Upper back pain causes can be trauma or sudden injury or impact.  They can also happen from back strain or poor posture.  Upper back pain can be caused by working at a computer most of the time.  A lot of times, upper back pain occurs with shoulder pain and/or neck pain.  Most upper back pain causes are from one or both of:

• Muscle irritation (myofascial pain)
• Joint dysfunction

Upper Back Pain Causes from Muscular Irritation

Upper back pain caused by muscular irritation affects the large upper back muscles, which are attached to the shoulder ‘girdle’ and scapula (shoulder blade).  They can develop irritation (myofascial pain), which can be painful and difficult to treat.  Like most back pain, upper back pain is due to a lack of conditioning (exercise, stretching, strengthening, strong stomach muscles which support your spine), or overusing the muscles, like repetitive motion (RMI-repetitive motion injury).  If you strain a muscle, have an injury including sports, car accident or other trauma or sudden impact, or improper posture all cause or contribute to this.

Upper Back Pain Causes From Joint Dysfunction

Your ribs connect to the vertebrae in the ‘thoracic spine’ by two joints that connect on each side of the spine.  Dysfunction of these joints can cause upper back pain.  Treatment for this also usually includes manual manipulation as above to help loosen and mobilize the joint and reduce your discomfort.  To get long-term relief, you usually have to have a home exercise program to stretch the spine and shoulders, as well as back strengthening exercises.  Aerobic conditioning is also very helpful in maintaining long-term upper back pain relief. Back pain medicines can also help this, as above, because joint dysfunction can cause inflammation.  Injections like an epidural steroid injection are usually not necessary for this unless they’re local trigger point injections. Some less common upper back pain causes are degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, spinal stenosis, etc.

How to Get Upper Back Pain Relief

Some of the best ways to get upper back pain relief are manual treatments like:

• Back stretching exercises, back strengthening exercises, active and passive physical therapy
• Chiropractic back pain treatment or osteopathic manipulation
• Massage therapy or
• Acupuncture for back pain

Since the upper back pain relates to large muscles in your shoulder area, most rehab programs include a lot of stretching and strengthening exercises.  A conservative (non-surgical) back pain specialist like an osteopathic doctor/rehab/physical medicine physician or chiropractor would be good to see for upper back pain treatment. If you have a specific area that is tender, the source might be what’s called an “active trigger point”.  Trigger points are usually in a skeletal muscle, and can be worked on by one or more of these treatments:

• Massage therapy
• Acupuncture
• Trigger point injections with a local anesthetic like Lidocaine

Back pain medication can also help, since muscle irritation usually includes some type of inflammation.  Anti-inflammatory medicine like Ibuprofen can help reduce the inflammation. *ALWAYS consult with your physician to determine your back pain cause and treatment plan so you don’t cause more damage.

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Your back is comprised of over 30 muscles, many ligaments, joints, discs and 33 vertebrae.  So , you can see how easy it is to cause back pain.  I’ve talked about many back pain causes, but will give a brief overview of the most common back pain causes, then will review some other issues that back pain can cause.  Some of the most common back pain causes include:

• Muscular strain, lumbar muscle strain or muscle spasm caused by a sudden or awkward movement, fall or other impact, over-straining your back, lifting bulky or heavy items, awkward angles, pushing, pulling, lifting, twisting, or trauma.  This causes inflammation or injury including possible tearing.  Ligament sprains are common when the back is stretched beyond its capacity.  These commonly occur with muscle strains.

• Herniated discs are caused by compression of the spinal nerves.  They result from repetitive motion like machine operators or truck drivers, or unaccustomed heavy loading on the back.  Proper lifting is Very Important.  Sciatica is a common form of a herniated disc or “radicular” back pain, along the nerve(s).

• Osteoporosis is a common cause of back pain, particularly in women and when you’re older.  It affects the spinal joints. It’s referred to as a “degenerative joint disease”.  It can get worse the longer it goes when bearing weight or walking.  Surgery is sometimes needed for this.

• Spinal Stenosis is another back pain cause, also more common in people over 50.  It’s a narrowing of the spinal canal and includes thickening of ligaments, bone spurs, and enlarged joints (cartilate) from arthritis-type changes.  It also gets worse with longer periods of bearing weight or walking, and may need surgery.

• Fibromyalgia is another common cause of chronic back pain and chronic lower back pain.  It’s rheumatic which includes soft tissue pain, sleep interruptions, and widespread, evenly-distributed tenderness.

• Other common causes of back pain are: #1 Poor Posture, standing, sitting or hunching, bending too long, constipation, gas, stress, kidney stones or infections, dehydration, smoking or even eating the wrong foods (sugar, processed foods).  Eat more raw, organic types of foods.

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I’ve talked a lot about lower back pain causes, but will go into things in a little more detail.  I’ll also review some lower back pain treatment options and lower back pain exercises to help start to relieve your back pain right away.  Some of the most common lower back pain causes are:

• Injury or overusing your muscles, ligaments, sacroiliac joints (junctions between your spine and each side of your pelvis) and facet joints (bony protrusions on the back of your vertebrae)
• Pressure on the nerve roots in your spinal canal, which can be caused by:
  • Herniated disc (often caused by a repeated motion or vibration, lifting incorrectly, or sudden strain or pressure to the lower back)
  • Osteoarthritis (joint degeneration), usually with age
  • Spondylolisthesis or Spondylolysis, vertebra defects where the vertebrae can slide over each other
  • Spinal Stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), usually with age
  • Vertebrae fractures caused by a lot of force, like a car accident, blow to your spine, or spinal compression falling
  • Spinal deformities, which can include spinal curvature problems
• Compression fractures, more common with post-menopausal women with osteoporosis, or long-term corticosteroid use.  Compression fractures happen very easily with those with osteoporosis with little force like a sneeze

Helpful Lower Back Pain Treatment Options

There are many lower back pain treatment options available to you, from temporary treatment including over the counter back pain medications and creams, to lower back pain exercises to stretch and strengthen your back, alternative back pain treatment options, and surgery.   Some of the things to keep in mind for lower back pain treatment are:

• If you’ve just developed lower back pain, STAY ACTIVE and try some back pain medicines like Acetaminophen (i.e., Tylenol) or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like Ibuprophen (Advil or Motrin), or Naproxen (Aleve or Naprosyn).  Laying down or being immobile for too long can actually make your lower back pain worse and lead to other problems like muscle weakness and stiff joints.
• Make sure you’ve discussed your lower back pain causes with your doctor about your back pain causes, back pain symptoms, how to manage it, or activities you can or shouldn’t do.
• If your lower back pain has lasted more than three (3) months, you may need more intensive lower back pain treatment.  There are back pain therapy programs that include back strengthening exercises, education, and physical activities to help increase function and manage pain.
• Once you’ve had lower back pain, it’s likely to return.  So, to avoid further issues you need to keep your back and stomach muscles strong, use good posture, the safest ways to lift heavy objects, turn, bending, etc., and how to manage stress.
• Surgery’s rarely needed for lower back pain, even with a herniated disc or nerve damage, so keep that in mind.

Acute Lower Back Pain Treatment

Acute lower back pain is back pain that’s lasted less than 3 months, and it can get better within a few weeks.  Some acute lower back pain treatments can include:

• Resting the first day or two in a comfortable position.  Try laying on your side with a pillow between your knees, or on your back on the floor with a pillow under your knees.  *Don’t stay in one position for too long.  Take a short (10-20 minute) walk every 2-3 hours and find a comfortable position to rest in again.
• Take back pain medicine if you need to.  Sometimes it works better if you take them on a regular schedule, but don’t take more than is indicated.
• Try a heating pad on low or medium for 15-20 minutes every 2-3 hours, or a warm shower in place of one heating pad session.  You can also use “single-use” heat wraps that can last up to 8 hours.  You can also use an ice pack 10-15 minutes every 2-3 hours.  See whether heat or ice helps more.  Sometimes alternating is best.
• Get back to normal activities as soon as possible, because movement helps your muscles stay strong.

Helpful Lower Back Pain Exercises

Lower back pain exercises are not hard to do, aren’t complicated, and you can do them at home without any special equipment.  Don’t let your fear of pain keep you from trying some gentle activity.  You need to do lower back pain exercises and stretching to help strengthen and stabilize your back.  Some helpful lower back pain exercises are:

• Back stretching exercises to help keep your muscles and supporting tissues flexible and less prone to injury
• Back strengthening exercises, focusing on your stomach, back and leg muscles
• Aerobic exercises to condition your heart and other muscles, speed recovery, and maintain your health

Lower Back Pain Exercises to Avoid

Some lower back pain exercises can make it worse, so if you have lower back pain, avoid:

• Straight let sit-ups
• Bent leg sit ups or partial sit ups (curls) if you have acute back pain
• Lifting both legs when you’re laying on your back
• Lifting heavy weights above your waist
• Toe touches when you’re standing

Go to the “Back Strengthening Exercises” page to learn more about lower back pain exercises.

First, you need to diagnose your lower back pain causes to determine your lower back pain treatment.  But, to really improve it, you need to do consistent lower back pain exercises.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks

Other articles around the web related to lower back pain causes:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
If you have lower back pain, you are not alone. Nearly everyone at some point has back pain that interferes with work..
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/backpain/detail_backpain.htm

WebMD, Low Back Pain Cause:  Most low back pain is triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments… 
http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/low-back-pain-cause

EMedicineHealth, Low Back Pain Causes:  Pain in the lower back or low back pain is a common concern, affecting up to 90% of Americans at some…  http://www.emedicinehealth.com/back_pain/article_em.htm

MedicineNet, Lower Back Pain: The first step to understanding the various causes of low back pain is…
http://www.medicinenet.com/low_back_pain/article.htm

Lower Back Pain Exercises Including Stretches for Lower Back Pain

Chronic lower back pain is one of the most prevalent health issues in our country.  Your back pain causes and symptoms are wide-ranging, and can be hard to diagnose.  But, as many back pain causes and symptoms there are, there are also many back pain remedies.  Being a prior chronic back pain sufferer, I can tell you that lower back pain exercises are one of the most important things to do to strengthen, stretch and condition your back to reduce pain and possibility of injury or re-injury, but you have to do them right.  I’ll briefly review some of the most beneficial back strengthening exercises and stretches for lower back pain that I’ve found.  You really need to exercise for lower back pain if you want to be proactive in getting rid of it.

Stretches for Lower Back Pain

One of the most important things you can do for your back health is to regularly stretch your back.  This includes stretches for lower back pain.  It helps keep your muscles and ligaments flexible, and reduces strain on joints.  It improves your circulation, pumping the needed nutrients throughout your body.  Without it, you’ll get stiffness, limited movement and pain.  It’s essential to stretch before and after vigorous physical activities or sports to avoid injuries, muscle strain and soreness.  To get the most benefit, you need to do it properly.  Here are some helpful tips when doing stretches for lower back pain:

• If you can, start at the neck and work each muscle group down your body. This way you’re using muscles that are already stretched as you go
• Stretch Gently and Slowly only until you feel Mild tension
• Don’t bounce.  Hold your stretch 10-20 seconds
• Don’t hold your breath.  Inhale deeply before you stretch, and exhale during the stretch
• Stretch for the same amount of time on each body part, doing 3-5 stretches is fine.  You can increase repetition as you progress
• Alternate sides and muscle groups

Stretching first thing in the morning also helps pump blood throughout your system, giving you increased energy for the day.  You should do stretches for lower back pain at least 2-3 times a week up to daily to reduce your lower back pain.

Exercise for Lower Back Pain

Proper stretching and exercise for lower back pain is crucial if you want to get rid of the pain and improve the quality of your life.  Here’s one exercise for lower back pain that is very helpful.  Some exercises that can help reduce or prevent lower back pain are:

• Aerobic exercises
• Back strengthening exercises
• Back stretching exercises

Some exercises can make your back pain worse, so avoid them:

• Straight leg sit ups
• Bent leg sit ups or partial situps when you have acute back pain
• Lifting both legs laying on your back
• Lifting heavy weights above your waist
• Touching your toes while standing

Here are some good resources for lower back pain exercises and stretches for lower back pain.  I can tell you from personal experience that if you want to get rid of your back pain (consult your doctor first*), you really need to exercise and stretch and strengthen your back muscles:

Back Strengthening Exercises

Lower Back Pain Exercises

Stretches for Lower Back Pain

If you’d like a copy of the “Low Back Pain Exercises” pdf, just let me know or sign up for the newsletter and email me.  I’d be happy to send it to you.

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I’ve talked about the exercise ball chair or balance ball chair, but I haven’t talked about exercise ball exercises (Swiss ball exercises).  I’ll briefly review the benefits of exercise ball workouts (Swiss ball workout) and show some exercise ball exercises.

Do you remember how fun it was to play with a ball when you were a kid?  You can still have fun doing exercise ball exercises while adding challenge and variety to your workouts.  Exercise balls are also known as Swiss balls, stability balls, fit balls or physioballs.  They’re large, vinyl balls you can use to stretch and strengthen your entire body while stabilizing your core and improving balance.  2006 American Council on Exercise personal trainer of the year said that the exercise ball is “the one piece of essential equipment for fitness”, and “everyone should own or work with one”.

Exercise ball exercises (exercise ball workouts) are an inexpensive and versatile way to get great workouts to stretch, tone and strengthen.  Exercise balls don’t take up a lot of space, so you get a lot for a little.  You can vary swiss ball exercises as much as you want so it never gets boring, and you can continue to increase the workout level.  It’s also a great balance training tool that gives you a whole body exercise, stimulating the pelvic, abdominal and lower back muscles, which are key for good posture, balance and movement control.  Exercise ball workouts also stimulate the smaller “stability” muscles as well as the muscles you’re using when exercising.

3 Exercise Ball Workouts (Swiss Ball Workouts)

Here are some exercise ball workouts (Swiss ball workout) for a fun, whole-body workout:

Squats Exercise Ball Workout

1. Stand with the exercise ball propped between your lower spine and a wall, pressing lightly into the ball. Keep your feet hip-width apart and a little in front of you with your hands at your sides or on your hips
2. Bending at your knees and hips, move slowly into a sitting position with your knees over your ankles, keeping the ball against your back
3. Return to standing position

You can repeat this 8-15 times.  For more challenge, lift one foot 1-2 inches off the floor doing this one leg at a time.

“Bird dog” Exercise Ball Workout (Swiss Ball Workout)

1. Get on your hands and knees with the exercise ball under your stomach
2. Extend and lift the opposite arm and leg off the floor at the same time
3. While balancing on ball and keeping your hips stable, reach away from the center of your body

You can repeat this 8 times on each side.  Hold the position longer for more challenge.

Supine Bridges Exercise Ball Workout

1. Sit on the exercise ball with your hands crossed on your chest or on your hips and
2. “Walk” forward gradually rolling the ball out until it’s supporting your head and shoulders instead of your butt.  Keep your weight on top of the ball as you roll out
3. Form a flat “table” with your shoulders, knees and hips aligned with your feet flat on the floor right under your knees
4. Lower and lift your hips without moving the ball, tightening the muscles in your butt and backs of the thighs

Can be repeated 8-15 times, and can be as challenging as you want it.

Use your imagination and come up with your own exercise ball exercises (Swiss ball exercises).  Play some music while you’re doing your exercise ball workouts (Swiss ball workouts) and see how much challenge that adds!  Most of all, have fun while you’re getting fit!

Other articles around the web about exercise ball exercises:

Stability Ball Exercises: Starting a Physical Fitness Home Workout …

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Sciatica or sciatic nerve pain is basically a symptom of sciatic nerve issues.  This can be caused by a back injury or a disc issue, but it’s usually a pain that runs from your buttocks down your leg.  It can be dull, or it may be sharp and severe.  You should see your doctor to diagnose your back pain cause.  Once you know the cause of your sciatica nerve pain, there are some exercises for sciatic nerve pain that you can do to alleviate it.  You need to make sure that you should do these exercises, so you want to check with your doctor before you do them.

Sciatica and Exercise

There are things you can do for sciatica and exercise is a Big part of this.  You need to stretch to relieve the pain and pressure on the sciatic nerve.  Before you do any exercise, you’ll want a yoga mat or mat of some kind, yoga strap or belt, a chair, and comfortable loose clothing:

1. Lay flat on the floor with your stomach down
    Prop your body up with your elbows so your back’s in an arched position
    Do it slowly so you know how much pain you can tolerate

Doing this a few times a day will reduce your sciatica nerve pain effectively and safely.

2. An exercise taught by many doctors is the simple curl-up position.

• Lay on your back with your arms crossed over your chest and your feet flat on the floor
• Raise your body off the ground some like a situp
• Try to hold the stretch for 3-5 seconds and relax

You can strengthen your abs and the core of your body including your sciatic nerve

Free Guides and 7 Day Back Pain Cure Book

3. Something you can do on a daily basis is to always try to sit in a very upright position.  This can relieve over 50% of your sciatic nerve pain, and allows your spine not to twist or bend.

4. Try not to sleep on your stomach, and you can sleep with a pillow between your knees to help relieve the pain.

You should feel relief within a few days if you do these exercises.

Yoga and Sciatica

There are a lot of conditions caused by sciatica nerve pain so you need to do the correct exercises, or you could be doing more harm than good.  You can treat it in your own home without doctor visits, but you want to make sure you know the cause of your pain, and have the right exercises for sciatic nerve pain before you start.  You need to know what exercises will help your sciatica and exercise including yoga and other exercise routines that will be beneficial.  Once you find the ones that work for you, just continue it consistently and it will relieve the pain.

Here’s a link for some Free guides and the 7 Day Back Pain Cure Book: Free Guides and 7 Day Back Pain Cure Book

Other articles related to exercises for sciatic nerve pain:

Sciatica Exercises to Relieve Pain of the Sciatic Nerve >> Medical …

Sciatica Sciatic nerve is a largest nerve present in the body that runs from lower part of the back …

Sciatica Exercises to Relieve Pain of the Sciatic Nerve …

Sciatica Sciatic nerve is a largest nerve present in the body that runs from lower part of the back …

Sciatic Exercise | How Warm Water Gets You Going Again | Xtreme us

Warm water exercises are among the most beneficial types of exercises, since they will strengthen th …

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Back Strengthening | Lower Back Exercises Blog

Correctly performed, back strengthening exercises, is one of the best measures you can take t…   Read more…

Back Strengthening Exercises

You can stretch and strengthen your lower back in as little as 5-10 minutes a day.

When I was younger, I didn’t have to worry about exercises to strengthen my back, because I was very active, into sports, hiking, etc.  But… getting older, being less active, and working from home has caused me some real back pain problems. 

My back got weaker because of less physical activity, sitting in a chair most of the day, and the wonderful process of getting older!  I haven’t kept my stomach strong because of this, which supports my spine.  I’ve had disc problems, pelvic disalignment, and a lot of lower back pain.  For those of you that have suffered from bad backs, you know how debilitating this can be.

So, I found some quick and easy back toning exercises to not only help strengthen my back, but increase resilience and lower back flexibility.

So, once you know you just need to strengthen your back, you can start a routine of quick exercises that will get and keep your back in good condition.  These excercises will help stretch and strengthen your back while making it more resilient, so you can be more active without worrying so much about twisting and turning, lifting, odd angles, etc.  There are proper ways to do these things, as well, but that’s in my back pain cause post!

This routine is simple, and easy to do if you do what you can as you can.  If you have a hard time laying on your back without additional support when you do these exercises, put your hands under your back for support, and push your back against them while doing it.  This helps make it easier to raise your body, arms and legs up without problems or pain.  Remember to hold your stomach in as best you can while doing these back toning exercises, as your stomach muscles help strengthen your back.

Stretches for Lower Back

#1 – Stretching/Loosening:
(Very important before doing other exercises):

• Lay on the floor (or other firm, flat surface) on your back
• Bring both legs to your chest gently with your hands, and exhale.
• Hold this position for a count of 5-10, depending on your comfort level. 

Do this once or twice, depending on how good it feels to you.  This is very helpful in ‘stretching’ those muscles out, limbering them up, and preparing your back for the back strengthening exercises or any physical activity.

#2 – Stretching:

• Laying on your back, gently pull one knee to your chest with your hands, and hold for 5-10 seconds, depending on your comfort level.  Breathe normally while you’re doing this.
• Do the same with your other leg, and repeat this process with both legs.

 Exercises to Strengthen Lower Back

Back Muscle Exercise

#3 (also stretches the hamstrings):

• Lay on your back, and lift one leg up in the air.  Do your best to keep it straight, but only do what you can, and increase it next time.
• Clasp your hands behind your knee, and pull your leg gently to you. 
• Do this with your other leg, and repeat the process again with both legs.

As with all of these exercises, Don’t Strain Yourself. Do the other leg and then repeat.

Include Ab Exercises And Lower Back Strengthening Exercises In …

If you want to create the best core workout, you need both ab and back exercises. When most p…   Read more…

Back Strength Exercises

#4 – Back Strength Exercise: 

• Lay on the floor on your back.
• Bend your knees and cross your legs.
• Keeping your legs crossed, let them slowly fall to one side so you’re laying on your side.
• Gently put your higher arm to the opposite direction of the way you’re laying. Again, do not force it.
• Bring your legs back to the center, cross the other way, and let your legs slowly fall down to the other side. 
• Bring your other arm across, away from your body.  (Some people will hear a little ‘snap’ in their spine when doing this.  Generally, this exercise is excellent for aligning your back, so you shouldn’t have to worry about this.  However, that’s another reason to stress stretching and limbering up beforehand.

Low Back Exercise

#5 – Lower Back Strengthening Exercises: 

• Lift one arm and stretch it above and to your side.
• At the same time, lift your opposite leg up and as straight as possible, keeping both raised off of the floor.
• Hold this position for a count of 5-10, depending on your initial comfort level
• Do the same with the opposite arm and leg, holding for a count of 5-10, and repeat for both sides.

You might not be able to lift your arms and legs far off the floor in the beginning.  Don’t worry about that.  The most important thing is that you don’t strain yourself.  As you do this, you will get stronger and more agile.  Increase your count and sets as this gets more comfortable.

#6 (Sit-ups w/Knees Bent):  Strengthening your stomach helps a lot in supporting and strengthening your back and spine.

• Lay on the floor with your knees bent
• Do a couple sets of sit-ups in sets of 5 or 10, depending on the shape you’re in.   Be your own best judge in determining the number of sit-ups, and times to repeat this process.  Just make sure as you’re mastering one level, you increase them.  Increasing your sets, and increasing sit-ups by 5 is a good general guide. 
• Rest a few seconds, and repeat the process 5-10 times if you can; again, depending on your comfort level.

Next time increase the sit-ups and/or sets, and go from there.  BUT, again, don’t over-strain yourself!

Three Easy Rules to Avoid Back Injury

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It won’t take you long to do these exercises, and using both the stretches and back strengthening exercises will do wonders for your back strength, resiliency, and flexibility.  But, you’ll also ‘feel’ better!  You’ll notice if you do this consistently, as that’s the key, you will have more energy and stamina, as well.  But, most importantly, you’ll notice a huge difference in your back (and stomach) strength, etc.

Doing these quick and simple back strengthening excercises just 5-10 minutes a day (or longer if you wish – just don’t overdo it!) is all it will take to stretch and strengthen your lower back in a short amount of time at home.

For more on back stretch exercise or back strength exercise, please see the related videos.

*NOTE:  I always encourage you to see your doctor about any physical issues, because there may be more going on than meets the eye with your back and/or spine.  However, if you just have general back/spine weakness, etc., the back strengthening exercise will help greatly.

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Alleviate lower back pain and reduce your risk of back injury with these lower back pain exercises and core strengthening exercises.

Lower back exercises can reduce risk of lower back pain and injury. Lower back pain hits many people, both young and old. The back is one of the most over-used and under-strengthened parts of our body. Our back is used for simple things like lifting, twisting, walking, and even sitting. This over-use of the back can eventually cause lower back pain. Additionally, without proper strengthening and stretching of the back muscles, you are at a higher risk of lower back injury.

Strengthening the core muscles, which include the lower back, abdominal and hip flexors, can help reduce risk of lower back injury and alleviate lower back pain. By strengthening the core muscles you are helping to improve your posture and support and stabilize the spine.

Core Strengthening Exercises

If you currently have a back injury, you should consult with your doctor before attempting any exercise routine. However, if you do not have a back injury, and want to help reduce risk of injury and pain, then try some of these lower back strengthening exercises.

Lower Back Exercise #1 Quadruped Lift

This exercise really focuses on the lower back.

• Start in a doggy position with both hands and knees flat on the floor.
• Begin this exercise by reaching your right arm straight out in front of you.
• At the same time lift the left leg straight out behind you.
• Repeat this several times and switch sides.

You can also perform this exercise by alternating sides each time.

Lower Back Exercise #2 The Bridge

This exercise works several core muscles including the lower back.

• Start by lying down on your back with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle.
• Place your lower back and feet flat to the floor.
• Lift your rear end off the floor keeping shoulders on the ground. As you lift, contract and tighten your abs and buttocks.
• Hold for a count of 5, then slowly return to starting position.
• Repeat this move several times.

This core strengthening exercise is great for the lower back, glutes and abdominal muscles.

Lower Back Exercise #3 Superman

This back strengthening exercise can be done with a boso ball or by simply lying on an exercise mat.

• Start by lying on your stomach, either on the ball or on an exercise mat.
• Place your arms straight out in front of you with your palms facing each other.
• Lift your head off the ground.
• To start this exercise, lift your right arm and at the same time lift your left leg.
• In a butterfly movement, alternate lifting your left arm and right leg, then the right arm and left leg.
• Repeat this movement several times.

Abdominal Exercises to Strengthen Core

In addition to strengthening the lower back to reduce back pain and injury, you want to strengthen the opposing muscles. This would be your abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscles consist of the rectus abdominis, also known as your six pack, the transverse abdominal muscle and the oblique muscles. The best abdominal exercise to work all these muscles is the bicycle crunch. If fact, this exercise was rated number one in a study of 13 common abdominal exercises.

Other effective abdominal exercises to help strengthen your core include the captain’s chair, exercise ball crunch, vertical leg crunch and the reverse crunch. Although the traditional crunch is effective at strengthening your six pack muscles, it actually came in third to last in this study. Many other ab exercises were found to be more effective on your abdominal muscles.

Lower Back Stretches

Stretching is a key component to keeping your muscles toned and healthy. So after a good strength training workout you should spend time stretching the muscles. Lower back stretches help keep your core healthy and minimizes risk of back pain and injury. Stretching your back keeps the muscles stretched and loose, which can alleviate lower back pain.

With any exercise, the key is to perform the exercise correctly in order to gain maximum benefit from your workout routine. Stretching is no different, and is often even more critical to ensure you are doing it correctly. Stretching not only helps lengthen and tone our muscles, but gives us increased flexibility, better range of motion, relieves stress, and improves our circulation and posture.

So keep your back healthy with lower back exercises, abdominal exercises and lower back stretches.

Check out these free fitness videos on how to do lower back strengthening and stretching exercises, abdominal exercises and strengthening exercises for the entire body.

By Julie Barros Published: 1/29/2009

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Pilates Exercises can Help with Low Back Pain

Physical therapists are integrating Pilates into their low back rehabilitation programs with great success.

Low back pain is one of the most common complaints from males over the age of 20.  Many women also experience a number of different acute or chronic injuries to their lower back. Despite the multitude of recovery options available, ranging from medication to surgery, there is one method that has continued to prove successful. A prescribed core strengthening routine has relieved the average back pain sufferer of their pain, while helping them prevent future injury.

Strengthening programs designed to increase core muscle strength and endurance have been shown to effectively alleviate back injury and improve posture. In order to make my back pain go away I need to do more back exercises in the gym, right? Not so much. The real key to decreasing the stress put on one’s low back is to develop a corset that supports our body. This corset is formed by strengthening what many refer to as the core muscles; mainly the transverse abdominis, multifidus, pelvic floor muscles, and obliques. These muscles help us to breathe properly, and maintain good balance and posture throughout our daily activities.

There are some different theories out there that try to explain the best way to improve core strength. Many different exercises for low back pain and props have been developed to improve all aspects of one’s core. A more recent development has been the inclusion of Pilates into an abdominal strengthening program. Pilates has been shown to successfully alleviate and increasing functional strength. Pilates emphasizes movement through the use of our core muscles, those closest to the spin. Instead of performing more reps, Pilates focuses on performing fewer, more precise movements that require concentration, control, and proper form. Due to its focus on developing the core muscles as well as postural awareness, Pilates is especially successful at alleviating back pain. By integrating the trunk, pelvis, and shoulder girdle Pilates enables you to develop a strong core.

Many physical therapists are successfully introducing some of the Pilates methods into their rehabilitation programs for patients with back pain. The most successful programs thus far have been those who creatively integrate Pilates with props, like the Swiss Ball, resistance bands, or balance disks, and with more traditional techniques. A prop such as the Swiss Ball is ideal for strengthening of muscles like those in the core, because they challenge our balance, which increases recruitment of the transverse abdominis.

Pilates also emphasizes proper breathing and body awareness in addition to core conditioning. Patients are able to develop their full set of core muscles that gives them functional strength to participate in their daily activities. Those who have given Pilates a try notice a greater ability to focus on their task, and increased strength to take part in normal activity while maintaining good posture.

Experiencing low back pain can be frustrating. Luckily, there are some options that have been proven to alleviate back pain and help us continue with our regular schedules. The integration of Pilates with more traditional strengthening methods, like using a Swiss Ball, has shown great results in helping those of us with acute and chronic back pain. Ask your local physical therapist if they have been trained in prescribing a Pilates core strengthening program.

Robert Tendick is a student preparing himself to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. His experience as an athlete with various injuries has given him insight into the common aches and pains that trouble many athletes and the need for core strengthening through mat pilates. He has also had the opportunity as a physical therapy aide to help heal a number of Los Angeles physical therapy patients through the use of cutting edge injury rehabilitation techniques.

Thank you to Rob Tendick

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Physical therapy exercises play a crucial role in helping patients recover from the pain caused by injuries and diseases. Therapeutic exercises are beneficial for people belonging to any age group who have back, spine, neck, leg or even neuromuscular problems. This exercise is useful for children having painful brain injuries, delayed growth and muscle related problems. Physical therapy exercises play a vital role in rehabilitation programs aimed at restoring the normal functions of injured or diseased people. Reputable pain management clinics have physical therapy experts for guiding patients to perform exercises as part of the treatment. Physical therapy exercises include strengthening exercise, stretching exercise, balance exercise, and endurance exercise. There are exercises which are to be performed during pregnancy, and exercises for regaining strength after undergoing an operation.

Balance exercises are meant for people suffering from loss of balance. Ankle sprain, stroke, other occurrences and injuries can cause loss of balance. There are simple exercises to improve balance skills. Single leg stance is an effective balance exercise.

Strengthening exercises help to improve muscle strength which is good for recovery from injuries and diseases. Stretching exercises are always good to prevent injuries. There are different physical therapy exercises for disorders caused by injuries. Back disorders, shoulder disorders, elbow disorders, wrist and hand disorders, hip disorders, knee disorders, and ankle and foot disorders are some of the common disorders. Many people suffer from severe pain due to these disorders.

Exercises that strengthen and stretch the muscles of the back, thighs, and stomach can reduce back pain. Wall slide exercise is ideal for back disorders. Pendulum exercises are performed for recovery from shoulder disorders. There are gluteal exercises for hip disorders. For ankle and foot disorders there are step by step exercises which include weight bearing exercises as well as non-weight bearing exercises.

There are aquatic therapy exercises that are performed in the water. Aquatic therapy helps in strengthening muscles and in healing injuries. Patients suffering from severe pain can utilize the service of pain management clinics for recovery from pain through effective physical therapy exercise under the guidance of expert physical therapists.

HealthQuest is a state of the art multi-specialty office. By combining physical therapy and rehabilitation, we provide the highest quality pain management services available in Brooklyn, NY. We have a team of anesthesiologists, physiatrists, psychiatrists, and neurologists to work with patients and provide them speedy relief from pain.

By Igor Stiler Published: 9/22/2008

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