Many fitness and rehab professionals recommend the bridging exercise to strengthen your hips and to alleviate back pain. This involves you laying on the ground on your back with your legs hip-width apart and your feet on the ground. Lift your buttocks off the ground, and hold the position for two deep breaths. Although this exercise can be part of the workout program, relying on this technique alone is not enough to address different causes of back pain or to improve hip strength, according to physical therapist Gray Cook, author of "Athletic Body in Balance."
Benefits
Excessive pressure upon the discs in the lower spine is one of the common causes of low back pain, usually from too much sitting and improper lifting. If your hips are weak, then your lower back muscles compensate for their weakness. Strengthening your hips can reduce the pressure and stress upon the lower back. Bridging exercises provide the initial neural stimulation to your hips without placing excess stress on your lower back.
Disadvantages
Bridging exercises do not train proper strength transfer from your lower body to your upper body and stabilization of your entire body from a standing position. Although it stimulates muscle activity in the hips, it does not train other movement patterns that your brain recognizes, such as walking, squatting and stair-climbing, according to Cook. This means that the strength you gain from the bridge only works in the ground position. It does little to transfer the strength from a supine position to a standing position.
Progression
In addition to the bridging exercise, incorporate other exercises that strengthen your hips, legs, back and abdominals, such as squats, deadlifts, lunges and overhead lifts. If you are unfamiliar with these exercises, work with a qualified fitness professional to help you.
Variations
You can do other variations of bridging exercises to strengthen your hips. To do the one-leg bridge, start in the regular bridge position, and lift your right leg straight up off the ground. Bring your left foot close to your buttocks, and lift your hips off the ground as high as you can by using your left buttock. Hold the position for two seconds and lower your body down. Perform 10 reps on each hip for two sets.
To do the ball bridge, place your lower calves and heels on top of a stability ball, and lift your hips off the ground without losing your balance on the ball. Hold the position for two seconds and lower your hips to the ground.
References
- "Pain-Free Program"; Anthony Carey; 2005
- "Athletic Body in Balance"; Gray Cook; 2003
- "Essence of Program Design"; Juan Carlos Santana; 2004
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