Millions of people live with chronic back pain. It is a major cause of disability and lost work days. The first step in treating back pain is to have your condition properly diagnosed. Back pain can be caused by muscular problems, disc injuries, arthritis and degenerative changes to the spine. In rare cases bone cancer or tumors can cause back pain. Back pain can also be a symptom of a problem with one of your organs and may not be related to your back at all. This means that it is important to not self-diagnose your back pain or brush it off as a normal part of aging. This is especially true if part of your back pain treatment program includes exercise. Exercises that may help muscular problems could exacerbate a disc problem. However, the right exercise program may help to alleviate your symptoms.
Identification
The back is made up of muscles, bones called vertebrae that make up the spinal column, tendons, ligaments, discs that act as shock absorbers between the vertebra and a network of nerves that travel from the brain to various areas of your body. Any of these structures can become inflamed, irritated or injured, causing back pain. Back pain can be mild or severe, dull, sharp, shooting or feel like a burning sensation. It may occur in just in your back or it can radiate into the hips, legs and feet. Your doctor can perform a physical exam, do blood tests and order x-rays, MRIs and other scans to help determine what the exact cause of your back pain is. Then a treatment plan including exercise guidelines can be established.
Benefits
Back pain can occur if you are overweight and physically out of shape, states the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. It can be a result of poor posture and body mechanics. In these cases, your back pain may be muscular. The good news is that exercise can help. Exercise can shed extra pounds and strengthen your abdominal and back muscles. Both can reduce pressure on your back. Stretching tight muscles will help to ease spasms and reduce your risk of pulling a muscle, tendon or ligament. If you have arthritis or a spinal injury, the right exercise program will help you move in a way that reduces strain on the back. If a disc injury or disease is causing your pain, you may need to work with a physical therapist first to help determine what exercises are best and which ones should be avoided.
Considerations
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, "Exercise may be the most effective way to speed recovery from low back pain and help strengthen back and abdominal muscles." In addition, if you are overweight you will need to incorporate aerobic exercise into your routine. To lose weight you need at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise on most days of the week. This includes activities such as walking, biking, swimming and dancing. Start off with shorter periods throughout the day and then work up to one long session. Start off slowly and work at a pain-free level. While you may be a little sore when you first start exercising, your symptoms should not get worse. As the extra weight comes off you may find that your back pain gets better as well.
Types
Along with losing weight, stretching and strengthening the muscles that support the back is also important. The National Institutes of Health recommends exercising the abdominal and back muscles at least 15 minutes per day on a minimum of three days per week. This includes abdominal crunches, the bridge exercise, leg lifts and back extensions. If you are new to exercise, working with a physical therapist or trainer will ensure you are doing the exercises correctly and in a way that does not make your symptoms worse. This is especially true with abdominal exercises where there is a tendency to pull on the neck. If you do stomach exercises correctly, they should not hurt your neck or back. When your back and abdominal muscles are strong and flexible, pressure will be taken off of your spine.
Complementary Movement Therapies
If you find traditional forms of exercise too painful or difficult, you may want to look into a gentle yoga class. Yoga will help you learn to move slowly and in a way that will not exacerbate your back pain. You will also learn to breathe and relax while moving, which may help to prevent back spasms. Learning to relax your muscles while stretching them can make exercise tolerable. There are also movement therapies such as the Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais that help you learn to move without placing stress on the back. These therapies can be practiced one on one or taken as a class.
