Lower Back Pain Exercises to Strengthen Your Core

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.

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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