Simple ways to beat back pain

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The good news is that many cases of back-related pain heals within two weeks. With proper treatment, about 90 percent of back pain heals in less than three months. The most important thing to remember is that if you hurt your back with poor posture or heavy lifting, don't let the pain send you to bed for days on end. Lying still can weaken the muscles that support your spine, making the problem worse.

So before you try pills, try doing these gentle back- and core-strengthening exercises. Chances are they'll solve your problem while costing you little or no money. Of course, it's best to check with your doctor or a physical therapist before you start any exercise program, especially if your pain is severe or has lasted for more than a couple of weeks.

Be sure to do the exercises slowly. Stretch only as far as you're comfortable; and if you feel more pain, stop immediately and contact your doctor. These exercises are part of the McKenzie Therapies, some of the more common doctor-recommended low-back exercises.

Back Hyperextensions

1. Lie on your stomach, face down
2. Interlace your fingers under your face and turn your nose down toward your hands
3. Keep your toes firmly on the floor
4. Contract your lower back muscles and raise your upper body until your chest comes off the floor, then lower yourself back down
5. Exhale as you lift and inhale as you go back down
6. Repeat 12 times, slowly

Use an exercise mat or a couple of bath towels on a carpeted floor for these next two exercises:

Knee Pulls

1. Lie on your back with your feet flat and both knees bent
2. Raise one foot off the floor and bring your knee to your chest
3. Gently pull your knee toward you with your hands and hold it for a few seconds
4. Slowly release your knee and return your foot to the floor
5. Repeat with the other leg
6. Go back and forth with each leg two or three times, holding your knee for up to thirty seconds

Stomach Contractions

1. Start in the same position
2. Place your arms alongside your body with palms facing down
3. Try pressing the small of your back flat against the mat as you contract your stomach muscles while exhaling
4. Hold that for one or two seconds
5. Relax and inhale
6. Repeat this 10 or 15 times
7. Repeat the first stretch again

Spine Stretch Forward

1. Sit with legs stretched in front of you a little more than hip width apart and feet flexed
2. Inhale and lean your upper body forward with your arms extended in front of you
3. Round your back and pull in your abdomen like you are floating over an imaginary beach ball
4. Exhale as you sit back up slowly one vertebra at a time
5. Repeat steps 2-4

Sit-up with Exercise Ball

This exercise looks like a normal sit-up, but it uses the exercise ball to reduce pressure on the back. Core muscles help stabilize the back, and strengthening them can help fight and prevent back pain.

1. Get a large exercise ball and place it on the floor
2. Sit on the ball with your feet on the floor, shoulder-width apart
3. Walk yourself slowly forward until the ball is behind your lower back
4. Wait until you feel balanced and stable, and then slowly lean back
5. With your hands either behind your head or crossed over your chest, slowly sit forward, moving only from your waist; You should feel your abdominal muscles contracting as you come up
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5

Reverse Sit-up with Exercise Ball

1. Place the exercise ball three to four feet from a wall
2. Lie face down with your hips and lower abs on the ball
3. Place your feet flat against the wall behind you with your toes pointing toward the floor
4. Place your hands on the floor to balance yourself
5. After you feel stable, place your hands behind your head and slowly lift your torso up until your back is straight
6. Slowly lean forward, bringing the ribcage back to the ball. This works the muscles that help stabilize your lower spine
7. Repeat steps 5-6

Bottom line

To have a healthy, pain-free back, it's important to strengthen muscles all over your body, including the back, the core, and the legs. Also, be sure to exercise regularly - not only when you feel pain. By doing strengthening exercises several times a week, you can often prevent back pain.

Sources

Spine health

Healthwise

WebMD

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