Low back pain is a common discomfort felt by a lot of people, especially office workers and the elderly. Low back pain is usually because of muscle straining on the lower back and buttocks area due to bad postures, prolonged sitting on chairs, and standing. Aging also cause low back pain because of the degeneration of the cartilaginous discs of the spine, which adds pressure on the back. The most common relief for back pain is lower back pain exercises.

Before anyone should perform lower back pain exercises, it is a must to do a warm up first so that the back and the other parts of the body to be used during the exercise are prevented from muscle strains. The following are effective exercise regimens for back pain:

1. Heel Slides

The heel slide exercise is done to exercise the lower back by leg motions. In order to do this, one must first lie on his back. Then slowly bend the knee and straighten it down slowly too. The procedure is repeated for ten times for both legs.

2. Wall Squat

A wall squat is another one of the effective lower back pain exercises, which is done by first standing with the back positioned against a wall. Then separate the feet for about 12 inches from each other. Slowly bend the knees and keep the abdominal muscles tight. Continue bending the knees until it reaches a 45 degrees angle. Maintain the position for about 5 to 10 seconds. Return to the upright position slowly and repeat the procedure for ten times.

3. Knee to Chest Stretching

A knee to chest stretching is one of the most frequently performed lower back pain exercises. This is done by first lying on the back and bending both knees. Place one arm to behind knee on the same side of the body and raise the knee up to the chest. With the hand still behind the knee, hold the knee-chest position for 20 seconds. Then relax the leg and do the same for the other leg. Repeat the procedure for 5 times.

4. Hamstring Stretch

Another popular exercise for back pain is the hamstring stretch. This is similar with knee to chest stretching. The only difference is that instead of a bended knee raised to the chest, a straightened leg is raised instead, so the hamstring muscles are stretched. The rest of the procedures are the same.

Back pain exercises should be done regularly to prevent the persistence of back pain and further worsening of the pain. Low back pain exercises should also be done in the proper way because improper delivery of these exercises may cause further muscle straining and cause additional pain.

These are only some of the several lower back pain exercises developed by the experts. Aside from learning these exercises, people should also note of the things that may cause the lower back pain such as bad sitting postures and prolonged standing and sitting. Proper bending should also be observed.