Are you experiencing low back pain? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Around 80 percent of adults experience low back pain at some point in their lives.
Low back pain can be caused by a variety of problems with any parts of the complex, interconnected network of spinal muscles, nerves, bones, discs or tendons in the lumbar spine. One of the most shocking things about low back pain is that it is not always caused by injury. Sometimes, when you bend your body the wrong way while lifting something heavy can also cause low back pain.
If the problem is serious, like you feel numbness and weakness on your lower body, or tingling in the legs, you need to see your doctor as soon as possible. But, for routine and mild low back pain, easy home exercises can relieve the pain for a while.
Below we list the easy exercises that you can do to relieve low back pain:
Partial crunches
Some exercises can aggravate back pain and should be avoided when you have acute low back pain. Partial crunches can help strengthen your back and stomach muscles. Simply lie with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest or put hands behind your neck. Tighten stomach muscles and raise your shoulders off the floor. Breathe out as you raise your shoulders. Hold for a second, and then slowly lower back down. Repeat the move 8 to 12 times.
Hamstring Stretches
Lie on your back and bend one knee. Straighten your knee and slowly pull your foot up. Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds, and do 2 to 4 times for each leg.
Eight-point Plank
Lie on your stomach with your feet flexed, knees touching, and elbows a few inches in front of your shoulders. Pull your shoulders away from your ears, and gently squeeze the knees and elbows toward the center line of body. Press knees, toes, and elbows into the mat as you lift your hips up to the height of the shoulders. Pull the elbows and knees toward each other, and hold the plank for 20 to 30 seconds. If you begin to tremble, don’t stop—it means you’re doing this right.
Back Stretch
Lie on your stomach. Use your arms to push your upper body off the floor. Hold for five second, and then let your back relax. Repeat the movement for 10 times.
Deep abdominal strengthening
Lie on your back. Place a small, flat cushion under your head. Bend your knees and keep your feet straight and hip-width apart. Keep your upper body relaxed and your chin gently tucked in. As you breathe out, draw up the muscles of your pelvis and lower abdominals. Hold this contraction while breathing from your abdomen for 5 to 10 breaths, and relax. Repeat 5 times.
One of the best things that you can do to prevent low back pain is by stretching regularly. Stretching will make you more flexible, thus can prevent injuries from daily activities like lifting heavy weights or getting up from bed. If you’ve been experiencing acute low back pain, talk to your doctor to get the effective treatments.
