Exercises to ease your back pain
THE discomfort of back pain is something people of all ages can relate to. Sometimes it gets so bad that you have to visit the chiropractor.
There are many things that can cause back pain. Two main ones are staying in one position for long periods of time and lifting objects incorrectly.
According to personal trainer Rohan Gordon, lifting objects incorrectly causes trauma, resulting in an instant back spasm (contraction of the muscles) in the lower back. He stressed that the right way to lift things is to spread your legs shoulder width apart, squat down keeping your torso upright, and lift with your legs and not your back. He also pointed out that lifting small objects can also result in injuries — it’s not what you lift but how you lift that causes the problem.
Gordon recommends the following stretches to relieve back pain.
1. Warm up
As with every exercise routine, warming up is the first step. In a standing position, place your right leg over the left leg and stretch all the way down. Gordon recommends that you hold the stretch for no more than six seconds at a time.
2. Bottom to heel stretch
Gordon told All Woman that this stretch will allow free movement of the spine and ease pressure from off the nerves. To begin, go down on both hands and feet. Your knees should be in-line with your hips and your hands in-line with your shoulders. Hold this position for 15 seconds. While doing this stretch, keep your arms fully extended.
3. Knee rolls
Lie on your back using a small cushion or book to elevate your head. Relax your body, keep your knees bent, chin tucked in, and spread your arms like an eagle. Turn both legs left, centre, then right. Repeat these movements eight to 10 times. For comfort, feel free to use a pillow or foam roller between your knees.
4. Back extension
4. Back extension
Lie on your stomach, placing your arms under your body or at your sides. Push your body into the floor, keeping your neck long and back arched. As you do this you should feel a gentle stretch in the stomach muscles. Repeat this eight to 10 times. Hold for five to 10 seconds with each repetition.
5. Abdominal strengthening
5. Abdominal strengthening
This stretch strengthens the supporting muscles around the spine. To start off, lie on you back, and place a small, flat cushion or book under your head for slight elevation. Bend your knees and keep your feet straight. Take a deep breath in, pushing hips up towards the ceiling. As you breathe out, draw up the muscles of your pelvis. Go back to starting position and breathe in for five to 10 seconds, push up your hips, deep breathe in and out. Repeat this five times. Gordon explained that this is a slow, gentle tightening of the lower abdominal region. Do not use more 25-30 per cent of your maximum strength.
Although these simple exercises can be done to ease back pain, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Gordon advises that if you mostly sit at work, you should get up at regular intervals and simply stretch your body. This relaxes the muscles and increases blood circulation.
