss and show you some quick exercises to do for lower back pain and disc herniation

To find more back pain exercise ideas be sure to grab a copy of The 7 Day Back Pain Cure by back expert Jesse Cannone. It is choc full of excellent exercise ideas to help your back. You can get your copy by signing up on our website.