5 Exercises for Lower Back Pain Relief

QI Spine Clinic, 12 months ago

Imagine waking up every day with back pain, how does it feel? Imagine working a desk job and everytime you sit for a long time, you feel the urge to stretch a bit and relax your back? Lifting heavy objects or even lifting improperly adds to the already poor back condition, is it?

Studies suggest up to 23% of the world’s population is suffering from back pain. An estimated 80% of the total global population will suffer from it at some point in their lives making back pain one of the most prevalent health conditions around the world. A number of reasons are involved in contributing towards back pain such as sedentary lifestyle, lack of aerobic exercises, lack of movement, among others. It restricts one’s ability to sit, walk or even stand for a prolonged time such as during office hours.

Back pain further contributes to disruptive sleep patterns, social isolation, anxiety, and depression to name a few. Generally, your back pain can vary in intensity from a subtle ache to an unbearable pain making it difficult to perform even the simplest tasks. There’s a mix of invasive and non-invasive methods that can bring about back pain relief.

Before getting exhausted trying out options, you should be aware that there are certain lower back pain relief exercises that you can do to reduce the pain and strengthen your spine. These exercises are effective when done right leading to a healthy and happier lifestyle which is perhaps why we are penning this blog for you. Read more about these exercises right here.

5 Effective Exercises to Relieve Lower Back Pain

1. Knee To Chest Stretch

A lot of experts recommend doing Knee Chest Stretch to curb lower back pain. It is known to relax your hips, glutes, and thighs giving you instant relief. Here’s how you can do Knee Chest stretches.

• First up, lie on a flat surface on your back.

• Keep both of your knees bent while the feet should be flat on the floor.

• Now, extend your right knee stretch along the floor keeping the left knee at its bent position.

• Next, use both of your hands to have a grip on the tight or shinbone of your bent knee and pull it towards your chest gently while keeping your hips firmly on the floor.

• Take a deep breath and release while holding down the position for 30 seconds.

• Repeat for another leg that completes one repetition.

• Continue doing this a few times and you should feel the stretch causing lower back relief shortly.

2. Child’s Pose

If you google ‘how to stretch and strengthen your lower back’, you will find Child’s Pose as one of the key stretches out there. The exercise tends to stretch your gluteus maximus, spinal extensors, and thigh muscles giving you an insane degree of relief instantly. It brings down the tension built up around the neck, spine, and shoulders enhancing blood circulation along the spine. Here’s how you can perform Child’s Pose.

• Sit in a tabletop position keeping your palms and knees on the ground.

• Next, hinge backward, folding your hips above your foot while lowering your hands till the elbow reaches the floor and your belly rests on the thighs.

• Take a deep breath and hold the position for up to a minute.

• Retract to the original tabletop position and continue with a few reps a few times a day. You will notice relief in your back thanks to the routine exercise that you have been performing.

3. Cat-Cow

Set up on Child’s Pose, the Cat-Cow exercise helps with back pain relief by lengthening contracted and under-stress muscles. Moreover, it doesn’t take rocket science to learn how once you get a hold of it.

• Start with lying in a tabletop position with knees (hip-width apart) and hands touching the floor.

• Next, arch your back while pulling the belly button towards your spine. Simultaneously, drop your head forward somewhat of how a cat stretches when you hold them.

• Once you attain the position as in the image here, hold it for 5 to 10 seconds below releasing it and coming to the starting position.

• Next up, raise your head, let the pelvis fall forward, and curve your back downwards (you arched your back upwards in step 2). This is the cow portion of the exercise.

• Hold the position for a few seconds because gently return to your original position.

• It is recommended to repeat the Cat-Cow 15 to 20 times as you will feel the tension in the lower back venting off.

4. Seated Lower Back Rotation Stretch

Stretch and turn to ward off lower back pain with a seated lower back rotation stretch. The exercise is designed to increase mobility in your spine. It stretches your back, glutes, and hips and gives you epic relief once you make it a part of your daily routine. Here’s how you can get started.

• First up, sit on an armless chair or a table with your feet on the floor.

• Take your right leg and place it over your left leg.

• Place your left elbow on the right knee and turn your upper body slightly towards the right unless you feel the stretch. Hold the position for 10 seconds and release it.

• Repeat the same on the other side, i.e. by placing your left leg on the right leg and keeping your right elbow on the left leg, and twist towards the left.

• Hold the position for 10 seconds and release.

• Repeat the same stretches in a pack of 3 to 5 reps two times a day and you will surely feel better.

Do note that this exercise has variations depending on the reference you are following. Some recommend sitting on the floor while the instructions above are for seating on an armless chair or a table.

5. Forearm Plank

It might sound unusual if you aren’t aware of how planks work but it is a befitting response to your question about how to stretch and strengthen your lower back. It is a variation of planks that activates your core bringing it together. It relieves the pressure off the lower back while strengthening the muscles for added benefits. Here’s how you can do it.

• Lie on the floor face down or get to a push-up position.

• Now, rest your forearms on the floor and lift your body with your heels supporting the lower half of the body.

• As you perform a plank, you will feel the core activated as your abdominal region gets tighter.

• Hold the position for 30 seconds and release by lying on the floor face down.

• Repeat while working up with more time in action such as 30s, 45s, 60s, 1:30 minutes, etc.

Conclusion

Back pain is one of the leading health-related complaints across the globe especially given the sedentary lifestyle that we follow nowadays. Without any changes in the lifestyle, eating habits and exercises, you might run out of options before doctors prescribe surgeries for conditions like sciatica, herniated discs among others.

Reclaim your health and a back pain-free lifestyle with QI Spine, India’s first spine rehabilitation clinic that uses non-invasive methods and techniques to give your spine the relief it deserves without opting for a back surgery. Reach out to Qi Spine at 086558 85566 to learn more.