The Top 5 exercises for Low Back Pain.
1 in 6 Australians suffer from Back Pain in some form.
Low back pain is one of the most common spinal conditions we see & treat at Spine & Sports Centre.
Can you believe that back problems account for 4.1% of Australia’s total disease burden? Even more concerning, over 4 million Australians experience back pain annually.
Back problems can occur insidiously, as a result of disease, or by poor work, sports & lifestyle ergonomics. The main structures involved are muscles, ligaments, intervertebral discs and bony joints.
Risk Factors for low back pain:
Older Age
Reduced physical fitness
Smoking
Overweight/obesity
Heavy labour/physicality
The 5 best exercises for preventing & managing low back pain:
Although it may feel scary to move & exercise when you are experiencing low back pain, movement really is the best medicine! These exercises are a great, gentle way to get your back joints/muscles moving and healing faster:
Cat-Camel:
Start on your hands and knees with your back in a neutral position.
Arch your back, lifting your head up and pushing your tail bone out, making a dish with your spine. Hold this position.
Next, tuck your head and tail bone in towards your chest, pull your belly button in towards your spine, making a curve through your back. Hold this position, and then repeat.
Pelvic Tilting:
Start lying on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip width apart.
Rock your hips up, scoop your belly-button towards your spine & clench your glut muscles to roll the tail bone off the floor.
The majority of the effort should come from your abdominal and glute muscles.
Relax and repeat.Single Leg Table-Top:
Lie on your back with your legs bent fist width apart and feet flat on the floor.
Bring one leg up to the table top position, with your hip and knee at 90 degrees.
Place the leg on the floor, and swap legs, and repeat.
Bridging:
Lie on your back. Bend both knees hip width apart and feet flat on the floor.
Lift your glutes off the floor, scooping by activating the abdominals and glutes, slowly peel each vertebral segment up off the floor to shoulder blade height.
Repeat.
Bent Knee Fall-Outs:
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart.
Place your hands on your lower tummy, just inside your hip bones & gently tighten your tummy muscles. You should feel your back flatten onto the floor.
Allow one knee to slowly fall out to the side. Control the movement as you bring the knee back up to the starting position.
Do not allow your back or pelvis to move. Do not hold your breath.
Here at Spine & Sports Centre, our Chiropractors & Physiotherapists are experts in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of low back problems.
They can walk you through each of these exercises, as well as provide additional manual therapy, ergonomic modification & lifestyle advice.
Emily Cumming
Chiropractic Director | Senior Chiropractor
Spine & Sports Centre