Simple Exercises for Back Pain

When doing these exercises, it's very important to bear in mind the severity of your back pain, and adapt them to avoid making things worse.

These days, back pain is a very common condition.

As a general rule, if your back pain is caused by poor posture, we recommend you do some moving exercises. Stretches will alleviate the tension and pain.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of them.

1. Relaxation and breathing

Each exercise will require a particular pose. However, in each case you need to consciously loosen your muscles and concentrate on your breathing.

This is the case for every exercise. You don’t need to force it. Pay attention to the air entering your body, hold briefly, and exhale.

2. Exercises for the cervical area

We advise you do these exercises in a seated position, keeping your spine straight upright. If possible support yourself on the back of a chair.

Carry out one of the exercises detailed below. Twenty repetitions should be enough.

• With your eyes closed, slowly move your head forwards and backwards, trying to touch your chest with your chin. Control your breathing, so that your movements match your breathing in and out.
• In the same position, turn your head from left to right, and right to left, as if trying to touch your shoulder with your ear.
• Raise and lower your shoulders.
• Raise both arms straight up at the same time. Join your fingers and stretch upwards as far as your can.
• Still seated, rest your hands on your knees. Drag one hand along your leg to your torso, and continue, rotating your shoulder. Do this one arm at a time.

3. Exercises for the thoracic area

Some recommended exercises include:

Curving your spine forward

• Support yourself on the floor on your hands and knees. Look own at the floor.
• Slowly bring in your abdominal muscles, trying to the curve your back slowly.
• Relax, return to your original position, and repeat.

Stretch 1

• Standing and with your body relaxed, place your hands on your back at the level of your hips.
• Lean forwards slowly, feeling the stretch in your back.

Stretch 2

• In the same pose as the previous stretch, lift your left arm to your head.
• Bend your elbow and put your hand on the back of your head.
• Slowly pull your left elbow with your right hand until you feel the stretch.
• Return to your original position and repeat with the other arm.

4. Exercises for the lumbar area

You can try the following different exercises:

Lumbar exercise 1

• Lie down facing upwards. Bend your left knee while trying to keep your hips stable.
• At the same time, lift your right leg. Try to keep your knee straight and not lift your hip from the floor.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds and return to your original position.
• Repeat this three times with each leg.

Lumbar exercise 2

• Lie down facing upwards, bend both knees, keeping your feet on the floor.
• Keeping one foot on the floor, lift the knee of your other leg to your chest. Hold this position for 15 seconds.
• Relax and return to your starting position. Repeat with the other leg.

Lumbar exercise 3

• Lie down facing up on the floor.
• Put a small ball under your lower back.
• Slide over the ball, using your body weight as pressure.

Other considerations

As well as the lifestyle factors we’ve already mentioned, there are other things that can cause back pain. These include your mattress, pillow, or armchair.

Investigate this factors and try to adopt a simple exercise routine. This will help alleviate back pain, which affects many people. There are also many effective natural remedies.