Low Back Pain Exercise and Advice
Here are some of the most common techniques and exercises we suggest for lower back pain:
Resting position
For acute back pain
Lie on your back on a supportive surface – floor, carpet or exercise mat.
Rest your legs up on a chair or sofa, so that the hips and knees are all at 90 degrees angles.
Relax in this position for up to 20 minutes at a time (no longer), with as little movement and effort as possible.
Knee hugs
Low back stretch
Lie on your back on a supportive surface, carpet or exercise mat are ideal.
Bring both knees up towards your chest, pull slowly and hold.
Tips: Try holding either over or under your knees, and choose whichever feels more comfortable.
Make sure your neck and shoulders are relaxed.
Single knee hugs
Gluteal muscles stretch
Lie on your back on a supportive surface, carpet or exercise mat are ideal.
Bring each knee up towards the opposite shoulder, pull slowly and hold.
Tips: Try holding either over or under your knee, choosing whichever feels more comfortable.
Make sure your neck and shoulders are relaxed.
Pigeon
Strong gluteal muscles stretch
Reclined Pigeon: Lie on your back on a supportive surface, with your knees bent and your feet on the floor / carpet.
Cross one ankle in front of the opposite knee, then bring that knee up towards your chest. Pull slowly and hold.
Seated Pigeon:
You can perform a very similar stretch whilst sitting, so it can be done almost anywhere and anytime.
Cross one ankle over the opposite knee, then lean forward with a straight back – so the movement is coming from your hips.
You should feel the stretch in the buttock on the side of the folded knee.
Child’s pose (Also known as prayer pose)
Middle and lower back stretch
Start on all fours (this might not be one for the office…)
Keeping your arms stretched ahead on the floor and sit back towards your heels.
To add side-bend: Rest one hand on top of the other, creating a stretch on one side, and sit back towards your heels again. To increase the stretch, move both hands further out to the side.
To add rotation: Thread one arm under the other, then follow it with the shoulder and neck, creating a twist through the spine.
Shoulder Retraction
Improving posture to protect the shoulders, neck and back
You can do this exercise anywhere, sitting or standing, while waiting for the train or at home while watching TV.
Start with your shoulders as relaxed as possible in a neutral position.
Then bring your shoulder blades back and down, as if to make them meet behind your back, or slip into your trousers’ back pockets.
Hold for only a second or two, then relax and start again. Repeat 10-20 times.
Tips: You can start by standing sideways in front of a mirror as you do it, and observe the dramatic change in your posture. As this exercise is designed to change the habitual ’round-shouldered’ or ‘slouchy’ posture, the more frequently it is done the better.
How does it work?
By bringing the shoulders back to their neutral place, beside our chest and not in front of it, we are improving the arms’ ability to move freely in all directions, thus reducing the potential for strains and injuries at the end of their range of movement.
This posture is also better for the back and neck, as it creates better alignment through the spine and reduces demand on its muscles.
Windmills
Improving freedom of movement through the upper body
Windmills are essentially the upright version of front-crawl and backstroke swimming.
Standing or walking, start with your shoulders relaxed, and swing your outstretched arms in turn to create circles beside you in the air.
Follow each arm with your gaze as they move, to engage the neck and upper back in the movement as well.
Repeat 10 times forward and 10 times back.
Modification:
If your shoulders won’t allow you to do this exercise comfortably, you can try bending at the elbows and creating circles with the elbows instead, or just rolling the shoulders with your arms relaxed beside you, still following the movement with your head and neck for maximum effect to the spine.
