A lower back injury causes not only limited range of motion and mobility but can make even the smallest movement excruciatingly painful. While the tendency may be to avoid movement and exercise, doing so may increase healing time, shorten the muscles and make recovery more difficult. A few basic lower back exercises can, with the help and advice of your doctor, get you back up and on your feet as soon as possible.
Stretch
After allowing an injured back to rest for a couple of days, and following the advice of your health- care practitioner, perform a variety of stretches for the lower back several times a day. Perform stretches slowly and smoothly with no jerking movements. Before stretching, warm up the body by walking or moving around. Avoid any stretches or exercises that require you to twist the waist or arch or hyper-extend the back, suggests Big Back Pain. Lie on your back on the floor and gently rock the pelvis, lifting the hips and curling the pelvic cradle slightly upward, like you're scooping up a spoonful of sugar. Keep the buttocks on the floor. This is a very small move. Then, flatten the buttocks and lower back against the floor, holding for a count of five. Repeat this sequence about 10 to 15 times.
You can also lie on your back with knees bent. Lift one knee, grasping it with your hands, and gently pull it toward the chest, keeping the lower back and pelvis on the floor. Hold the stretch for about five seconds and then release. Repeat this five times, then switch to the other leg.
Wall Squats
Work the lower back without placing added strain on your abdominal or lower back muscles. Stand with your back against a wall, lower abs pulled in. Your feet should be about 18 inches from the wall baseboard, about shoulder distance apart. Using the wall as support, slowly allow your body to slide downward. Try to slide down until your thighs are perpendicular to the floor, but if you can't go down that far at first, go only as far as you can without pain, suggests Big Back Pain. Hold the maximum position for about five seconds and then slowly lift yourself back up, using thigh strength to return to the starting position. Repeat about five times.
Swimming
Swimming is an effective, low-impact exercise for lower back pain, suggests Family Doctor, a website provided by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Start slowly, using a breast stroke and then advance to overhand stroke if such movement does not cause pain.
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