Spokane’s Low Back Pain Exercises
Did you know that almost everyone has experienced low back pain or will experience it at some point in their life? Chronic low back pain applies when the pain has been occurring for at least three months. It is found that low back pain becomes more difficult to resolve when persisting for three or more months. Today, we will go over what Spokane chronic back pain exercises can best combat chronic low back pain.
Studies Showing the Benefits of Low Back Pain Exercise
There have been a large amount of studies which look into the effects of stabilization exercises for patients who suffer from chronic low back pain. A review of six new studies followed patients from a 4 to 16 week timeframe. Researchers found that participants who engaged in exercise reported improvements in low back pain which was not seen in the group that did not participate in exercise. Another study looked at the changes in bone density between both groups and found increased density in the exercise group, and lessened bone density in the other group. Finally, another study reported waste isometric strength increase in the exercise group.
A separate study found that the cross-section of the deep low back, fine motor muscle groups, improved greatly after eight weeks of targeted exercise. The same effect was found in the deep transverse abdominis muscle in another study.
There are plenty of other studies that show that core stabilization exercises can help pain and disability in chronic low back pain patients. This proves that those who do not engage in exercise do not improve, and sometimes their pain worsens.
Here are some Swiss ball options as well as floor exercises that you can use to combat chronic low back pain:
1) Sitting pelvic tilts
This can be done with both feet (or eventually one foot when you’re ready for an added challenge) on the floor while rocking the pelvis front to back, left to right, or in a circular or “figure-8” manner.
2) Bridge
Start sitting and then walk out so the ball is between the shoulder blades. Keep your trunk parallel to the floor. Push your heels into the floor to activate the hip extensors (buttock muscles) and then walk back up to a sitting position. You can further challenge your balance and hip extensor strength by raising one leg.
3) Sit-ups
Start sitting and roll halfway back and hold it for different lengths of time.
4) See-Saw
Hug the ball and roll out into a push up position. Position the ball under your pelvis and lift one leg at a time towards the ceiling. Alternate between the left and right legs. You can do BOTH legs together once you get used to this to make it more challenging.
5) Pelvic tilts
First, with the knees bent about 90° with your feet on the floor, flatten your low back against the floor by rocking your pelvis back.
6) Dead Bug
On your back with hips and knees both bent 90° (like sitting in a chair on your back), straighten out the right arm and left leg simultaneously and alternate sides SLOWLY.
7) Superman
Lay on your stomach with your arm and legs stretched our (like “Superman” flying). Raise one arm and the opposite leg (i.e. right arm/ left leg) and slowly alternate between the other opposing pair. Make it harder by raising BOTH arms and legs at the same time! NOTE: A pillow under the waist helps.
8) Bridge
Lay on your back with your knees bent. Lift the buttocks off the ground and push your heels into the floor. Do one leg at a time to make it more challenging.
9) Sit-ups
There are three leg positions to make it progressively harder (knees bent/feet flat on floor, knees & hips both bent 90°, etc.). Lift your breast bone towards the ceiling and alternate between coming straight up and left and right trunk twists.
10) Side Bridge (Plank)
If no shoulder problems exist, lay sideways propped up on an elbow and lift the hips off the floor to a straight body position.
11) Standing Squats
Try a quarter, half, or full squat (knee pain dependent) with or without hand weights and with or without a ball squeezed between the knees. Lunges can be substituted or added, if desired.
12) 4-point Quadruped
Kneeling on all fours, straighten out the right arm / left leg and alternate. At the same time, suck in your belly (“abdominal hollowing”) to facilitate the deep transverse abdominis and multifidus muscles. Add a dynamic component by rotating the trunk and approximating your hand to the floor / opposite leg up in the air keeping the body in a straight line.
Chronic back pain is a very common complaint and here at Natural Health Center, we have many treatment options to help with pain. Through chiropractic, physical therapy, medical massage, regenerative medicine and more, we have the solution or solutions for you. Moreover, we will help you with specific stretches and exercises pertinent to your actual problem.
Our goal is to treat the cause of the problem and try and fix it, rather than papering over the cracks with treatment of the symptoms.
If you’re suffering, suffer no more. Come and see us and get out of pain. Schedule an appointment with any of our expert staff here. Or simply give us a call (509) 299-6900.