We spend too much time sitting and not enough time moving.
You’re probably sitting right now.
Sitting has been shown to be a significant cause of lower back pain when paired with a sedentary lifestyle… moving your body can be a great way to help relieve and prevent lower back pain.
In this article we’re going to show you 5 exercises that have helped members who have been dealing with lower back pain, sitting for work or not!
How does lower back pain start?
Lower back health is affected by so many factors. While there are some things that are out of our control, most of the factors that contribute to lower back pain are well within our control.
Here are a handful of the common issues that can introduce a nagging lower back:
- Poor posture (standing and sitting)
- Weak Back and Ab muscles
- Poor Mobility
- Lack of movement
These are some of the most common things we see.
The good news is, if your pain is coming from one of these issues, there are many things you can do to help build a pain-free lumbar!
1. Childs Pose
Child’s pose is a resting posture commonly used in yoga. It can help to reduce pain in the lower back for a number of reasons:
- Stretches the lower back muscles: Child’s pose gently stretches the muscles in the lower back, helping to release tension and reduce pain. By gently extending the spine and stretching the muscles, Child’s pose can help to increase circulation to the area and reduce inflammation.
- Relaxes the hips: Tight hip muscles can contribute to lower back pain, so Child’s pose can help by gently stretching the hips and increasing their flexibility. When the hips are relaxed, it takes pressure off the lower back and can reduce pain.
- Reduces stress: Stress can often cause tension in the lower back muscles, leading to pain. Child’s pose is a calming and relaxing posture that can help to reduce stress and tension throughout the body, including in the lower back.
2. Dead Hang
The dead hang exercise is a simple exercise that involves hanging from a bar or other sturdy object with your arms fully extended. This exercise can help to decompress the lower back in several ways:
- Relieves compression on the spine: When you hang from a bar, your body weight is suspended, which can help to relieve compression on the spine. This can be especially helpful for people who spend a lot of time sitting or standing, as these positions can put pressure on the lower back and lead to pain.
- Stretches the spine: When you hang from a bar, your spine is elongated, which can help to stretch the vertebrae and discs in the lower back. This can help to increase flexibility and reduce stiffness in the lower back.
- Releases tension in the muscles: Hanging from a bar can help to release tension in the muscles of the lower back and hips. This can be especially helpful for people who have tight or tense muscles in these areas, which can contribute to lower back pain.
3. Deadlift
Deadlifts can be a useful exercise for reducing lower back pain for several reasons:
- Strengthening the muscles of the lower back: Deadlifts are a compound exercise that work multiple muscle groups, including the erector spinae, which are the muscles that run along the length of the spine. Strengthening these muscles can help to support the spine and reduce the risk of injury and pain.
- Improving posture and alignment: Deadlifts can also help to improve posture and alignment, which can reduce lower back pain. By strengthening the muscles of the back and core, deadlifts can help to keep the spine in a neutral position, which reduces the strain on the lower back.
- Increasing flexibility: Deadlifts can also help to improve flexibility in the muscles of the hips and legs, which can also reduce lower back pain. By improving flexibility, deadlifts can help to reduce tension in the lower back and hip muscles, which are often the cause of lower back pain.
- Promoting circulation: Deadlifts are a weight-bearing exercise that can help to promote circulation to the lower back and surrounding muscles. This can help to reduce inflammation and promote healing, which can also reduce pain.
It is important to note that deadlifts can also be a source of lower back pain if they are not performed correctly. Proper form is essential for reducing the risk of injury and pain. Make sure you work with a qualified fitness professional to learn the proper technique for deadlifting. Start with lighter weights and gradually increase the load over time.
4. Twisted Cross
The Twisted cross is a common exercise we use to help improve mobility of the lower back.
Most people are doing their workouts in a single plane without rotation. The twisted cross is a great way to add some rotation to your workout cooldowns or as a break throughout your day at work.
You can add intensity by sending your leg further over the top, but start slowly with since rotation might be new for your lower back.
The World’s Greatest Stretch
The world’s greatest stretch lives up to it’s name!
This stretch combines a pile of movements and helps reduce lower back pain for many reasons.
One of the primary reasons that made us include this one was the role it plays on reducing hip flexor tightness. During this stretch, the leg that is behind you is extended and you’re pushing your hips forward.
This motion puts your hip flexor into a massive stretch. A stretch that we all need after sitting and shortening that muscle group in our office chairs.
Check out the link above and give this one a try – you won’t regret it!
An active back is a happy back.
The best thing to help prevent lower back pain is to start doing these exercises regularly. The second most important things is to get moving – start exercising using a variety of different exercises and movements.
If you’re regularly working out and performing movements safely and within your means, you’re off to an amazing start – Just make sure you’re including your mobility work in there!
If you aren’t sure where to start – make sure your reach out to one of our personal trainers who can help you strengthen your lower back!