Pain Stopping Lower Back Exercise

Lower back relief as well as lower back exercise are extremely popular searches on the web. Why? Because so many people suffer from pain in this area. Here I examine some of the reasons for and some ways to avoid back pain.


What’s the Cause and Solution?

There are two sides to the story of back pain, two main causes. One cause is simply the amount of wear and tear the back goes through on a regular basis. Sitting or standing, the back is under constant pressure. If you then add overuse to the mix, it’s surprising to me that more people aren’t plagued by back pain! Lack of lower back exercise is the second main cause. obviously, a medical reason may also be the reason for your back pain, but the focus here will be the two causes you can realistically do something to avoid.

What can you do to avoid the first cause? You can reduce the wear and tear on your back by reducing the pressure placed on it and using it more appropriately. This means watching your posture! This is critical when you are lifting, standing or sitting. When standing a natural curve forward should exist in your back. It’s also important to wear shoes with sufficient arch support. Lower back exercise will help with maintaining the proper curve, but if this doesn’t come natural to you, you will have to make a conscious effort to maintain this curve. When sitting, a good ergonomic chair is your best friend! Most importantly, it has to provide sufficient support for your back, to prevent it from curving outward. When lifting, do NOT bend at your waist. Not bending at the waist forces your legs to do the work, rather than making your back do the work! Addressing the second main cause is simple… get more lower back exercise! These exercises will assist you in stretching and strengthening your back muscles, which can help with current pain and help prevent future injuries.

Which Exercises Should I Do?

Both strengthening and stretching are important to avoiding back issues. Let’s address the strengthening issue first. There are quite a few exercises that work best with free weights or health club type machines or equipment. personally I prefer at home workouts, mostly without weights. However, I know that some of you still insist on going to the a health club, so here are a few select lower back exercises you can ask about at the health club the next time you visit:

Deadlift
Machine Back Extensions
Exercise Ball Lower Back Extensions

There are others that draw on the lower back to a degree, but these focus on the lower back almost exclusively. Therefore, it is important to start off with little to no weight when doing the first two exercises.

As far as stretching goes, there are a number of basic and fad stretches that exist, but the most effective method I’ve found is centuries old! This method is called yoga. In my opinion, it is the most effective lower back exercise out there! Put simply, the series of poses that make up yoga, safely stretch not only the lower back and other the rest of your muscles, but it also stretches your ligaments and tendons too. New practitioners have seen increases in flexibility of more than 35% in as little as eight weeks!

I am not a doctor, but these exercises have made a world of difference for me…