5 Exercises to Help You Avoid Lower Back Pain

(AscendHealthy)- Is lower back pain slowing you down? About 80 percent of adults will experience it at least once in their lifetime, most due to a sedentary lifestyle or poor posture. We have some exercises that might help If you have a problem with lower back pain and stiffness.

Stretch in All Directions

The spine twists in six directions, and it’s important to stretch it each way. Begin standing fully upright, hugging your hands along the waistline of your back for support, then stretch backward, arching your back. Return to an upright position, and then reverse the stretch, bending forward and allowing your upper body to hang limp. Slowly return to an upright position, rolling the spine as you go.

Sit on the floor or a yoga mat with your legs crossed. Keeping your posture upright, gently twist your trunk in one direction and hold for a few seconds. Return to center then twist to the other side. Staying seated, reach one arm over your head and stretch toward the opposite side of your body, holding for a few seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Try Some Yoga

Yoga can be a great way to reduce lower back pain and get in better shape. Don’t worry if you aren’t able to achieve much of a stretch at first; do what you can and extend more as you go. Grab a yoga mat or find a comfortable surface and try these moves that are perfect for beginners.

Downward Facing Dog

Bend forward, reaching for the floor, and place your palms flat on the mat while you stretch your spine upward. Allow your heels to come up off the floor as you reach your hands to the floor.  Then stretch your hamstrings by gently shifting your weight between legs, keeping your legs straight, and pushing your heels back towards the floor. You may not be able to touch your heels to the mat at first; don’t stretch beyond what is just slightly uncomfortable. Hold for a minute or two. As you practice this exercise and become more limber, try to get both feet as flat against the mat as possible.

Cat and Cow

Move to your hands and knees, keeping arms and legs shoulder-width apart. Take a deep breath. Arch your back upward while exhaling, tucking your chin toward your chest. Hold for several seconds. When you inhale, raise your head and arch your back inward, reaching your chest and buttocks upward. Hold for a few seconds. Repeat six to eight times.

Supine Twist

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat. Slowly tilt your knees, allowing them to fall to one side. Make sure your shoulders both remain firmly centered on the mat as you allow your legs to relax as far as they’ll comfortably go, and then hold for several seconds. Return your knees to an upright position then go to the other side. Work up to holding each side for a few minutes.

Add Some Strengthening Exercises

Weak back muscles often contribute to lower back pain. You can reduce, sometimes even eliminate, that pain by strengthening your back. Two excellent exercises for that are bridges and drawing in maneuvers. Try alternating the two, doing five to eight reps for each.

Begin on your back with your feet flat on the mat, shoulder-width apart, and your knees bent. Raise your buttocks off the mat, straightening your back, distributing your weight between your shoulders and feet, which should be firmly pressing into the mat. Hold for several seconds.

Release your muscles and relax your back against the mat. With your shoulders and hips remaining evenly held down, draw your stomach and back downward, imagining your belly button sinking into your spine. You should feel a tightening in the muscles along the sides of your trunk and lower back. Hold for several seconds, then release and rest for about a minute before continuing to the next repetition.

Lower back pain can hit without warning when you sit most of the day or aren’t getting enough exercise. Turn it around with moves that lengthen and strengthen in all the right places. Make sure to clear any new regimen with your doctor if you have any potential health issues, and then see what these exercises can do for your back pain.

~ Here’s to Your Healthy Ascension!

Copyright 2023, AscendHealthy.com