If you suffer from lower back pain, you are not alone. The Spine-Health website estimates that up to 85 percent of Americans experience the sometimes debilitating back pain. Lower back pain can impair your ability to do simple tasks, making it especially frustrating to go through your day. Fortunately, exercise can both prevent and treat some cases, giving you back the freedom to enjoy your everyday life.
Sciatica
Sciatica is a common form of lower back pain caused by an irritation of the sciatic nerve. This nerve innervates a large portion of your lower body, making inflammation in this structure especially troublesome. If your pain is not severe, your doctor is likely to recommend a regime of self-care that includes lower back stretches. These exercises help relieve the tension and pain caused by the compression of the nerve. Do a simple exercise by lying over an exercise ball to gently stretch your back. Roll over the ball to provide comfort down the entire length of your spine.
Back Exercises
You may be able to prevent lower back pain with exercises which strengthen your back muscles so that your body is able to better respond to sudden movements. Use an exercise ball to do back extensions. Place the ball under your belly. Drape yourself over the ball and lift your upper body off of the floor, extending your arms at your sides. Hold briefly before returning to your starting position.
Abdominal Strength
The back muscles act in concert with your abdominal muscles to support your body. Therefore, to prevent lower back pain, it is essential to exercise your core muscles as well. Do easy exercises such as crunches or more challenging ones such as the plank to strengthen your abs; strong abs can prevent you from slouching and help you maintain good posture. To do crunches, lie on an exercise ball so it is supporting your upper back. Inhale as you pull yourself forward. Pause briefly and return to your starting position. Position yourself farther over the back of your ball when you become stronger.
Yoga
Yoga also provides a variety of exercises for strengthening your back muscles as well as increasing your flexibility. Poses such as the cat pose or upward-facing dog provide gentle, non-jarring stretches for your lower back. Begin on all fours for the cat pose. Lower your head as you roll your spine upwards, like a cat stretching. Hold the pose for a moment, then return to your starting position. Yoga poses vary in difficulty, so customize your yoga practice for your particular fitness and flexibility level.
References
- Spine-Health: Back Pain Health Center
- American Council on Exercise: Understanding Sciatica
- "Lean, Long and Strong: The 6-Week Strength-Training, Fat-Burning Program for Women"; W. Linguvic; 2004
- Mayo Clinic: Core Exercises: 7 Reasons to Strengthen Your Core Muscles
- Yoga Journal: Lower Back
