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Exercises to Alleviate Back Pain

Help to Stop Backache and Lumbago

Sep 30, 2008 Donna Watmough

When back pain strikes it can be utterly debilitating. Here are some exercises which will help reduce your back pain and improve your quality of life.

40% of the population is affected by back pain every year. It is the largest single reported cause of time off work in the world.

When back pain strikes, the instinct is often to take to bed and hope for the best. According to Dr Klaber-Moffett, even health professionals tend to advise people to take it easy, fearing they may end up doing more damage.

However, research now points to the fact that inactivity and bed-rest only increase the pain of a bad back and the chance of disability. A study in the UK looked at 187 18- to 60-year-olds who suffered lower back problems. It found that patients who had done regular exercises suffered less pain and were better able to control the condition than those who had not.

If you suffer from back pain and want to improve your condition, here are some exercises to try. Start gradually, and work up to the harder ones.

Leg raises

Lie on your back with your arms at your sides. Tighten your abdominal muscles to stabilise your lower back. Lift one leg about 6 inches (15 cm) off the floor. Hold your leg up for a count of 5 and return it to the floor. Do the same with the other leg. Repeat five times with each leg.

If that is too difficult, keep one knee bent and your foot flat on the ground while raising the other leg.

Abdominal curl

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on floor. Place your hands on your thighs. Contract your abdominal muscles. Slowly slide both hands toward your knees, at the same time raising your head and shoulders off the floor. Hold for a count of one and then slide slowly back down. Repeat ten times.

Try to keep neck and spine in neutral alignment, and avoid letting your chin touch your chest - it might help if you imagine you are holding a grapefruit between your chin and chest.

Kneeling leg and arm extensions (advanced)

Start on all fours, in a kneeling position. Contract the abdominal muscles. Slowly extend your left arm out in front of you, and at the same time extend your right leg out behind you. Straighten them and hold for 2-3 seconds. Slowly bring them back down into place. Repeat with the right arm and left leg. Keep the movements slow and controlled at all times. Repeat 10 times in total (5 times for each diagonally-paired arm and leg).

This exercise is tricky and demanding - you might only be able to do one or two to start with, but persevere with it and build up to ten repetitions in time.

Knees up and down (advanced)

Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles to stabilise your lower back. Using your abdominal muscles, slowly bring your knees up towards your chest. Using your hands, hug your knees into your chest as hard as you can. Stay there for 2-3 seconds - then without using your hands for help, slowly return your feet and knees to the starting position. Make sure you are controlling your legs with your abdominal muscles on the way back down - do not just let them ‘swing’ back.

Note: check that you are able to press your lower back into the floor as you bring your legs back down. If you cannot, this means that your abdominal muscles are not yet strong enough to stablise your lower back as you are performing this exercise. If this is the case, work on the abdominal curls for a bit longer, or lift and lower just one leg at a time.

Done every day, these exercises should be effective in controlling your pain and improving your quality of life. Just remember that it is always advisable to consult your GP before embarking on any exercise programme.

The copyright of the article Exercises to Alleviate Back Pain in General Medicine is owned by Donna Watmough. Permission to republish Exercises to Alleviate Back Pain in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Back pain causes misery to millions

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Comments

Oct 1, 2008 11:57 AM

Guest :

Firstly, great post and good exercises except that doing the leg raises if you have lower back pain may add extra strain to the area - especially for those less fit. A better way is to keep your feet on the ground with your knees bent and then rock your pubic bone towards your belly button. If you place your hand on your lower abdominals you should feel them tighten. Hold this position and then relax and you will improve your lower abdominals without straining your lower back.

It is actually an easier way to target these areas and as back pain eases then do the more advanced techniques of raising your legs.

All the best
Dr Graeme Teague
http://blog.back-pain-advisor.com

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