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If you suffer from lower back pain, then exercise may seem impossible. Strengthening your back can
help reduce the pain and speed up recovery. But what exercises are safe for bad or weak backs?
We're going to start out simple and then work our way up to more complex routines.
First things first. If you suffer from back pain you should seek medical advice before commencing any
exercise program, especially specific exercises for bad or weak backs. Only perform these routines
after you've been cleared by your doctor.
There are a variety of medical problems that may result in back pain,
some of them involving degeneration of parts of the spine, spinal (intervertebral) discs, or muscles in the lower back.
Some of these conditions may be aggrevated by improper exercise. Back pain may also come from internal
conditions, such as a disorder of the kidney or pancreas. In these cases, exercise will probably not help
with the direct cause of the pain. Seek immediate medical attention if you think you have a condition such as one of these.
The next thing to consider is the origin of your back pain. Did you injure it playing sports, lifting weights,
or in a car accident? Perhaps you didn't know you injured it at the time, and the pain resulted 1-3 days after
the event. Is it a persistent condition that seems to get worse? Do you sit with poor posture? Are you overweight?
While seemingly innocuous, obesity is a major cause of back pain, especially in men. The male body was not designed
to carry a constant load in the abdominal region, and it puts extreme stress on the lower back. The first plan of
action to reduce back pain is to partake in a comprehensive exercise and nutrition program to lose unnecessary body
fat. Exercises should be performed with proper form and excellent posture to prevent aggrevating the lower back even
further.
If you are exercising to lose weight and have back pain, never perform exercises such as "back squats" where weight is placed on the back of your neck.
Also if performing exercises where you bend over with resistance, be sure to always bend forward with good posture. Spend
some time stretching out, especially the lower back, hips, abs, and legs. Perform gentle forward bends to stretch the
back and hamstrings. Bring your knee to your chest to stretch the hip flexors. These are perhaps two of the most important
stretches in this case.
Try to evaluate your position each day. Do you sit in front of a computer with poor posture for much of the day? Do you
take time to stand up, walk around, and stretch out? Are your shoulders slumped forward and your head angled down to see
your work?
Write yourself a note and stick it to your computer monitor. Write something along the lines of "Evaluate Posture." Whenever you see
that note, check your position. Maybe even stand up and stretch out for a few seconds if possible. Be sure your chin is up and your
shoulders are back. You should not be slumped forward (with your back rounded). Check your posture in all of your activities,
especially times when you lift heavy objects or positions you maintain for long periods of time such as working or driving.
The exercises you should do will depend greatly on the severity of the pain and the cause. If possible try some gentle stretches before
doing any exercise at all.
Here are a few stretches and exercises you can try. Stop right away if any of these cause pain:
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