Back pain affects 75 to 80 percent of adults, notes the American Physical Therapy Association, and is the second-leading cause of disability in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Strengthening the deep postural muscles in your back and abdomen can help take pressure off your spine. Exercises can help to decrease the severity of back pain and prevent future episodes by improving the strength and endurance of the spinal stabilizers.
Isometric Transverse Abdominal Brace Exercise
Abdominal bracing uses your deepest abdominal muscles to support and stabilize your spine. Lie on your back with your knees bent so your feet are flat on the ground. Contract your abdominals by bringing your belly button towards your spine and flattening your stomach. Keep your breathing constant and do not hold your breath. Hold each contraction for five to 10 seconds, repeat for 10 repetitions and perform the exercise three to five times per week. As you get comfortable with the brace maneuver, you can incorporate it into other exercises and daily activities to protect your spine and prevent injury.
Bridge Exercise
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Raise your hips off the floor to make a straight line between your knees and shoulders. Perform abdominal bracing to keep spine in neutral throughout exercise, hold for three to five seconds and bring hips back down to the ground. Repeat 10 to 20 times each session and do three to five sessions per week.
Spinal Twist Stretch
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Rotate through your spine and allow your knees to fall towards one side until you feel a gentle stretch in your back. Hold the position for five to 10 seconds and return to neutral while keeping your abs braced. Repeat the exercise going the other direction, and hold for five to 10 seconds. Do each stretch five to 10 times and perform three to five sessions per week.
Cat/Camel Stretch
Get on your hands and knees and round your back towards the ceiling by tightening your abs. Let your head and pelvis drop towards the ground to feel a stretch in your back. Hold for five seconds and then return to the starting position. Rotate your pelvis forward and bring your head up towards the ceiling by arching your back and allowing your belly to move towards the floor. Hold for five seconds and then return to neutral. Repeat 10 times and perform three to five sessions per week.
Bird Dog Exercise
Begin on your hands and knees with your spine in neutral. Raise one arm toward the ceiling and keep abs braced. If you can maintain a pain-free neutral posture, raise your opposite leg off the ground and hold the position for three to five seconds. Return to the resting position and raise the other arm with the opposite leg. Repeat 10 times on each side and perform three to five times a week.
Plank Exercise
Lie on your stomach with your elbows positioned underneath your shoulders. Perform the abdominal brace maneuver and push yourself onto your toes and forearms, keeping a straight line from your toes to your shoulders. Relax your neck by keeping your gaze on the floor and maintain neutral spinal posture. Hold for five to 10 seconds and slowly increase your hold time, up to one minute, as long as you can maintain good posture without pain.
References
- APTA: Physical Therapy is Effective for Management of Low-Back Pain
- CDC: 47.5 Million U.S. Adults Report a Disability; Arthritis Remains Most Common Cause
- Move Forward: Find Your Condition: Back
- MayoClinic.com: Slide show: Back Exercises in 15 Minutes a Day
- AllAboutAbs.com: Isometric Exercises for Stomach Strengthening
