According to Georgetown University's Center on an Aging Society, 16 million American adults experience chronic back pain, while almost 65 million Americans have experienced back pain at some point in time. While some patients experiencing low back pain will require medication, cortisone injections or surgery, many milder cases can be treated effectively with exercise. Exercises that strengthen the muscles of the lower back and abdominal core and that increase their flexibility can help alleviate chronic lower back pain.
Yoga and Tai Chi
Yoga and Tai Chi are ancient exercise forms. The gentle stretching motions of these exercises are less stressful on painful backs than other exercise, and can help to both stretch and strengthen lower back muscles. The May 2009 issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch cites the benefits of Tai Chi in strengthening and enhancing flexibility in the lower back. A study published in 2004 in the journal Alternative Therapies provides evidence of the role that yoga may play in relieving chronic low back pain.
Core Muscle Stretching Exercises
Tight hamstring muscles on the back of the thighs can exert a constant pressure on the pelvis and cause low back pain. A regular program of stretching the hamstring muscles can help alleviate this. Lie on your back and grasp one leg just above the knee with both hands and pull your knee toward your chest until you feel the stretch on the back side of your thigh. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then repeat with the other leg.
Performing the cat stretch can alleviate tightness in the muscles of your lower back. This exercise mimics the stretch that cats perform after getting up from a nap. Get down on your hands and knees so that your back is parallel to the floor. Lower your head and stretch your back upward in an arch, rounding your back as it runs between your hips and shoulders. Hold this position for five seconds. Repeat this stretch 10 times.
Core Muscle Strengthening Exercises
The pelvic muscles of the core can be strengthened with the pelvic tilt exercise. Lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor, tighten your abdominal muscles and try to push your lower back into the floor. Hold this contraction for five seconds. Repeat this exercise in two sets of 10 repetitions each.
Strengthen your abdominal muscles by performing abdominal curls. Starting in the same position as the pelvic tilt exercise, place you hands along either side of your head and gradually raise your head and shoulders off the floor about 8 to 10 inches. Hold this position for three seconds. Repeat in a single set of 10 repetitions.
Finally, strengthen your lower back muscles by performing hip extensions. Lying on your stomach as if your were going to perform push-ups, keep your head resting on the floor and lift one leg, with your knee locked and your leg straight, until your foot is 6 to 8 inches off the floor. Hold this position for five seconds. Perform one set of 10 repetitions.
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