Back pain exercises
There are many back pain relief exercises that are effective to varying degrees. Choosing the right exercise for getting relief from back pain is of primary importance. While carrying out these workouts, it is necessary to call on the advice of a physical instructor.
Back pain may be associated with the lower portion of the vertebrae or the upper portion climbing up to the neck. Regular exercises will help you restore the vigor and strength of your back. The following exercises may be tried out for a minimum of 30 minutes a day and repeated three or four times.
Back pain relief exercises include ankle pumps in which you have to lie down flat on your back and move your ankles up and down. This should be repeated for at least ten times. Heel slides are useful exercises where lying on your back, you have to bend and straighten your knees very slowly. Fast movement may result in the back nerve being strained. By using an exercise belt, doing abdominal exercise may have a good effect. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your arms resting below your ribs. The belt will help you to push the ribs towards the back by tightening the abdominal muscles. You should hold this position for five seconds and relax. Do not hold your breath, and repeat this exercise ten times.
Wall squats is an exercise, which will provide strength to your back that is needed to fight against back pain. This exercise involves leaning your back against the wall and slowly walking about 12 inches forward while keeping the abdominal muscles tight and the knees bend to 45 degrees. Hold onto this position for five seconds. Slowly regain your upright position while leaning against a wall. Repeat this exercise ten times. Although it is a small exercise, raising your heels slowly up and down while standing straight with your body weight evenly balanced on two legs is a fruitful exercise. This helps the lumbar muscles work and ensure proper blood circulation through the back nerves. This exercise should be repeated at least ten times.
Straight leg raises is one of the most useful back pain relief exercises. Lying straight on your back, hold one of your legs straight while keeping the other with the knee bent at an angle of 45 degrees to the floor. Lift the straightened leg to a height of about 12 inches, and hold on to this position for five seconds. Slowly lower your legs to a rest position, and then do the same thing with the other leg. Repeat ten times to keep your spinal cord in shape.
Intermediate exercises have been found to be fruitful relief for back pain. The Hamstring stretch and the knee to chest are common exercises. Hamstring exercise involves lying on your back with legs bent, and then holding the thigh at the back of the knee, straightening the knee until a stretch is felt at the back. Holding this position for 20 seconds is enough. After which, you can relax. This should be repeated five times a day. In the knee to chest exercise, you lie on your back with knees bent and holding onto the thigh behind the knee, you pull one of your knees to touch the chest. Hold on for 20 seconds, and then relax. These back pain relief exercises have been found to give excellent results if done properly.
The Swiss Ball has come of immense use in exercises, which ensures stabilization of the lumbar region. Lying back on the floor, keep your calf on the ball while the other leg straightens up. Move your right hand over head alternating with the other hand. Straighten one knee slowly and relax. Repeat it with the other leg for five times. Another exercise is to sit on the ball with knees bent, and raise one arm above the head. Lift one knee in a right angle position while keeping the opposite arm over the head. Repeat this with alternate knee and arms ten times.
Advanced back pain relief exercises programs include the Hip Flexor and the Piriformis stretch, which have been found to be useful workouts. Lumbar stabilization exercises are effective means to reduce back pain. Aerobic exercises have become very popular because the entire procedure is rhythmic, which ensures the right postures while carrying out these workouts.
During both, the initial stages and mid period of back pain relief exercise is advisable because it is through these exercises that the strength and flexibility of the lumbar muscles are regained. The blood flow through the nerves slowly gets normalized, and this provides relief for back pain. Medical professionals give more importance to exercises than surgery. Surgery is advocated only in cases where repair to the back seems impossible. There is no alternative to back pain relief exercises.
