Working Out With Back Pain

Working out and staying fit are necessities in living a long, healthy life. “But my back hurts!”, is something a lot of people say, and it keeps them from doing the things they love. However, even if you’ve sustained a back injury or are experiencing chronic lower back pain, you can still stay active and relieve your back pain at the same time.

There are workouts you can do to help recover from a back injury or if you have chronic back pain. Certain exercises can relieve that severe back pain you may be experiencing. How it helps is by strengthening muscles and adding much needed flexibility to the tighter regions of your back. 

SAFELY WORKING OUT WITH BACK PAIN

Before jumping into a workout regimen while dealing with lower back pain, you need to be sure it’s safe to proceed. Make sure you meet with your doctor to be cleared for low-intensity exercise. This is mainly determined by knowing the cause of the back pain you’re living with. Think about how active you were before chronic back pain set in. Other factors include your overall pain symptoms. Think about this, “Where, when, and how long does my back hurt?” 

As long as your back pain isn’t the result of a severe back injury, like a fracture, a chronic disease, or a tumor; a low-intensity workout plan can help you manage your chronic back pain.

BACK PAIN EXERCISES TO GET YOU STARTED

Focusing on your core strength is a great place to start in your journey to lessen your lower back muscle pain. These exercises can help to reduce the stress on your spine and keep your body upright. The following exercise routines are to help you get started:

• Kneeling Extensions: Begin on all fours and tighten your abdominal muscles. Fully extend your right arm ahead of you and your left leg behind you, and hold for 10 seconds. Then switch to your left arm and right leg, repeat three times on each side.
• Abdominal Chair Crunch: Lie on the ground with your legs resting on the seat of a chair. Place your hands behind your head and lift your chin towards the ceiling using your abdominal muscles.
• Planks: Lying face down on the floor, tuck your toes into the ground and place your elbows on the ground – shoulder width apart. Keep your stomach muscles tight and slowly raise your body up off the ground. Hold this position for 10 seconds and reset. Repeat this exercise five times and, as you get stronger, attempt to hold it for a longer period of time.
• Wall Sits: Stand with your back against the wall and slowly lower yourself as if sitting in an imaginary chair. Tighten your abdominal muscles and upper leg muscles to stabilize yourself. Hold this position for 15 seconds and raise back up. Repeat five times and, as you become stronger, try to hold it for a longer amount of time.

THINGS TO AVOID WITH CHRONIC LOWER BACK PAIN

When working out with back pain, it’s also important to know what exercises and activities to avoid, to reduce the risk of injuring yourself further. Key activities to avoid include: heavy weight lifting, activities that require repeated bending over, and anything that requires lifting heavy objects overhead.

Learn about your body as you move forward with your back pain exercise routine. Learn your own limits and what exercises cause you more pain. This will help you figure out the best workout regimen for you on your road to recovery from chronic back pain.