While back pain can have many causes, it can also cause many problems. Back pain can decrease mobility, impair balance, harm posture and lead to long-term mobility and pain concerns.
Causes of Back Pain
Back pain can be caused by many things including weakened, strained or shortened muscles not only in the back, but anywhere in the torso, since all of the core muscle groups of the core help to support the back and spine. Therefore the best way to address back pain is to do both strength building exercises for the back, stomach and upper thighs and buttocks, as well as doing stretching exercises that focus on the back.
Types of Exercises
Strength building - Strength building exercises should only be done every third day, giving the muscles time to recover and strengthen. Low-impact aerobic exercise can be counted as strength building exercise, as long as you focus on maintaining good posture and pulling your stomach muscles in. Distance walking or walking in place is effective here. Exercise in a pool is also an option and an excellent choice for people living with disabilities.
Other exercises that can be helpful include:
Squats or deep knee bends - If possible squats or deep knee bends can help strengthen the back. Stand against a wall and bend your knees until it's as if you're sitting without a chair. Hold for a moment and then straighten up. If your balance is good, the squat can also be done away from the wall, but be sure not to arch your back. If balance is a concern, the exercise may be doable if you hold onto the back of a chair for support. For people with disabilities that do not allow them to support their weight with their legs, an adapted version of this exercise can be done in a pool.
Arm and leg lifts - As appropriate, arm and leg lifts. First lie on your back (try to keep your spine straight and don't over arch so that your lower back is off the ground), and raise each limb off the floor and hold it for a count of 5 or 10. You don't have to raise the limb very high, but a higher lift is often easier in this exercise.
You can also practice slowly raising and lowering the limbs (one at a time!). The slower you do it, the tougher the work out. The same exercise can be repeated lying on your stomach, extending the limbs off the ground so you are merely resting on your torso. This exercise can also be adapted to be done from a sitting position: raise your arms one at a time alongside your ear and hold there, focusing on "sitting tall" and having good posture. Similarly, if you have leg mobility, you can also alternately strengthen each leg in front of you.
The bridge - While not appropriate for everyone, "the bridge" is also a useful exercise. Lay on the floor with your legs bent, place your palms, fingers pointing down towards your shoulders on the floor just past your shoulders. Then press up onto your hands and feet, arching your back until you make the shape of a bridge.
This will help strengthen your stomach, back and shoulder muscles, while also stretching your back. For people with disabilities who don't have the mobility or strength to do this exercise, you can achieve a similar stretch without the same strength requirement by lying over an exercise ball. For safety reasons it is best to do this exercise in the presence of another person.
Crunches - While abdominal strength is important, don't rush into sit-ups. Rather, do crunches (so don't sit all the way up) -- they'll put less strain on your pelvis while doing just as much good. If you can do both straight crunches and diagonal ones wherein you target your elbow to the opposite knee as you come up. For people with disabilities that make lying on the floor or this type of motion difficult, torso twists while sitting can also achieve the same results. As ever, posture counts
Arm circles - Arm circles are great for loosening up your shoulders and will also help build some strength through resistance. They are an excellent exercise to do at the beginning of exercising as a warm up or at the end as a cool down.
If you suffer from ongoing back pain, be sure to talk to your doctor to get help in designing an exercise plan to combat the discomfort and to make sure no more significant issue is involved.
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