Your "Essential" Back Exercises

It is recommended that everyone performs some form of exercise at least three times per week.  

Walking and swimming are excellent ways to improve or maintain your general fitness if you have a back problem.

If commencing a program of walking, do so gradually and set yourself goals each week to walk for an increased distance or for an increased period of time.  This will help you to keep track of the progress you are making.

If you commence a program of swimming certain strokes may aggravate your particular condition.  If you are unsure of what would be appropriate ask your doctor.

Cycling may also be possible, but some adjustment in the height of your seat and handle bars may be necessary to enable you to maintain a comfortable posture in the saddle.

Specific exercises to improve the muscular support of your lower back are an essential part of your rehabilitation program and should become a part of your daily routine.  That’s right, you should do them every day.  The following exercises can be done at home, and their aim is to tone the back and abdominal muscles.

It will not take long, if you spend ten minutes a day, say in the morning when you get up, or at night before you go to bed, it will have a significant effect on improving your condition.  If they can be done twice per day even better.    

The exercises shown should not cause pain.  If discomfort is exacerbated by these activities you may be performing the exercises incorrectly and you should seek advice about this from your doctor or Physiotherapist.

Also please consult your local doctor if you have concerns about your general health before commencing these exercises.

There are two exercises  you should do as a minimum, the first is for your abdominal muscles.  

1. Lie on the floor, or if you like on a firm mattress with your back flat on the ground and your knees bent up as shown below.

Place your hands on your thighs and then lift your head and shoulders off the ground.  There is no need to lift your back off the ground.  You should feel the abdominal muscles become tense.

Now hold that position for ten to fifteen seconds and then relax. (place your mouse pointer over the picture to observe the technique)  

 

The aim is to do this five to ten times, and to  build up the time that you can hold your head and shoulders off the ground.  

When you can do if five times for one minute your abdominal tone will be reasonable.

2. The second exercise is similar, but this time you should lie on your stomach with you arms by 
   your side.  

Now lift your head and shoulders backwards as shown. 

 

There is no need to arch your back too much, just go to the point where you feel the muscles in your back become tense, and hold it there for ten to fifteen seconds.  The aim is again to increase the time that you can maintain this posture for.

It is important to remember that benefit will not be apparent immediately, and the benefit obtained is dependent of the effort you invest trying to improve your fitness.  

Nobody else can do this for you !!

Exercise may not eliminate pain completely but will at least decrease the frequency and severity of episodes of pain.  

It is important to continue exercise of the type outlined above even during episodes of pain.  It is however reasonable to decrease the time that you spend walking, swimming or holding the positions described above during such times.  Once pain settles gradually work your way back up to what you were able to do before pain increased.

Send mail to spine@adelaide.on.net  with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: February 18, 2002