Strengthening the muscles of your back is a key component of fighting mild to moderate back pain. However, it's important to approach this carefully, because overdoing it can exacerbate rather than alleviate your symptoms. The key is to start with low-impact exercises that build strength and range of motion without placing undue stress on the weaker and damaged muscles that cause the pain.
Lap Swimming
Swimming laps, especially the crawl stroke, twists and strengthens your trunk to build muscle and range of motion in your back. One advantage of lap swimming, says fitness coach Ben Cohn, is that the water bears much of your body weight and slows the movement of your body. This means your spine and joints suffer less stress and less likelihood of overextension injuries. Many community swimming pools have dedicated times for members of the public to come in and swim laps.
Tai Chi
A tai chi workout twists and bends your back while teaching you to keep your torso straight and aligned to avoid injury. This means you simultaneously improve muscle strength while readdressing habits that may be contributing to your back pain. Although martial arts are generally associated with strenuous exercise, tai chi is gentle enough that it has become popular among seniors and disabled individuals. You can find tai chi classes at martial arts schools, community centers and health clubs.
Yoga
To help your back recover and heal, strengthen and stretch the muscles in your back. Yoga training does exactly this in a gentle series of motions that use your body weight to provide the strength-building resistance. There are many kinds of yoga, ranging from gentle relaxation to aggressive power yoga sessions. Talk with the instructor about your needs before starting a class. If the class isn't a good match, most instructors will direct you to one that is. Like tai chi, you can find yoga in health clubs, community centers and some martial arts studios.
References
- Ben Cohn; Fitness Coach; Hillsboro, OR
- "Yoga For a New Age"; Bob Smith; 1986
- "Easy Tai Chi"; Keith Jeffreys; 2004
