High impact exercises, such as jogging and high-impact aerobics, can put pressure on a disc and cause more injury. Also, avoid movements that cause twisting, such as golf, as it can up back pain pressure. Try this instead: Water aerobics or yoga.
Having an exercise routine is usually good for back pain, as long as you're doing it correctly. Exercising with back pain is encouraged since it helps boost flexibility and strength, supports the back and promotes healing.
Don't lift weights overhead or on your shoulders.
“Using weights overhead adds pressure to the spinal discs,” he says. Also avoid exercises in which a weight rests on your shoulders, such as weighted squats, he adds.
Walking. Walking is good for low back pain because it's a low-impact exercise that offers the benefits of regular physical activity without aggravating the muscles and tendons of the lower back. It uses and stretches muscles in your back, is easy on your joints and can reduce bone and muscle loss.
A common myth about back pain is that you need to rest and avoid activity for a long time. In fact, doctors do not recommend bed rest. If you have no sign of a serious cause for your back pain (such as loss of bowel or bladder control, weakness, weight loss, or fever), stay as active as possible.
To avoid this problem and the lower back pain it causes, squats are one of the most recommended back exercises at home. Squats are simply stretches for lower back pain that can greatly improve the flexibility to ensure that you can lift objects properly and save your lower back from bearing the total burden.
Many people want to stay in bed when their back hurts. For many years, getting bed rest was the normal advice. But current studies recommend no bed rest at all and stress that staying in bed longer than 48 hours not only won't help but it may, in fact, actually delay your recovery.
“It's a double-edged sword,” explains Dr. Crooks, “it's a great exercise because it works all the parts of your core, but if you already have back pain or perform it improperly, the plank can actually aggravate your back.” If you feel any strain at all, it's best to play it safe.
Sit with a back support (such as a rolled-up towel) at the curve of your back. Keep your hips and knees at a right angle. (Use a foot rest or stool if necessary.) Your legs should not be crossed and your feet should be flat on the floor.
Traditional sit-ups, crunches and other common exercises can be harmful because the repeated lumbar flexion overloads the spinal discs, potentially causing serious damage to the low back.
You should stop lifting immediately if you feel pain in your back. You should seek medical advice from your healthcare provider if recovery takes longer than two weeks.
The Safest Start to Lifting Weights with a Bad Back
Work your way slowly to heavier weights. Start with one set of 12 reps. Then see if you can do it twice with a short rest in between. Build up your routine to multiple sets of 12, so you work your muscle group to fatigue.
Back pain can range from a muscle aching to a shooting, burning or stabbing sensation. Also, the pain can radiate down a leg. Bending, twisting, lifting, standing or walking can make it worse.
"There are several potential causes of chronic pain in the lower back." In general, osteoarthritis (the most common type of arthritis) and degenerative disk disease (the natural wear and tear of spinal disks) are the underlying cause of many types of chronic lower back pain.
Sciatica refers to pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve travels from the lower back through the hips and buttocks and down each leg. Sciatica most often occurs when a herniated disk or an overgrowth of bone puts pressure on part of the nerve.
If the pain lasts four weeks or longer. If the pain keeps getting worse as time goes by. If you are experiencing other symptoms, such as fever, major weight loss or weight gain, loss of function or weakness in extremities, bladder problems, etc.
Most lower back strains and sprains should recover in 2 weeks, and according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), more than 90% of people recover fully in 1 month. A person should avoid vigorous exercise for 8 weeks to reduce the risk of damaging the back further.
Weight-bearing aerobic activities
Examples include walking, dancing, low-impact aerobics, elliptical training machines, stair climbing and gardening. These types of exercise work directly on the bones in your legs, hips and lower spine to slow mineral loss.
It's natural to want to rest for a long time if you have aches, especially in your back. While you should be taking it easy while you're sore, doctors highly recommend against complete bed rest. In fact, it's crucial to remain as active as possible to strengthen your muscles.
When your lower back is flexed, eg rounded, slumped, as seen in the picture to the right, you're already stretching out some muscles and ligaments, in addition to pushing your disc out the back. This is a dangerous position to be in. This is why further stretching is a bad idea. Please STOP DOING IT.
Hot and cold therapy
In general, cold temperatures lower inflammation and decrease swelling. Heat can assist with relaxing your muscles. Depending on your low back pain symptoms, you may try cold or hot therapy for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day, until back pain lessens.