Lower back pain is a common occurrence for us all and whether we have it from time to time or if we suffer from it constantly, exercise is one of the best ways to ensure that you get optimal relief and strengthen those muscles. We have explored 5 of the top exercises for lower back pain relief to help you strengthen those muscles.
Recommended read: Get Rid of Backpain Having the Correct Postures
This easy program for lower back pain relief can be done virtually anywhere and from the comfort of your own home. The exercises are quite easy to perform and do not require many other accessories. However, it is recommended that you also visit or consult your doctor to ensure that you are capable to perform these exercises and that they will not aggravate the current lower back problems you might have.
Top 5 exercises for lower back pain relief:
There are a ton of exercises that is widely recommended for lower back pain and many people might not know which ones are the best. This brief description and overview of each exercise should ensure that you understand exactly how to perform these exercises the safe way and which benefits each of them will provide you with. Here are the top 5 exercises to perform for lower back pain:
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Stretches (Hamstring)
Stretching is a good way to activate the lower back muscles naturally and once you start incorporating it on a regular basis, you will see the results in no time at all. Hamstring stretches on the floor is a great way for you to start the process and it puts the control in your hands as well. Here is a brief guide of how to perform hamstring stretches comfortably and how it could benefit your lower back.
Benefits:
- Offers you full control over the motion: With hamstring stretches, you will have full control over the motion and your back will be comfortable on the floor. You could dictate just how much force and pressure should be placed on the lower back and this could help you strengthen the muscles over time.
- Loosens the lower back and legs: if sciatica is one of your problems, the lower back should be loosened before commencing with any strenuous activity. The exercise loosens up the lower back in a natural way to promote a better range of movement.
- Can be done often: Stretching is something that you could incorporate as part of your daily habit. This can be done in the office or each morning when you wake up. You will feel much looser and ready for each day.
How to apply:
- Find a comfortable platform like a training mat or the bed
- Raise one leg in the air whilst trying to keep the other one as straight as possible
- Use a towel around your toe that you could grip with both hands. ( this can also be performed without a towel by simply reaching for the toe
- Pull down the towel and hold for 15-30 seconds before resting
- Alternate legs
This exercise can be performed on a daily basis. However, you should ensure that you back is in the right condition.
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Wall sits:
Wall sits are a little tougher to perform and you will need to ensure that you back is in the right condition for this workout. It can be done daily as well, but we do suggest limiting it at first to ensure that your lower back muscles become strong enough.
Benefits:
- Strengthens the back: The exercise is designed to place the strain on the lower back and actually strengthen the muscles around the obliques and core.
- Strengthens the leg muscles: This exercise places strain on the hamstring as well and over time, you will build up resiliency and strength in the muscle.
- Improves mental strength: The great thing about this exercise is that it is not easy to perform at first and you will need to have decent mental strength to perform it. The exercise will grow on you and you will be able to apply this strength during everyday activities.
How to apply:
- Find a sturdy wall that will not budge or make you feel uncomfortable
- Lean against the wall with your back
- Bend your knees 90 degrees to find the sweet spot
- Hold for a 10 count and repeat as needed
As you develop some additional core strength, you might find the exercise easy to perform. You could easily just add a training ball to the movement for more strain and to improve the core stability.
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Knee to chest:
This is one of the easiest exercises to perform and once you master it, you will find it to work less and less and you should extend the periods. The exercise is great for older people and those with severe back pain; however, we do recommend consulting your physician before performing it.
Benefits:
- You have full movement control: No matter the current strength of your back, this is a great exercise to get you started and it can be performed in the comfort of your own home. The exercise does not require a lot of set up.
- Focuses directly on the lower back: The exercise does not put too much focus on the legs like the others. This means that you will feel the burn in the lower back as you perform it much better. The exercise is one of the easiest ways to strengthen your back.
- Promotes a little core stability: The core strength has been directly related to the lower back and the stronger the core, the fewer problems you will have with your lower back. This exercise puts a subtle strain on the core, which also improves the strength.
How to apply:
- Lie down on a comfortable surface like a training mat or the bed.
- Bend both knees and lift one to your chest while keeping the back planted in the ground.
- Hold for a few seconds and repeat.
- Alternate between legs.
As you get stronger, smaller weight can also be added to your legs. This will take more effort to lift and in the end, you will find the core and the lower back getting stronger. Eventually, leading to less pain.
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Pelvic tilts:
This is one of the top exercises that many beginners start with in the gym and they use this to try and lose those dreaded love handles. The fact is that it does not really target the area and will place more strain on the lower back.
Benefits:
- Great for the back and core: The exercise will not only improve lower back strength but the core as well, which means that you will have reduced back pains.
- Easy to perform anywhere: The exercise can be performed virtually anywhere and you could also make it part of your daily routine.
- Limited fat loss benefits: There a re a few benefits of this exercise and since it targets a part of the body we seldom use, it can lead to some fat loss and the growth of muscles in the specific area.
How to apply:
- Find a mat or bed for you to lay down on
- Bend your knees and spread them about shoulder width
- Keep your back planted and start lifting your pelvis
- Do this in the form of around 10-15 repetitions before resting a few seconds
- Repeat 3-4 times daily
A weight plate can also be added to the pelvis for some additional strain and this will also help build the muscle much faster. However, consult your doctor before pushing the limits.
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Bird Dog:
Bird Dog is one of our favorites and it does work the entire upper body simultaneously. This exercise is quite hard to pull off and if you have severe back problems, you should consult the doctor before attempting to perform it.
Benefits:
- Targets the entire upper body: This exercise will place strain on the legs and the arms, but it mostly focuses on the core and the lower back. It is a great way to strengthen multiple muscles.
- Offers stretching as well: The exercise will also stretch the lower back and release lactic acid if you have any built up. It will improve the blood flow to the muscle and help with the healing process
How to apply:
- Stand on all fours on a comfortable surface
- Extend an alternate leg and arm forward (left arm with right leg, right arm with left leg)
- Hold for around 10 second
- Alternate
This is one of the easiest ways to strengthen the lower back from home and while you cannot add weights, you could extend or increase the holding periods of the movements.
Final Thoughts:
We would like to thank you for reading this article and we definitely hope that these exercises will help you improve the strength and the condition of your lower back. We always recommend consulting with your doctor first to ensure that you do not do more harm to the muscles if the injury is severe.
We would like to encourage you to let us know in the comment section if we might have missed any of your favorite exercises that are easy to perform.
