About eight in ten of people will have lower back pain at one point or another in their life. There are two types: acute, which lasts from a few weeks to a few months, and will generally resolve itself within that time, and chronic, which usually lasts a few months and may vary in intensity with flares that are much worse and then periods where the pain is at a lesser degree. One thing is sure – there are safe exercises for lower back pain.

Exercises For Lower Back Pain

Remember that day you worked for hours in the garden and woke the next day with a horrible backache? The “every-day garden variety” of back pain is usually caused by overuse and muscle strain. Treatment is to stay active, avoid positions that exacerbate the pain, use ice or heat when it helps, and take non-prescription painkillers if you need to.

It is helpful if some exercises for lower back pain can be done under the supervision of a certified physical therapist, at least initially. That is not always possible, however, and there is much that can be done without a professional by your side.

One the bulk of the pain is gone, it is smart to do some gentle stretches and strengthening exercises for your back, stomach, and legs. All exercise to relieve lower back pain should be a mixture of stretching and strengthening the muscles. Strong muscles are much less likely to be strained, and are better at holding organs and other muscles in place. Bodies work better when they are strong! Exercise for your lower back pain will also help you present re-injury to your back, help you recover faster, and reduce the risk of being disabled by your back pain.

Don’t let the residual pain deter you from trying some gentle exercises for lower back pain relief. It should be alright to soon start stretching and strengthening your back muscles again, and it will probably feel better in the long run than just lying in bed, waiting for the pain to pass.

If you don’t return to activity soon, you will be risking loss of strength, flexibility, and endurance, and potentially even more pain in your lower back.

One the other hand, there are times when a visit to the doctor is in order. Some of these are: numbness, tingling, or loss of control of arms or legs; pain in back extending down back of leg; dull pain in one area of your spine while lying down or getting out of bed; pain increases when you cough or bend forward at waist; or you have a fever. For each of these, a doctor should check you for something more dangerous than the “garden variety” of backache. For anything else, the exercises should help lower back pain.