Back Pain Exercises

One of the most bothersome and often debilitating pains a person can be afflicted with is back pain. Back pain can inhibit your ability to enjoy life and function normally. The culprit for back pain is weak muscles. Then it makes sense that proper treatment would involve strengthening those muscles. If you suffer from back pain here a some of the best exercises that you can do to help decrease and eliminate pain.

Exercise 1: Pilates

Pilates is wonderful for strengthening core muscles in the body. This is because the focus of Pilates in on proper posturing and alignment. It will not only increase muscle strength but flexibility. It is one of the most effective forms of exercise and is used in numerous rehabilitation centers.

Exercise 2: Yoga

Yoga, much like Pilates, is ideal for back pain sufferers. It strengthen muscles and improve flexibility but it also increases your personal awareness of your body and posturing. Yoga also works both sides of the body the same time, this ensures equal strengthening and toning. There are a number of different types of Yoga that range from the more intense to the more subdued.

Exercise 3: Swimming

Swimming works every muscle that your body uses for movement. Swimming is also very easy on joints and it provides all over body conditioning at the same time. Depending on how severe your back pain is it is not advisable that you swim alone until your condition improves.

Exercise 4: Pelvic Tilt

This is a great exercise that will stretch and strengthen the lower back. To do this exercise lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Now tighten you abdomen and you butt, flattening the small of your back against the floor. Hold this for a count of three and then slowly relax. Do five reps, three times a day.

Exercise 5: Twist

This will help stretch and strengthen the lower back. Lie on your back with you arms stretched out to the sides. Bend your knees and then bring them close to your chest. Take a deep breath, and then exhale slowly while you lower your knees to the floor, make sure you keep you knees together, to the right. Pause, and then inhale slowly as you bring your knees to your chest again. Then as you exhale this time lower your knees to the left side, keeping them together. Pause and inhale as you return your knees to your chest. This exercise you should do five times.

Exercise 6: The Bridge

This exercise works several of the core muscle groups. Lie flat on you back, bend knees to a 90 degree angle, make sure your feet are flat on the floor. Raise your bottom off the floor, keep your ab muscles tight. The shoulder to knees should be a straight line. Hold this position for a count of five and then slowly lower your bottom to the floor. Again this exercise should be done five times.