If you have lower back pain, then you’re not alone. Studies show that over half of American adults experience back pain every year. Back pain is a widespread health condition that causes millions of lost workdays every year.
Not only can back pain affect your career, but it can also have a significant impact on your personal life and leave you unable to enjoy activities and hobbies. Fortunately, there are lots of simple ways to alleviate the symptoms of lower back pain. Exercise can strengthen your spine and help you avoid back injuries and pain. Here is advice on what kind of exercises help lower back pain.
Partial crunches
Doing full sit-ups can put stress on your spine and aggravate back pain. Partial crunches are a great alternative as they work your core abdominal muscles without putting too much pressure on your spine. The best way to do a partial crunch is to lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
You can either cross your arms over your chest or keep your hands behind your head before slowly lifting your shoulders off the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds and then slowly lower to the ground. Repeat this movement in sets of 8-15. It is good to purchase an exercise mat to provide support and avoid injuries while doing floor exercises.
Pelvic tilts
Pelvic tilt exercise can release tight back muscles and keep your spine flexible. The exercise focuses on improving your pelvic muscles, which support good spine health. To perform a pelvic tilt, lie on an exercise mat with both feet flat on the floor and your arms by your sides.
Gently arch your lower back and lift your hips to push your pelvis out. Hold this position for a couple of seconds and then slowly lower yourself back to the floor. Start by completing a set of 5-10 and try to increase this to sets of 30 overtime.
Bridges
Bridges are designed to strengthen a person’s gluteus maximus – the large muscle found in your buttocks. This is one of the most critical muscles in the body as it supports good posture and spinal alignment. Keeping your glutes strong will help to alleviate back pain and spinal issues. To complete a bridge, lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor shoulder-width apart.
It would help if you then lifted your glutes off the floor until your body forms a straight line. Squeeze your glutes while your shoulders remain on the floor. Gently lower yourself to the ground and repeat the exercise 8-15 times.
Conclusion
Exercise can be a fantastic way to strengthen your spine and alleviate back pain symptoms. However, it is only effective when done correctly. Doing exercise that is too intensive can put additional pressure on your spine and cause further injury. Above are a few suggestions of exercise that can help relieve back pain.
However, you should always have back pain checkout out by a doctor and follow your medical professional’s advice. Your doctor or another medical professional, like a chiropractor in Miami, will be able to offer you further guidance on what kind of exercises help lower back pain. Visiting SnapCrack, a walk-in Miami chiropractor, can answer your questions about back pain quickly and without an appointment.
