"Back Pain Exercises That WORK"
By Tommy Hoffman, Licensed Physical Therapist
Find Back Pain Exercises with written instruction and video demonstration. These back pain exercises will assist you with reducing back pain by improving core stability which helps you heal and cure back pain faster.
Back Pain Exercises #1
Start position is lying on the back with knees bent.
Find your neutral spine by arching your lower back and then flexing or rounding out your back. Neutral spine is in the middle or in between these movements.
While in a neutral spine, imagine bringing your belly button or navel back into your spine and up into a position under your ribcage. A good way to think of this is by imagining that you are attempting to button a pair of pants that is a size too small and you have to sort of suck your stomach in!
Hold this position with your belly button for 5 seconds.
Relax and repeat for a total of 15 repetitions.
"Back Pain Exercises"
Below is a master list of each back pain excercise with Video Demonstration and written instruction:
A. Back Pain Excercise Single Knee to Chest.
B. Back Pain Excercise Double Knee to Chest.
D. Stretch Lower Back Using Hip and Knee.
E. Active Stretch of the Hamstrings.
F. Backward Rock in Quadraped.
H. Back pain exercise "Bird Dog".
J. Back pain exercise "Superman".
K. Prone press up back pain exercise.
L. Marching on stability Ball.
M. "Bird Dog" using stability ball.
N. Back Pain Exercise "Prone walk-out".
O. Back extension using stability ball.
P. Crunches on stability ball.
Back Pain Stretches
Back Pain Exercises #2: Single Knee to Chest.
Purpose: Stretch the lower lumbar spine with emphasis placed on one side.
Instructions:
Lie on your back back with both knees bent.
Bring the left knee up towards your chest.
Pick your head up towards your knee (optional).
Hold for 15 seconds for a total of 5 repetitions.
Repeat for opposite leg.
Back Pain Exercises #3 Double Knee to Chest.
Purpose: Stretch the lower back region with special attention to the erector spinae muscles.
Instructions:
Lie on your back back with both knees bent.
Bring both knees up towards your chest.
Pick your head up towards your knees (optional).
Hold for 15 seconds for a total of 5 repetitions.
Back Pain Exercises #4 Kneeling Back Stretch.
Purpose: Stretch the Quadratus Lumborum in kneeling.
Instructions:
Kneeling on both hands and knees.
Walk hands out to the right (hold onto a secure object if available).
Sit back towards the feet and to the left with hips.
Hold for a 15 seconds count and repeat 5 times.
Perform on opposite side.
Back Pain Exercises # 5 Stretch Lower Back Using Hip and Knee.
Purpose: Apply stretch to the piriformis muscle.
Instructions:
Lie on your back, knees bent.
Place left ankle over right knee.
Bring right knee up towards the chest until a stretch is felt in the left hip region.
Hold for a 15 seconds count and repeat 5 times.
Perform on opposite side.
Back Pain Exercises #6 Active Stretch of the Hamstrings.
Purpose: Gentle stretch to the hamstrings (muscle behind the thigh).
Instructions:
Lie on your back with knees bent.
Bring right knee towards chest.
Gently straighten right knee towards ceiling.
Hold for a 15 seconds count and repeat 5 times.
Perform on opposite side.
Back Pain Stabilization Exercises
Back Pain Exercises #7 Backward Rock in Quadraped.
Purpose: Increase stability with emphasis on the transverse abdominis.
Instructions:
Begin with exercise on hands and knees (quadraped).
Get into neutral spine position.
Actively contract the transverse abdominis.
Shift weight backwards while maintaining neutral spine position.
Have movement take place only at the hip region.
Return to start position.
Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times.
Back Pain Exercises #8 Forward Rock in Quadraped.
Purpose: Increase stability with emphasis on the transverse abdominis muscle.
Instructions:
Begin with exercise on hands and knees (quadraped).
Get into neutral spine position.
Actively contract the transverse abdominis.
Shift weight forwards while maintaining neutral spine position.
Have movement take place only at the hip region.
Return to start position.
Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times.
Back Pain Exercises #9 Back pain exercise "Bird Dog".
Purpose: Increase stability with emphasis on the transverse abdominis muscle, multifidus, and erector spinae.
Instructions:
Begin with exercise on hands and knees (quadraped).
Get into neutral spine position.
Actively contract the transverse abdominis.
Try to avoid twisting during the movement.
Extend left arm and right leg at the same time.
Return to start position and repeat with right arm and left leg.
Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times on each side.
Back Pain Exercises #10 Bridging with leg raise.
Purpose: Increase lumbar stability with emphasis on transverse abdominis, multifidus muscles and glutes.
Instructions:
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Achieve neutral spine.
Lift hips up and off the floor.
While hips are up, pick one foot off the floor.
Repeat with opposite foot.
Lower hips slowly back to the floor.
Hold each foot up for 2 seconds and repeat 15 times.
Back Pain Exercises #11 Back pain exercise "Superman".
Purpose: Improve lumbar stability with emphasis on the erector spinae muscles.
Instructions:
Lie on stomach with head face down.
Keep both arms outstretched overhead "like superman".
At the same time, raise the right arm and left leg off the floor.
Hold for 2 seconds and repeat on opposite sides.
Perform 15 times on each side.
Back Pain Exercises #12 Prone Press up or "Upward Dog"
Purpose: Decompress the lower lumbar spine. Great back pain exercise for "bulging discs" and "herniated discs". Works to drive the disc forward and away from the spinal nerve(s).
Instructions:
Lie face down on stomach, elbows bent, hands along side face.
Push up onto elbows, keep hips on the floor.
Do not force movement or go into pain.
Exhale completely at top position.
Return to start position.
Perform between 10 to 15 times.
Back Pain Exercises with Stability Ball
A stability ball adds a new dimension to all your back pain exercises. Purchase or borrow a stability ball and add greater variety to your back pain exercise routine.
Back Pain Exercises #13 Marching on stability Ball.
Purpose: Advanced lumbar stability of core with emphasis to erector spinae muscles.
Instructions:
Sit on stability ball. Arms at either side.
Hips and knees should both be at 90 degrees.
Lift one leg up and lower.
Repeat with other leg.
Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times on each side.
Back Pain Exercises #14 "Bird Dog" using stability ball.
Purpose: Same as above but more advanced.
Instructions:
Lie face down with hips over stability ball.
Actively contract the transverse abdominis.
Try to avoid movement during the exercise.
Extend left arm and right leg at the same time.
Return to start position and repeat with right arm and left leg.
Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times on each side.
Back Pain Exercises #15 Back Pain Exercise "Prone walk-out".
Purpose: Challenge core stabilizers.
Instructions:
Lie face down with hips over stability ball.
Actively contract the transverse abdominis.
Arms are shoulder width apart.
Slowly walk out using arms until ball is under the front thighs.
Hold for 5 seconds.
Return to start position.
Repeat for a total of 10 times.
Back Pain Exercises #16 Back extension using stability ball.
Purpose: Advanced back pain exercise for the erector spinae muscles.
Instructions:
Lie face down with hips over stability ball.
Keep hips and knees straight.
Lift trunk off stability ball until straight.
Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 15 times.
Back Pain Exercises #17 Crunches on stability ball.
Purpose: Advanced movement for core stabilizers with emphasis on the rectus abdominis.
Instructions:
Sit on floor with the back of shoulders against stability ball.
Push body backwards with hips up onto stability ball.
Tuck chin to your chest and raise shoulders off stability ball.
Return to start position.
Repeat for a total of 20 times.
Only perform back pain exercises that feel good. Choosing which back pain exercises to perform can be a challenge, so when in doubt skip it. You can always go back to it on another day and try it again.
It is not uncommon to feel some residual soreness over the next one to two days following some of these basic back pain exercises.
It is simply a byproduct of performing an activity that you are not accustom to and as your conditioning improves, less residual soreness will occur.
Above all else, use common sense.
Before continuing with these back pain exercises, please read our disclaimer. If you do not agree with this disclaimer, please exit our website immediately.
"Don't spend more time with back pain by not finding out the truth today!"
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