The Spine is well designed to facilitate body movement in our daily life. Lower back pain can result of either instability (like a weak core or hyper-mobile joints) or too much tightness.
Daily lifestyle activities done incorrectly — such as twisting to reach or lift an object, sitting at a computer in the same position for hours, bending over to vacuum, and carrying shopping bag cause stiffness.
Bird Dog Crunch
- Start on your hands and knees in table top position with your wrists above your shoulders and your knees below your hips.
- Extend your right arm forward and left leg back, maintaining a flat back and square hips.
- Squeeze your abs and exhale as you draw your right elbow to your left knee.
- Extend back out to start.
- Don’t forget to do the other side!
Yoga Cat/Cow
- Start this more by kneeling on all fours with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips.
- Exhale and gently arch your spine.
- Inhale & tighten your core muscles and round your back, like a cat.
- Move slowly between movements and hold in each position for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
Back Extensions
- Lay down facing the floor.
- Place your hands at your chest height and then use your arms to push your trunk up as you inspire.
- Feel the tension in your lower back. Repeat this ten times.
- To finish it, place your knees on the ground and “sit” on your feet, as you keep your arms stretched in front of you.
Glute Bridge
- Start lying flat on your back, your knees bent and your arms in low V by your hips. Your feet should be about hip-distance apart with your heels a few inches away from your butt.
- Push through your heels to lift your hips up while squeezing your glutes. Try to create one diagonal line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Pause for 1-2 seconds, then lower back down.
Clam Shell
- Lie on your right side with your hips, knees, and ankles stacked on top of one another. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle.
- Keeping your feet together, rotate your left knee open, then slowly lower it back to the ground.
- Repeat on the other side!
Downward Dog
- Begin in a kneeling position on your mat with hands directly under shoulders, fingers spread wide.
- Tuck your toes under and engage your abdominals as you push your body up off the mat so only your hands and feet are on the mat.
- Press through your hands moving your chest gently toward your thighs and your heels gently toward the floor.
- Relax your head and neck and breathe fully.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
Mid-Back Extension
- Lie face down on the mat. Lift abs away from the mat to engage them and slide the shoulders down the back. The head is lifted in a low hover. Your body is one long line.
- Using your back muscles and core, lift the chest away from the mat into extension as you exhale. Think of lengthening from the crown of the head.
- Inhale and return down to the mat slowly getting longer through the spine as you return.
- Perform 6-8 reps.
Forearm Plank on Knees
- Begin lying on the floor with your forearms flat on the floor, making sure that your elbows are aligned directly under your shoulders.
- Engage your core and raise your body up off the floor, keeping your forearms and knees on the floor and your body in a straight line from your head to your knees. Keep your abdominals engaged and try to let your hips rise or drop.
- Hold forearm plank for 30 seconds to start, then build it up to 60-second hold.
Side Plank
- Get into a push-up position but bend your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
- Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and hold for 1 minute. T
- hen roll to one side and hold your body up off the floor in a straight line from head to foot for 1 minute.
- Switch and do a plank on your other side.
Child Pose
- Position yourself on the floor on hands and knees with your knees just wider than hip distance apart.
- Turn your toes in to touch and push your hips backwards bending your knees.
- Once you reach a comfortable seated position, extend your arms forward fully and allow your head to fall forward into a relaxation position.
- Hold this pose for 20 seconds and slowly return to starting position.
- Repeat three times.
- For modification if you have shoulder pain, place your arms on either side of your body, extending towards your feet.
These exercises should help you overcome back pain. If not, then it is advised you visit the doctor for any serious concerns.
