Rest is not the solution for a back pain. Too much rest will only aggravate it. Do rest, but in moderation. Your muscles and vertebrae need to be gently put to work. Various exercising motions have to be gone through either actively or passively. The main objective here is to put your whole body to systematic work-outs. Strengthening the muscles of your back methodically will greatly help in restoring their normalcy. However, before exercising it is advisable to seek the help of an orthopaedician or a physiotherapist. Either of them will guide you on how to go about your stretching regimen.
Can Exercise Truly Relieve Back Pain? If So, How?
Exercise stimulates the distribution of nutrients in the spinal column. The joints, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and muscles have to get activated. In the process the back becomes supple. Regular exercising your body will ensure that in future you will not be susceptible to back pain. Your back becomes strong and keeps stress-causing pain at bay.
Exercises for Back Pain
Based on the physician's consult you can commence body work-outs. There are a variety of exercises that need to be done rigorously.
1. Stretching
Stretching and flexing the tendons, muscles, and ligaments is the first step. Chronic back pain needs exercising for a minimum period of six months. Perhaps, you may wish to opt for more than one regimen per day. The primary focus should be on how best you can get your back to maneuver its muscles actively and without any pain. Initially, you may want to go slow on these exercises. This is because the body should attune itself to muscle movements. Once in the groove, you can work-out thoroughly.
The gluteus, psoas major, piriformis, and hamstring muscles all need to be put through various stretching motions. Seek the help of children or your spouse in case you face initial difficulty performing these stretches.
2. Strengthening
In exercising your muscles get strengthened automatically. However, do give your body a couple of days rest. Too much exercising could be rather stressful. Focus should be on strengthening the muscles of your lower back. A simple exercise involves lying flat on the floor and bending the knees. Breathe in and pull in your umbilicus into your stomach, simultaneously relaxing the back. Then breathe out and stretch your arms upward pretending to reach out toward an overhead object. Thereafter, very slowly raise your head and shoulders from the ground until the blades of the shoulder are a few inches from the floor. Remain in this position for a couple of seconds and repeat the process for about twelve times. This should be of great assistance in reducing the pain.
3. Leg And Back strengthening: The best possible strengthening format is the McKenzie Exercise. It involves lying on the abdomen and then pushing up the body with both hands, ensuring that only your chest is raised. Note that the pelvis must not be lifted but must be kept flat on the floor. Stretch your back conveniently and hold this posture for around ten seconds. Repeat this exercise a dozen times. This is an absolutely painless exercise aimed at putting your spinal cord in place.
The above are a few simple exercising options to relieve back pain at the earliest. However, consulting a specialist in this field is necessary, to enable him or her assess the situation professionally.
