| Your back, just like the rest of your body, needs | | | | or dining chair for this exercise. Stand behind the chair, |
| regular exercise to be healthy and strong. It needs a | | | | holding the chair back with both hands. Lift one leg up |
| regular fitness regimen to keep it performing at peak | | | | and back, keeping its knee straight. Return it slowly to |
| efficiency. | | | | position, and lift the other leg up and back in the same |
| Back pain exercise involves exercise of not only your | | | | way. Repeat 5 times with each leg. This exercise will |
| back muscles, but also of those that support your | | | | strengthen hip muscles that support your back, as well |
| back. The abdomen and thigh muscles are in the | | | | as the back muscles themselves. |
| second group. You will want to exercise both groups | | | | 5. Back and hip muscles. You may want a mat under |
| to avoid or alleviate back pain. You may also want to | | | | you for this one. Lying face down on the floor, tighten |
| add healthful fish oils to your daily diet to lubricate your | | | | the muscles in one leg and raise it from the floor. Hold |
| joints. This is especially important as you age, since | | | | the leg up while you count to ten, and then lower it |
| aging joints become more susceptible to painful | | | | slowly to the floor. Lift the other leg, count to 10, and |
| problems. | | | | lower it slowly to the floor. Repeat 5 times with each |
| Back Pain Exercise You Can Do At Home | | | | leg to give added strength to your back muscles and |
| A good physiotherapist or chiropractor will be able to | | | | the hip muscles that support them. |
| teach you many useful exercises for reducing back | | | | CAUTION: Back Pain Exercise Demands Warm-up! |
| pain, but these five will get you started. | | | | You've heard it before, but this word of caution is |
| 1. Back, hip, and leg muscles. Stand with your back | | | | important. Before beginning your back pain exercise, |
| against a wall. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, | | | | talk to your physician about what you plan to do. You |
| your hands on your hips. Inhale and exhale deeply and | | | | may want to show these exercises to him or her and |
| evenly as you gently slide your back down the wall | | | | get advice. Then set aside time to exercise regularly, |
| until your knees are at an angle of about 90 degrees. | | | | at least every other day. |
| Count to five, and then gently and slowly slide back to | | | | Back pain exercise demands warm-up, so schedule at |
| your original position. Repeat five times. This will stretch | | | | least five minutes at the start of your exercise period |
| and strengthen important back, hip, and leg muscles. | | | | for that. Warming up lowers blood pressure, improves |
| 2. Abdomen muscles. Lie on your back on the floor. | | | | blood flow to the heart, increases muscle temperature |
| Firmly place your feet flat on the floor. Your knees | | | | and makes muscles more pliable. Warm up with some |
| should be bent and raised toward the ceiling. Lean | | | | type of slow, rhythmic movement. Walking is a good |
| forward until your head and shoulders leave the floor, | | | | warm-up for your back pain exercises. Use an easy |
| trying to touch your knees with both hands. Hold the | | | | walking pace, inhaling and exhaling evenly and deeply |
| position as you count to 10. Relax and repeat 5 times. | | | | to send oxygen to your muscles. |
| This will strengthen the abdominal muscles that help | | | | Back pain exercise has benefits for the rest of your |
| support your back. | | | | body also. Think of your back as the main core of a |
| 3. Back muscles. Stand with hands on hips, feet slightly | | | | healthy body. By giving it simple, low impact exercise |
| apart. Move your hand backward onto the small of | | | | each day or every other day, you will strengthen your |
| your back. Keep your knees straight. Gently bend | | | | muscles, preparing them to protect and support the |
| backwards at the waist as far as you can. Be careful | | | | painful area throughout the day. |
| not to bend so far that you increase your back pain. | | | | Get Even More Help for Back Pain |
| Hold the bend for 2 to 3 seconds. Return to your | | | | While back pain exercise is a long-term solution to your |
| normal position. This back pain exercise will strengthen | | | | back pain, you want to reduce your pain right now. |
| the muscles in your back itself. It will also loosen tight | | | | You don't want to wait. You want treatments that will |
| back muscles. | | | | give relief while you make muscles stronger. |
| 4. Hip and back muscles. Use a straight back kitchen | | | | |