6 Best Exercises for Chronic Low Back Pain (that you can do at home)

Low back pain is the most common injury in the world. About 85% of people will experience low back pain at least once in their lives. Therefore, doing exercises that strengthen your core muscles (such as your abs) and improving your flexibility are important to preventing back pain. In this article, I shall be going over the best exercises for chronic low back pain, or pain that you have had for more than 1 month. And as always, please first consult your doctor.

KEY POINTS:

• If you have had a recent back injury, rest and ice your back for up to 3 days, then try to begin walking a little. Staying in bed may delay healing.
• Once your back pain is tolerable, you may want to try light exercises such as walking under the supervision of a healthcare provider such as a physical therapist.
• Medical studies have show that exercise can both reduce and prevent lower back pain.
• The 6 best exercises for lower back pain are: walking, aerobics or cardio training, stretching, Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi.
• Start off small with light exercises first, always listen to your body, and never do exercises that cause your pain to worsen.

WHAT TO DO AFTER A RECENT BACK INJURY

If you recently injured your back, just rest and ice your back for up to 3 days, and simply walk once you are able to. You want to take it easy if you are in pain because exercising or stretching too early after an injury can make your back pain worse. However, you do not want to stay bedridden as it can delay healing to your back. Once your back pain is tolerable, you can begin exercises discussed below such as walking that will further reduce your pain and prevent the back spasms from returning. For more information on what to do after a recent back injury, see my article How To Treat Chronic Low Back Pain.

WHY EXERCISE IS BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR BACK

Medical studies have shown that exercise can decrease back pain and strengthen your back muscles so that you can move around more freely and carry out your daily tasks with less restriction. Scientists think that exercise can desensitize your pain perception and increase your tolerance for pain over time. This decrease in pain perception from exercise means that you will develop a higher tolerance for pain. Exercise may also reduce inflammation associated with low back pain. The good news is that all the movement from exercise can nourish your spinal discs, which are fluid-filled cushions between your spinal bones. Finally, exercise can help you overcome depression and anxiety associated with low back pain. There is a correlation between low back pain and depression since you are not able to participate in the same activities as you did prior to the injury, but exercise can have a positive impact on your mood. Many people are afraid of hurting their backs again, but exercise can empower you to regain a sense of normalcy in your physical activities. This last point is the most important reason to start an exercise regimen so that you can begin enjoying the activities you used to enjoy. Ask your health care provider to provide you with an exercise regimen that is modified to your personal needs.

I have a 5 millimeter bulging disc in my L5-S1 spine joint after a squatting accident several years ago. This injury led to recurrent back spasms about every 1 to 2 years. Sometimes I would have to take days off of work for several weeks to months to heal. My health care providers told not to bend my from the waist because they said bending over to touch my toes from a standing position would add stress to the discs in my spine. So I never bent from the waist to touch my toes for years out of fear that this movement would make my back unstable. However, this advice backfired because even though I “protected” my back by never bending over from the waist, I noticed my lower back would still give out. I think that by restricting my back from performing such a normal movement as bending over, my lower back muscles became even weaker. Therefore, I advise people not to restrict normal movements they had before their injuries, as long as these movements do not cause pain. I bend over from the waist freely now, especially when I do Pilates. Exercise and flexibility are key to promoting a healthy back.

Is Exercise Safe if I have Chronic Low Back Pain? After recovering from low back pain, it can be scary to exercise again for fear that certain movements may cause the lower back spasms to return. I remember my back would always give out when I would play tennis so I stopped playing. I grew to fear playing any sports that involved twisting or bending at the waist. This fear caused me to underuse my lower back muscles, which made them weak and more prone to injury. I recommend that you consult a physical therapist before beginning exercises to strengthen your lower back. Your physical therapist can help you get over the fear of exercising by teaching you modified exercises and can gradually increase the difficulty of these exercises based on your progress. The video below shows how a physical therapist can help a patient with lower back pain re-learn how to bend from the waist through modified exercises that increase in difficulty over time so that the patient can move freely again.

Your physical therapist can evaluate your fitness level and create an exercise regimen that is suited to your physical condition and needs, especially for those who are older in age or more frail. You may experience mild pain when starting exercises to strengthen your back, but the pain should be mild and temporary. If the pain is more than mild, then you should stop those exercises and consult with your physical therapist because your physical therapist may have to modify your exercise regimen.

The Best Exercises for Chronic Low Back Pain – Here we list the best exercises, from easiest to most difficult. No one exercise is better than another based on medical studies.

• Walking: Walking is the most underrated exercise for low back pain, but science has concluded that walking does help with lower back pain.

• Aerobic “Cardio” Exercise: Aerobic exercises are also known as “cardio” exercises and include bicycling, swimming, fast walking, and pedaling on an elliptical machine. Aerobic exercises can help reduce lower back pain and improve your ability to carry out normal daily activities. Below is an aerobics video that is designed for seniors, but is great at any age, especially if you have chronic low back pain:

• Stretching Exercises: Flexibility is key to preventing back injury and reducing lower back pain. However, if you are currently in a lot of pain, I do not recommend you stretch until your pain gets better as stretching could make your pain worse. Below is a good 5 minute routine for back stretches.

Additionally, if you sit at a desk all day, you must stretch periodically to prevent injury to your neck, back, and wrists. Below is a good video that gives you some ergonomic stretches you can perform at work that will relieve tension in your neck, shoulders, back, and wrists.

• Pilates: Pilates is my favorite workout for low back pain and was recommended by my back surgeon. Pilates is a low-impact exercise that focuses on controlled movements to strengthen and stabilize your core muscles (such as your abdomen and back), as well as improve your flexibility. Doing Pilates two to three times a week can improve your coordination, balance, and breathing. Below is a gentle Pilates routine for those with low back pain.

• Yoga: Yoga is a mind-body exercise that incorporates physical postures, breathing, and meditation. Yoga helps increase mindfulness and gives you greater awareness of how you are feeling in different areas of your body. I used to practice Yoga a lot, but many of the bending postures involve very deep stretching and can make my back feel a little tense afterwards. So definitely listen to your body and do NOT perform postures if you feel any pain. The video below has some tips to prevent back pain while doing Yoga.

I also included two beginner Yoga videos below, one geared for seniors (but great for any age), and one focused on the lower back.

• Tai Chi: Tai Chi is another mind-body exercise that has often been called “meditation in motion.” Tai Chi involves flowing movement sequences that improves balance, coordination, breathing, and strength. I was surprised to discover that medical studies have shown that Tai Chi reduces lower back pain more than Yoga. Tai Chi is good for all ages, especially for seniors since the chance for injury is very small. Check out the video below for an introduction to Tai Chi.

EXERCISE PREVENTS LOWER BACK PAIN

Exercises such as aerobics, strength training, and stretching not only reduce back pain but they can also prevent back spasms from happening again. Take baby-steps and start slow with your exercises, do not push yourself too hard if the exercise causes you pain, and exercise under the supervision of a healthcare provider such as a Physical Therapist. Start moving!

Finally, if you work from home and need some tips on the best desks for back pain, click on this article: 4 Best Desks for Back Pain.