Way back when, the prescription for back pain was to rest and keep your back immobile until you were 100% healed. But that old school mentality has given away to new techniques to combat back pain. More specifically, including stretching and exercises to relieve back pain. Why? Because they increase blood flow to the area of pain, which enhances the healing process.
6 Effective Stretches and Exercises for Back Pain
Whether a couch potato, weekend warrior, or elite athlete, we’re all susceptible to back pain at some point during our lives. If you suffer from chronic back pain, you might be inclined to avoid physical activity to avoid more pain. However, you might not be aware that certain activities and stretches can actually help your back pain.
The right exercises can help to strengthen the back and the surrounding muscles, which can decrease stress on the back and allow for better mobility. Exercises shouldn’t focus solely on the back muscles. Weakness and tightness in the neck, shoulders, hips, glutes, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles can also contribute to back pain.
Let’s look at some helpful stretches and exercises for back pain.”
In summary, here are the main topics of the article:
- Stretch the Neck and Shoulders
- Stretch the Back
- Stretch the Hips and Glutes
- Stretch the Hamstrings
- Strengthen the Core
- Do Low-Impact Cardio
I agree with most of what was detailed in the article, however, when it came to the topic of strengthening your core muscles and performing low-impact cardio, I did not agree to some things that were said. For starters, doing sit-ups and crunches are potentially bad for your back pain, since it could target an area which is causing the pain. Bottom line, it can be counter-productive for you! Performing planks, such as the push-up plank, maybe safer on your back while it helps strengthen your core muscles more effectively. Another great exercise for your core and back is called the “bird dog”. Click here to see how its done ==>> Bird Dog.
Also, I would focus more on taking brisk walks rather than relying on a treadmill (or a stationary bike, etc.) to perform low-impact cardio. People tend to spend way too much time on a treadmill, for example, and studies have found that it may result in over-training, which can lead to oxidative stress and inflammation. That’s not good, especially if you suffer from back pain.
