Every time you bend down or stand up, you can feel your aching lower back that never seems to go away completely. Lower back pain, often known as lumbago or spondylosis, is a common health issue among adults as it can be caused by a variety of factors. In rare situations, it may be a symptom of an underlying disease, such as kidney stones or severe pancreatitis. Other times, it’s simply a side effect of a sedentary lifestyle or muscle cramps or repetitive movements.
If you are thinking that rest can take away your back pain, you cannot be more wrong. After a lot of research, most doctors advise activating the back muscles with some exercises and stretches so that the stiffness or soreness in that area is taken care of and blood circulation is much better. Whether your back pain is caused by an injury or a degenerative condition, in most cases it can be reduced with back pain relief exercises and yoga.
Specific yoga for lower back pain such as stretching, strengthening, and conditioning workouts also help build stronger muscles and support the spine structure.
Before we go ahead, an important suggestion – to understand which workout you should do for your lower back pain, consult a fitness trainer, or take medical advice before starting.
Here are 6 exercises that can be easily done at home and help relieve your back pain.
- Knee-To-Chest Stretch
A knee-to-chest stretch can help lengthen the lower back and relieve discomfort and tension.
To do the knee-to-chest stretch, follow these steps:
- Lie down on your back.
- While bending the knees, keep both your feet fixed on the floor.
- with both hands, bring one knee close toward your chest.
- Hold the knee against the chest for 5 seconds while keeping your stomach muscles tight and your spine pressed against the floor.
- Return to your original starting position.
- Switch to the other leg and repeat the process.
- Do this 2 to 3 times with each leg.
- Cat-Cow Pose
This is an excellent technique to stretch your shoulders, neck, and chest while also easing the tension from your spine.
Follow these steps to do a Cat-cow:
- In a tabletop position, get down on all fours (hands and knees on the ground).
- As you inhale to look up, press into your hands and feet, letting your belly fill with air.
- Exhale and arch your spine toward the ceiling, tucking your chin towards your chest.
- Continue this movement 10-12 times.
- Supermans
To do a superman, follow these steps:
- Lie down on the ground with your face down.
- Now stretch out both your arms in the front and stretch your legs out flat on the floor.
- Lift both your hands and feet off the floor. Initially, start with how much you can lift your hands and legs above the floor.
- To stimulate the core muscles, try pulling in your belly button and elevating it off the ground.
- To avoid neck injury, keep your head straight and gaze on the ground.
- Extend your hands and feet as much as you can.
- Stay in this position for a couple of seconds.
- Repeat this 10 times.
- Bird Dog
The bird dog is an excellent pose to maintain lower back stability. This is how you do it:
- Get down on the floor on all fours.
- Place your hands and knees beneath your shoulders and hips, respectively.
- Engage your abdominal muscles and keep your spine in a neutral position.
- Raise your right arm and left leg off the ground, keeping your shoulders and hips parallel.
- While looking down at the floor, keep your chin tucked down towards your chest.
- Hold this position for 4-5 seconds before going back to the starting position.
- Now raise your left arm and right leg to shoulder height and hold for 4-5 seconds.
- Return to your original starting position. This is the end of one round.
- Perform 2-3 sets of this exercise with 8-10 rounds.
- Child’s Pose
Child’s pose helps relieve pain and tension in your spine, neck, and shoulders, increases flexibility, and blood flow along the spine area.
Do these following steps:
- Place your hands and knees on the ground while sitting on your heels.
- Keeping your hips close to your heels, bring your torso down on the floor.
- Extend your arms in the front, lightly resting your palms on the ground.
- Gently press your forehead against the ground and relax. Take a deep breath.
- Hold this position for 10-15 seconds.
- Slowly sit up by crawling your hands toward your legs. Now slowly raise your head.
- Glute Bridges
This exercise strengthens the hamstrings, glutes, abdomen, and hips, this also serves to strengthen the lower back. Do the following steps:
- Lie on your back on the floor, knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- With your palms facing down, keep your arms at your sides.
- Raise your hips off the ground so that your knees, hips, and shoulders form a straight line.
- Squeeze your glutes tight and maintain your abs drawn in during the exercise to avoid overextending your back.
- Before easing back down, hold your bridged position for 4-5 seconds.
If you have chronic lower back pain, you should also pay attention to your general posture and if lifting any heavy objects is causing the pain. If your lower back pain persists even after doing these stretches and exercises, then do see a doctor. Moreover, if any of these exercises cause any kind of discomfort or your back pain worsens, stop doing them at once.
