Many people mistakenly believe that the best way to treat back pain is to simply rest. While this can be true in some cases, depending on the nature of your injury, more often than not movement is key. Performing some safe and simple exercises designed to strengthen your core and back muscles can help promote healing and reduce your pain. The next time you have back pain, try some of the exercises shared in this post.
Warm-Up: Overhead Reach
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Contract your core and lift your hands overhead. Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
To intensify the stretch, arch your back slightly at the end position. The goal of this stretch is to create space between your ribs and hips. It also engages and strengthens your core.
Overhead Reach
Start off with 1 set of 2-3 repetitions, holding for 5-10 seconds.
Exercise Modification:
Overhead Reach in Sitting Position
Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your knees bent and heels planted. Tighten your core, then lift your arms overhead, shifting your hips forward to intensify the stretch. Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds. Lower your arms down to return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
Overhead Reach in Sitting Position
Start off with 1 set of 2-3 repetitions, holding for 5-10 seconds.
#1 – Deadbug
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Raise your knees up to a 90-degree angle and extend your arms at chest-height, holding the stability ball between your hands and knees. Lower one arm overhead while extending your opposite leg. Be careful not to drop the ball. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
To make this exercise easier, perform the movement without the stability ball.
Deadbug
Start off with 1 set of 2-3 repetitions on each side.
#2 – Bird Dog
Move into a 4-point position, with your knees below your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Tighten your core and extend one leg to hip-height. Lower your leg down to return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Bird Dog
Start off with 1 set of 2-3 repetitions on each side.
Alternative exercise:
Move into a 4-point position with your knees below your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Tighten your core, then reach forward with one arm as you extend the opposite leg back. Lower your arm and leg down to return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Alternative exercise
Start off with 1 set of 2-3 repetitions on each side.
#3 – Plank
3.A – Plank from the Wall
Begin in an upright standing position with both hands against the wall, keeping your head, shoulders, hips, and legs in alignment. Tighten your core and move your feet back to increase the angle of your body. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Relax return to the starting position. Repeat the movement.
3.A – Plank from the Wall
Start off with 1 set of 2 repetitions, holding for 5-10 seconds.
3.B – Plank from Your Knees
Begin in a 4–point position with your knees under your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Shift your hips forward to move into a plank position, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and knees. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Relax and repeat the movement.
3.B – Plank from Your Knees
Start off with 1 set of 2 repetitions, holding for 5-10 seconds.
3.B – Plank from Your Toes
Begin in a 4–point position with your knees under your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Shift your hips forward and raise to your toes to move into a plank position, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Relax and repeat the movement.
3.B – Plank from Your Toes
Start off with 1 set of 2 repetitions, holding for 5-10 seconds.
3.C – Plank from Your Elbows
Begin in a 4–point position, with your knees under your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Lower your upper body to your forearms and shift your weight to your toes to move into a forearm plank position, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and toes. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Relax and repeat the movement.
3.C – Plank from Your Elbows
Start off with 1 set of 2 repetitions, holding for 5-10 seconds.
3.C – Plank on Stability Ball
Start in an upright kneeling position with the stability ball in front of your body. Hinge forward and move into a forearm plank on the stability ball, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Relax and repeat the movement.
Plank On Stability Ball
Start off with 1 set of 2 repetitions, holding for 5-10 seconds.
#4 – Side Plank from the Wall
Begin in an upright standing position beside the wall, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place one hand on the wall, keeping your elbow slightly below shoulder-height. Tighten your core, then move your feet away from the wall to increase the angle of your body. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Relax and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
To increase the intensity of the exercise, step farther away from the wall to increase the angle of your body.
Side Plank from the Wall
Start off with 1 set of 2 repetitions on each side, holding for 5-10 seconds.
4.A – Side Plank from the Ground (Straight-Arm)
Begin in a 4-point position with your knees below your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Move into a straight arm plank position. Shift to your side, distributing your weight across one arm and your stacked legs to move into a side plank position, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
To make the exercise more challenging, extend one arm upwards.
4.A – Side Plank from the Ground (Straight-Arm)
Start off with 1 set of 2 repetitions on each side, holding for 5-10 seconds.
4.B – Side Plank from the Ground (Forearm)
Begin in a 4-point position with your knees below your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Move into a forearm arm plank position, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Tighten your core, then move into a side plank position from your forearm. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
To make the exercise more challenging, extend one arm upward.
4.B – Side Plank from the Ground (Forearm)
Start off with 1 set of 2 repetitions on each side, holding for 5-10 seconds.
#5 – Pike
Begin in a straight-arm plank position with both feet on top of the stability ball, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Contract your core and lift your hips. Lower your hips to the starting position and repeat the movement.
To make the exercise easier, remove the stability ball.
Pike
Start off with 1 set of 2-3 repetitions.
Alternative Exercise:
Froggies
Begin in a straight-arm plank position with both feet on top of the stability ball, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Contract your core and bend your knees to roll the ball towards your chest. Straighten your legs to return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
Froggies
Start off with 1 set of 2-3 repetitions.
#6 – Bridge
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, relaxing your upper body. Place your arms at your sides. Contract your abdominal muscles, then push from your heels to lift your hips. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
Bridge
Start off with 1 set of 2 repetitions, holding for 10-15 seconds.
Alternative Exercise:
Bridge to Leg lift
Lie on your back on the ground with your arms at your sides, relaxing your upper body. Bend your knees and flatten your feet on the ground. Contract your abdominal muscles, then push from your heels to lift your hips. Lift one leg upward. Lower your foot and repeat the movement on the oppposite side. Lower your hips and repeat the sequence of movements.
Bridge to Leg lift
Start off with 1 set of 2-3 repetitions on each side.
Building your core muscles not only helps to heal an aching back, but also decreases the chance of future injuries. Be sure to try out this simple routine to take the next steps towards back health.
Looking for a more comprehensive program geared towards eliminating your back pain once and for all? Be sure to check out Low Back Pain Solved.
